HISTORIC WELSH RUGBY UNION CAPS & EPHEMERA RELATING TO JOSEPH IVOR THOMAS MORRIS, (also referred to as Glyn) comprising (1) 1924 Welsh Cap Ivor Morris, embroidered metallic embellishments including braided trim with the year 1924 to the peak, metallic gold tassel and crown, internal maker's mark 'R.W. Forsyth Ltd., Edinburgh & Glasgow', Prince of Wales feathers over motto 'Ich Dien', red velvet panels (good, some minor staining to trim, internal silk liner frayed). (2) 1923/24 Swansea RFC Cap Ivor Morris, blue velvet cap embellished with metallic braided rim and tassel, the year 1923/24 embroidered to the peak, embroidered Swansea Football Club emblem, internal maker's mark 'R.W. Forsyth Ltd., Edinburgh & Glasgow' (internal silk liner frayed, otherwise very good). (3) Dinner card from the County Borough of Swansea for the visit of New Zealand team on the 27th September 1924, together with an invitation from the Mayor for Ivor Morris to attend.
The New Zealand team were known as ‘The Invincibles’, as they won all 32 games they played on the tour, they beat Swansea 39-3, and the match credited as the starting point when both teams formally sang their national anthems. Numerous players signatures including Bill Irvine, Quentin Donald, Maurice Brownlie, Les Cupples, Snowy Swenson, Mark Nichols, Burt Cook etc. (4) Invitation to New Zealand v. Wales, 19th November 1924 for Ivor Morris. (5) England v. Wales at Swansea January 19th 1924 programme (inspection advised, pages away from seam). (6) Cigarette card No. 21 for Ivor Morris, a Forward at Swansea. (7) Three photographs including a hand-coloured and embellished photograph of Ivor Morris in his Welsh jersey, 61 x 48cms; a Welsh squad photograph, Wales v. England, January 19th 1924, 46 x 35cms (some fading); and a montage of Port Talbot Aberavon RFC, 1925-26 season, 42 x 50cms. (8) Dinner card from Scottish Football Union on 2nd February 1924, in honour of The Welsh fifteen, following the international, bearing numerous players signatures including J.C.R. Buchanan (Captain Scotland), J. Whitfield (Captain Wales) A.C. Gillies, D. Drydale, G.P.S. Macpherson etc. (approximately 40)
Auctioneer's Note: 'Glyn' Ivor Morris earned his two international caps for Wales when he was selected by the Welsh Rugby Union committee as prop for the 1924 Five Nations Championship match against England at St Helen's, Swansea. Morris made his debut on 19 January 1924 before a crowd of 35,000 spectators. He lined up in the Welsh front row against a powerful England pack that included future captain Wavell Wakefield. England dominated the first half and led 11–3 at the interval before securing a 17–9 victory, despite Wales responding with tries from Tommy Arthur William Johnson, Albert David Owen, and Tom Jones. His second cap was 2 February 1924, Scotland defeated Wales 35–10. The match was played at Inverleith in Edinburgh. Scotland dominated from the start, taking a commanding 22–0 lead at half-time. Morris born in Burry Port, played initially for Loughor, then Swansea, was a Ystalyfera–based police constable at the time of his Wales caps. Provenance: private collection Swansea, by family descent