1877
The Ogmore Vale Rugby Football Club was formed with Mr John Rees (Blaina) elected the first Chairman, Mr Fred Osborne the First Honorary Secretary and Mr Henry Treharne the first Honorary Treasurer.
John Rees and Fred Osborne travelled to Llanharan to see Mr Blandy-Jenkins, who gifted the Rugby Club the two fields opposite the Corbett Arms (known as the “Crossing Fields”) to the Club.
OVRFC Headquarters was established in the upper room of the Corbett Arms.
1879
After two years work, the hedge separating the two fields and the gully surrounding both fields were removed and OVRFC finally had a home ground.
OVRFC were invited to join the Glamorgan Rugby League, which at that time could boast it had all the best clubs from Mid-Glamorgan, East Glamorgan and the Rhondda Valleys and was recognised as the most powerful un-topable Rugby Unit in South Wales.
1899 - 1908
OVRFC won the League Cup in 1899-1900, 1903-1904 and again in 1907-1908
1899
The first player to have played for OVRFC is selected to play for Wales. Alfred Bailey “Bobby” Brice played 18 times from 1899 to 1904. Alf was born in No 2 Hill Street, Ogmore Vale and became a Policeman stationed in Ogmore Vale Police Station before transferring to Aberavon and playing for Aberavon RFC where his international career took off.
1910 - 1921
Club secretary was Alfred Boobyer, a local school teacher who nurtured some exceptional schoolboy talent.
1910 - 1914
OVRFC held the Championship of the Bridgend and District League.
1910 - 1922
OVRFC unbeaten at home. Only “lost” at home to Resolven as the match was played in torrential rain and the Captains agreed beforehand whoever scored the first points would be the winners, Resolven were warded and scored a penalty after 15 mins, ending Ogmore`s unbeaten home record.
1918
Played and beat Cardiff RFC at the Arms Park, Cardiff.
1919
OVRFC entertained both the New Zealand and Australian touring teams at Ogmore Park. On the 16th April 1919,
OVRFC lost to New Zealand by 12 points to 7 and on the 2nd May 1919 OVRFC beat Australia 6 points to 3, both games watched by approximately 8,000 spectators at Ogmore Park.
In another sub-plot to Ogmore Vale RFC playing two southern hemisphere teams within two weeks is the remarkable story of one Beriah Melbourne Gwynne Thomas. Born 11th June 1896, he is the first man known to be born in Nantymoel and be selected to play for Wales. A rare enough feat in itself, however Melbourne Thomas, as he was known by, would in just four months play against New Zealand on no less than four separate occasions.
21st December 1918 was Melbourne`s first match against New Zealand as part of the Public School Side where he would play at Centre. New Zealand won the game 16 points to nil.
The second match on 01st January1919 Melbourne was selected in a non cap game for a Wales XV against New Zealand XV, a match that was drawn 3 points all. Melbourne was singled out in the press for a glowing report: “Melbourne Thomas, the St. Barts student, who made his debut in top-class football, was in brilliant form at centre, and his international cap is waiting for him”.
Melbourne`s third game was when he turned out at very short notice to play for Ogmore Vale RFC on the 16th April 1919 when Melbourne scored a try against the New Zealanders, though Ogmore lost the game by 7 points to 12.
His fourth and final game against New Zealand was a full cap match for Wales against New Zealand on the 21st April 1919 at St. Helens, Swansea, which New Zealand won by 6 points to three.
Melbourne would go on to win 5 more caps for Wales, playing against Ireland, France and Scotland in 1921, against France in 1923 and his final cap was against England in 1924.
Beriah Melbourne Gwynne Thomas was a Doctor of Medicine, having studied first at University College, Cardiff and then at St Bartholomew's Hospital, he also played rugby for both institutions. During the First World War he enlisted in the Royal Navy, serving as a surgeon sub-lieutenant.
He played rugby for the following amateur clubs:
Ogmore Vale RFC, Bridgend RFC,
St. Batholomew's Hospital, London Welsh RFC, Cardiff RFC & Barbarian F.C.
1919
Three OVRFC players also played for East Wales against the touring New Zealand team: Rob Ashman, Mel Emmanuel and Dick Kynan.
1919
OVRFC admitted to the Welsh Rugby Union.
1921
The Ex Schoolboys Rugby team was set up under Honorary Secretary Arthur Baker and is their first season won the W. J. Llewellyn Cup and the League Championship.
1925
Arthur Baker is elected as Honorary Secretary of the Senior Team and remains in post until 1938.
1923
OVRFC are forced once again to only play away games at Brynmenyn and Tondu as the Rhondda Main Colliery wanted to use the Ogmore Rugby Ground as wagon sidings.
1925
Rhondda Main Colliery go into liquidation and OVRFC return to play home matched at Ogmore Park.
1932
Glynne D. Lewis appointed the Honorary Financial Secretary.
1932 - 1936
Clifford Foulkes captained the team.
1935 - 1938
Several matches were played in aid of Bristol Royal Infirmary. One match that stand out is in 1938 with OVRFC against the Glamorgan Police, who, despite fielding no less than 14 Internationals still lost to OVRFC.
1939 - 1946
No rugby in the valley for the duration of World War Two.
1946
OVRFC was re-formed, Mr Richard Stanbridge was elected as Chairman, Mr Glynne D. Lewis as Honorary Secretary. One major issue at this time was a serious lack of shorts for the players until a member of the committee, Mr H. C. “Jack” Young gathered all the Black Out materials from the local collieries and Mrs E. Radcliffe, who at this point had been washing the team strip for over 50 years proceeded to make shorts for all the players. Clothing coupons were gathered from the players to provide Jerseys for the team to wear.
1950 - 1960
During this period the club had some very fine players. High on the list came Keith Chilton. As a youth player he was capped and later travelled with the Welsh Youth fifteen on a very successful South African tour. Graham Hodgson earned equal honours playing 15 times for the Wales Senior team and keeping them company, Sel Lewis, Hyram Leyshon, Jack Godwin, Jeffrey Jenkins, Norman Pugsley, Keith Roberts, Norman Thomas, John Jenkins and E. L. Richards, Lyndon Trotman, Edgar Holmes, Tony Williams, Clive Easterbrook, John Sager and Petty Officer Paul Dunn who captained both OVRFC and captained the 1973 Royal Navy Services team.that played against New Zealand.
1962
H. C. “Jack” Young was elected as a District Representative, a position he held for fourteen years and during which he served on the “Big Five” panel for six years.
1966
OVRFC purchase the old WEXA Club in Tynewydd Row and during the off season turn it into the teams very own Clubhouse with the club opening its doors for the first time on October 6th 1966.
1967
On the 6th April 1967 the new Clubhouse was officially opened.
1967
An honour to the club, Mr Glynne D. Lewis was presented with “The Castella Award” for services to Rugby.
1971
An OVRFC player Mr Dyson Roberts B.Arch, (Hons) Wales designed the Welsh Rugby Union Challenge Cup, which ar that time was the most coveted trophy in Welsh Rugby.
Team Records:
1947 -1948
At Ogmore Park, Len Griggs scored all 18 points against Cardiff Athletic Club to set a new club record.
1979 -1980
Dilwyn Thomas equalled the club record of 18 points in one match.
1972 - 1973
Keith Clatworthy scored a record 4 tries in one match against Gilfach Goch.
1976
Alun Davies set a new record by being elected captain for a record fifth consecutive season. Hyram Leyshon and Jeffrey Jenkins played more than 300 games for OVRFC.
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