Ella Towell and Ken Davies, swimming stalwarts, at the opening of the new swimming pool"

Buckley Leisure Centre, Elfed High School, Mill Lane, Buckley

11 July 2005

KENNETH MALCOLM DAVIES, M.B.E.

9.2.1924 - 6.3.2009

(The information in this account was provided by Mrs Doreen Davies.)

Ken joined the Buckley Swimming Club in 1934, having begun to swim aged 4, and remained a member for over seventy years, becoming a life member and honorary life president. His various swimming activities included water polo. His roles with the club included captain, coach, and treasurer.

He was county champion in 1938 and in 1940 was Welsh boys' champion over half a mile. He was a water polo international player, playing in the Welsh squad in 1950 against England and Scotland.

He was a referee for water polo in the Wales and Liverpool and District League. He refereed at all levels and all kinds of events including international. For example, he officiated at the Empire Games (now the Commonwealth Games) in 1959 in Cardiff. In September 1995 he refereed at the Welsh life-saving championships in Anglesey.

He was the first president and became an honorary life member, one of only a few in the U.K., of the North Wales Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society, which he helped to set up in 1968. He was a teacher and examiner for the Society. In July 1995, aged 71, he was presented with the Royal Life Saving Society's service cross and bar for more than 50 years' dedication to the movement at the Guildhall, London in recognition of his work in teaching, officiating and examining.

He was awarded the M.B.E. for services to swimming in Wales for over 60 years, presented to him by H.M. The Queen on 18^th February 1998.

He once had to resuscitate someone at Buckley Baths in about 1955 - the only such drama of his long career. I was assisting in the baths when someone became trapped under the steps and I had to rush to get them out of the water to resuscitate them. That really made me appreciate the training I had been given.

Before he retired he was a youth training officer with Clwyd County Council's youth training scheme and was formerly personnel manager at Allis Chalmers in Mold. He met his wife Doreen at the Buckley baths when she was learning to swim.

Author: Anon

Ella Towell and Ken Davies, swimming stalwarts, at the opening of the new swimming pool"

Buckley Leisure Centre, Elfed High School, Mill Lane, Buckley

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