Vice Presidents

The role of Vice President of the Treorchy Male Choir has been filled by a host of very different individuals, including choristers, conductors and supporters of the organisation. With the reformation of the Choir in 1946 the Management Committee decided to incorporate the post of Vice President into the Constitution and since that date six men have fulfilled the role.
During the Autumn of 1946 friends Tom Jenkins and George Neighbour decided to reform the Choir with the support of a handful of men who, like themselves, had been members of the pre-war organisation. Tom Jenkins was the former Secretary who had the sad task of disbanding the Choir in 1943 due to wartime difficulties. However, three years later he worked tirelessly to see it rise like a phoenix from the ashes of World War II.
Tom Jenkins lived in Stuart Street, Treorchy. Despite being blind, he played an active role in the reformation of the Choir and was appointed the first Vice President in 1946 and first Life Member in 1947. It was a position he held with distinction until his death in 1966.
A period of five years passed before the post was filled once again and due to his retirement as Founder Conductor of the Treorchy Male Choir during the late 1960s, it was decided to confer Vice Presidency on John Haydn Davies in 1971. He also held the title of Conductor Emeritus and was awarded Life Membership in 1967. John Haydn remained the Vice President until his death in 1991, making him the longest serving individual in that role.
The Vice Presidency remained vacant for fourteen years until it was decided to approach Treorchy-born Clive Thomas to fulfil the role in 2005. Mr Thomas, whose father Idris was a long-standing member of the Choir, was a World Cup referee, who famously disallowing the Brazilian goal in the 1978 final. He was later made High Sheriff of Glamorgan and as Vice President he secured funding from Coca Cola Enterprises for the Choir’s Junior Musician Competition.
With the resignation of Clive Thomas in the latter part of 2006 the Management Committee decided to appoint Vice Presidents from within the ranks of the Choir and who better to approach than its three longest-serving members. Founder Member and former Chairman Haydn Erasmus; former Assistant Secretary and Secretary Islwyn Morgan and former Registrar and Honorary Archivist Norman Martin were all appointed Vice Presidents of the Treorchy Male Choir.
In 2009 it was agreed to bestow Vice Presidency on chorister Robert Griffiths who had contributed greatly to the administrative functions of the Choir. Sadly he passed away just a few months before he was due to receive the honour. It was given posthumously to his widow and family.
When the Choir celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2016 it was agreed that Vice Presidency would be bestowed on baritone William Raymond Watkin. Better known as "Boyo", he was celebrating his 60th year in the Choir when he received the honour at the anniversary concert in Treorchy.