People
Jack Harris
Jack Harris 635 Llangyfelach Road, Treboeth, Swansea SA5 9EN – Born 15th September 1924
Jack played for the Swansea Schoolboys in the 1938-39 seasons. They beat Chesterfield Schoolboys to be the first Welsh Team to win the English Trophy.
Jack Harris 1938
Football Crazy: This picture supplied by Jack Harris of Llangyfelach Road, shows the Swansea soccer team of the 1938-39 season. At the back left to right, were coach Dai Beynon, selector T. James, R. Morgan (oxford Street), F. Davies (Townhill), T. Hope (Townhill) T. Brain (Hafod) G. Evans (Oystermouth), M. Lewis (Manselton) A. Yellans (Vive-chairman), H. Richards (Selector), Seated: W. J. Summers (chairman), A. Williams (secretary), Jack Harris (Manselton), K. Bishop, captain (Junior Technical), J. Jones (Plasmarl), O. Vaughan (treasurer), W. Davies (trainer). In front: B. Ross (Townhill) and J. Owen (Plasmarl)
With many brilliant achievements to their credit, this is the Swansea Schoolboy team, with officials, which reached the final round tussles with Chesterfield Boys.
The Swansea schoolboy team from the 1938-39 season, receives some advice from coach Dai Beynon, before becoming the first Swansea boy’s team to win the English Schools Trophy. Jack is 6th from left side
Souvenir Programme
The English Trophy and Souvenir Programme 6th May 1939
Swansea Youth A. F. C. Who triumphed over Newport Youth in the match at the Vetch Field. Included in the group is the Deputy Mayor of Swansea, Alderman D. J. Fisher
Jack is seated on the left
Jack’s wife Jean, suffered for many years with Kidney failure, she died in October 1996 and left Jack broken hearted. Even though Jean was ill she still worked hard for Kidney treatment and wrote this letter to Thames Television.
A letter from Jean Harris to Thames Television – November 1992
635 Llangyfelach Road, Treboeth,
Swansea SA5 9:EN
15th November 1992
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to put the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Ward MBE forward as a subject for the programme ‘This is Your Life’. Hers is a fascinating story in that she is the founder of the British Kidneys Patients Association. She has devoted a large part of her life to this worthy cause and has helped bring the sensitive issue of organ transplants to the attention of a great number
of people. However, her main concern is for the patients themselves. She believes that people undergoing dialysis need understanding, support and quite importantly, a chance to have
a holiday away from home provided that their treatment is continued. Where the patient is dialysing at home, the carers, who are so often forgotten, can also have a well deserved break from the responsibility of looking after the patient. Therefore, holiday dialyses units were set up at West Sussex, Jersey, Majorca and Tenerife which are funded by the Association and are in use from May to September each year.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ward was educated at Cheltenham Ladies College. She spent a few years as an ordinary housewife then became a volunteer for prison after-ca.re magistrate, public relations officer, sales director, chicken farmer, car saleswoman and author of the book which told of her only son's fight against renal failure. She also has two daughters. Tragically her son Simon (known as Timbo) was to suffer kidney disease. He endured three transplants (one kidney donated by his father) but sadly, all failed. Timbo's struggle for survival is told graphically by Mrs. Ward in her book and his subsequent death inspired her to set up the British Kidney Patients Association.
Organ transplantation is a subject most people have no desire to think about but as these operations become more successful and commonplace, I feel hope is born where so often there is despair. I am sure organ transplantation is the way forward into the 21st century.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Jean Harris
Jean Harris – Received a reply on14th April 1993 from Thames Television
Jean Harris died 23rd October 1996
Jack Harris died 14th October 2000