When the Iron men of Iron St. formed what was to become the Tredegar Ironsides R.F.C, quite some time ago, little did they realise then, what was to emerge from such humble beginnings. Iron Street, was so called because it led to what had been Tredegar Iron Works, and one of the main industries which, together with coal, had been the reason for Tredegar in the first place. As was the case with most of the early, heavy industries in South Wales, at that time, without the benefit of the large contingent of workers who came over from Ireland, they would have never become established and this was the case in Tredegar, with the Iron Works. Many of these Irish folk, all Catholics, settled in Iron Street and indeed still have families living in Tredegar today. When the works moved to Newport, to become Whitehead Works, other employment was sought and found, and then at the end of the last War, when the local Tredegar Club organised a Rugby Tournament for talent in the area, a ready-made team was found amongst the residents of Iron Street. In that team were John Gregory and Tom Gregory of whom much more will be said later, and they managed to reach the final to be beaten 0-3. This was the actual beginning and then the following year, in 1946, when the ex-service men started to return, it was decided to organise on a sound basis. A meeting was arranged in what was the Talbot Hotel, in High Street. The Hotel is no longer there, but there is a seat where the old people of the town can rest that was donated by the Tredegar Ironsides R.F.C., on the spot where they first began. At this inaugural meeting were, John, Tom and Billy Gregory, all cousins, ex Sgt.Major, Joe Yandle who was to become the first captain of the team; John O'Shea, Charlie Butler-always known as 'Ypres' in memory of his father who was killed at Ypres in the First World War and he was the father of the Charlie Butler who went on from them to play for Tredegar, Abertillery and Ebbw Vale. Tommy Thomas, Eric Gardiner, R.Lowe, Gus Becks and Rowley Hill. Fleurance McCarthy was appointed as the first Chairman and they were ready for all that may come their way. Finance was naturally a problem and here, the good ladies of Iron Street came to their aid; as most of them were ex-service men, and at that time, throughout the country, it was the practise to arrange ‘Welcome Home' parties, Iron Street rose to the occasion in no mean manner and after the party, there was a small cash surplus. Small, but enough to help this newly formed team. It was, as so many remember, the time of clothing coupons and Tom Gregory recalls, going with his cousin, down to the Town of Ike Fine, the local clothier. All he had were 4 Red Rugger shirts and 4 Red Soccer shirts, not to be daunted they, themselves with Mothers help stayed up through the night, sewing white collars on the Soccer shirts, somehow making up a set, in readiness for their game away against Rhymney.
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