The Gower Society

During the years between 1944-1946, a sixth-form history student at Swansea Grammar School, David Rees, began work on a thesis on Gower's history for a Higher School Certificate. As part of this thesis, David Rees met Dr. Gwent Jones, an authority on the peninsula's history. Dr. Jones was a G.P. with patients in Gower and when he made house calls to these patients, David Rees would often accompany the doctor on his travels, using the time his friend was seeing his patients to explore and photograph the nearby environment. In 1946, as David Rees began to bring his thesis to a close, Dr. Gwent introduced the young student to J. E. Rees, a schoolmaster with a keen interest in the peninsula's medieval history. At the time, J. E. Rees was waiting for a new post and so had time on his hands to join David Rees and Dr. Gwent on their travels and explorations around Gower.

Realising that there was a great deal of interest in Gower, despite there being very little in the way of recorded information on the peninsula at that time, the three men began making detailed notes of their travels and investigations. The trio, who now regarded themselves as "The Gowermen," decided that their collective knowledge and note-takings could take form in a new published periodical. If they could find further Gower lovers to join them then the number of possible contributors would add a greater wealth of material that could be included in the publication and increase its possible success.

With this firmly in mind, in 1947 "The Gowermen" decided to become a public society. E. Ernest Morgan, a retired Swansea Council architect, was approached and agreed to become the chairman of the new society. The four men, David Rees, Dr. Gwent, J. E. Rees and E. Morgan met at the Royal Institution (Swansea Museum) on Tuesday 23rd December 1947 to flesh out their ideas and aspirations for their new 'Gower Society.' The meeting went well, with the following being set as the main aims of the new society:

- to encourage a love and appreciation of the lordship of Gower
- to preserve its character
- to safeguard its rights of way and open spaces
- to ensure public access to its coasts and beaches
- to encourage the study of its antiquities and history

Just two weeks later The Gower Society held its first public meeting at the Institute. The event attracted 125 people through the museum's door, sealing the success of the new venture.

During these formative years of The Gower Society, much of the Gower Peninsula was still owned by Lady Blythswood of the Penrice Estate. Blythswood's policy of managing the landscape here was to avoid change. It has been generally acknowledged that Blythswood's philosophy preserved Gower's character at a time when other regions outside of Gower were being developed and, ultimately, spoilt. However, in 1950 mush of Gower's land was sold. Parts of the Clyne and Parc-le-Breos Estates, which had hitherto been privately owned and managed, were also sold that year. Land development and the loss of Gower's anachronistic character were now a real threat and The Gower Society soon found an additional role to that of knowledge sharing - that of Conservation.

One of the first environmental challenges met by The Gower Society came only months after its inauguration when Butlin's earmarked Rhossili as a site for a possible new Holiday Camp. Launching a huge publicity campaign, the Gower Society succeeded in foiling Billy Butlin's plans for the region and, in doing so, gained the support and respect of Gower residences. Later successful battles came with The Gower Society's opposition to the proposed demolition of both Swansea Castle and Oxwich Castle and the building of a 450 foot mast on Rhossili Downs.

Today, the society is seen as the peninsula's natural guardian and is the authority on all aspects of the area. Currently leading over 150 walks and talks about Gower each year, they also publish a wide range of books which cover every detail of life on the peninsula. It also continues to actively fight for the protection of Gower by studying all local planning applications for any proposals that might detract from the character of the countryside and by commissioning original research and publicising all matters of importance to the place.

You can visit their website here.