Rugby was played in Narberth in the 1870's and the earliest reference to the town team playing a match appeared in the Carmarthen journal of 1879. The match was against Haverfordwest who won by two tries to nil.
Narberth RFC 1896-97
This photo is not the earliest of a Narberth team but is one of the clearest
The failure of our early pioneers to keep minute books of their meetings is unfortunate but understandable. They had enough problems to overcome without giving thought to a place in history. Consider how difficult it was for them to get to away games by horse-drawn wagon or trap.
The scarcity of information, a total absence of records, makes it impossible to establish the success or otherwise of rugby in Narberth before the first world war. The first-ever success in competitive rugby was in 1903 when a team captained by Llewellyn Griffiths won a sevens tournament at Pembroke Dock.
In 1926 there were difficulties over the playing field and the club moved to Bloomfeild Meadow. It was the first direct contact with Miss Lewis Lloyd who was to become the fairy godmother of both rugby and cricket in Narberth.
The 1926 Team taken to Whitland
The annual general meeting in July 1927 included a suggestion that the players should try to attain a reasonable degree of fitness and to that end should set aside one evening a week. This laudable objective had it's difficulties, there were no facilities in the teams headquarters at the Angel Inn, no floodlit field, no baths or showers. The only recourse was to run round the 'island', or Redstone, and a return to the bar to discuss tactics over a pint.
Changing room facilities in those days were very primitive. Players climbed a ladder to the hay loft above the stables at the Angel Inn. Two enormous zinc baths were filled with heated water from an outside boiler then carried up the ladder a bucket at a time.
Players raced from Bloomfield Meadow at the end of a match to get to the bath first. The last players on a wet day came out of the bath as dirty as they got in and the only option for these players was the pump in the stable yard.These conditions were not peculiar to Narberth since no club in Pembrokeshire had a club house.
The 1937/38 season saw an interest by the club in acquiring the field in Bushes Lane which eventually became the present club and ground. The second World War intervened before the next steps were taken.
1938-39
A meeting was called for the 4th of February 1946, and it was at this meeting that the intention to erect a club house were first muted. Glynne Jones proposed that a memorial pavilion be built " in memory of the players who served in His Majesty's forces during the war". In order to site the new pavilion, a lease would have to be obtained from the owner Miss Lewis Lloyd.
Miss Lewis Lloyd readily agreed to the club's request but three months later she changed her mind,for on 13th May 1946 Miss Lewis Lloyd made it known that she was giving "as an outright gift" to the rugby and cricket clubs the grounds where both now operate.
The official opening of The Lewis Lloyd Ground and the Memorial Pavilion was held on Thursday 16th September, 1948 when the famous Neath club provided the opposition.
Miss lewis Lloyd unveiled a plaque which read "This pavilion was erected by public subscription in memory of those of Narberth and district who lost their lives during the 1939-45 war."
1947-48
1962 was dominated by plans to convert the Pavilion into a social club house with a bar and this was duly carried out on a budget of £1000.00. Players experienced a shocking time during the 1964-65 season- literally a shocking time, because electric shocks were being received under the shower. A committee man quipped " its a pity some of the first team didn't get them while playing."
1962-3
It was at the annual general meeting in June 1965, that the Otter was adopted as the club's emblem. It was proposed " since Miss Lewis Lloyd was a staunch follower of the otter hounds it would be fitting that we had an otter's head as the motif on the club tie. Three electric light poles were erected to floodlight the bottom part of the ground and the mini pitch for night training sessions.
The Irish Tour - March 1968
The club entered the seventies in good heart when plans for an extension to the club house were finalised and the work put out to contract.The opening of the new extension in 1971 embraced up-to-date changing and shower facilities for each team, a well equipped kitchen and a tea room large enough for both teams.
The benefits of running a junior section were now being reaped with two of the previous season's Youth XV holding regular places in the first team. Pembrokeshire Knockout Cup Winners 1980-81
