Trinity College Carmarthen
Trinity University College was a Church University College in Carmarthen, Wales. In 2010, it merged with the University of Wales, Lampeter to become the new University of Wales, Trinity Saint David.The institution was founded in 1848 as the South Wales and Monmouthshire Training College.HistoryTrinity University College began life in 1848 as the South Wales and Monmouthshire Training College, making it the oldest teacher training college in continuous operation in Wales. The college's role was to train young men for teaching in Church primary schools. In the first year of operation, 22 students were recruited and were taught by three members of staff including the first Principal, William Reed. Walter Powell is recorded as the first student; he was 17, previously a draper and worked in a grocery store. The College required its students to follow a strict schedule which included getting up at half past six for a cold bath. Students were often recruited from humble backgrounds, and to remind them of this, the college curriculum included subjects such as gardening and woodwork. The students were expected to have a knowledge of grammar and arithmetic and received education in Latin and Greek. By 1936, the college also had an art block and a gym. The college also placed restrictions on the interaction with the local town, particularly with women and fines were issued for 'girling' (interaction with local women). The strict regime of college life was however broken for activities such as smoking and reading newspapers in the common rooms, musical concerts and entertainment. In the late Victorian era, photography became a great hobby at the college. In the inter-war era, the college gained a reputation for sports (which still exists to this day). The sports practiced at the college included, badminton, tennis and hockey. The main sport however was rugby, which has a strong tradition at Trinity and many past students have gone on to become great successes in the sport.
