Albert Melville Baker (Mel Baker)
Born January 12th 1885
Early Years
Mel Baker was born on January 12th 1885 at Green Street House, Redwick. His parents were Albert Sidney and Susan Cecilia; his mother’s maiden name was Waters. His parents were married in 1872.
Mel was baptised in Redwick Church on February 22nd 1885. Mel was his parents’ sixth child all of whom were born in Redwick. Sidney was born in 1873; Annie born 1874; Florence born 1875; Ivor born 1877; William born 1880. Sadly William died in 1881. The family then moved to Manor House, St Brides where his parents had two more children; George born 1887 and Hilda born 1990. Mel attended Brighton House School in Bristol where the 1901 census shows him as a 16 year old pupil.
RugbyYears
He showed an ability to play rugby where he played on the wing. He played for Newport Rugby Club, for Wales and was picked to play for the Lions. He first played for Newport in 1907 and in 1910 he was part of the team that beat the touring Australian team scoring the only try of the match.
He can probably claim to have the longest period of time between two matches of any Newport player, his penultimate game was in the 1909/10 season before touring with the Lions and his last game was in 1922 when home on holiday from South Africa.
In his final game which was against the Barbarians he scored a try contributing to a home win of 15-6.
He gained three caps for Wales; in the 1908/9 season he won caps for playing against Scotland and France, he scored three tries against France scoring nine points. In the following year he played against Scotland scoring a try worth three points. The 1910 Lions team was captained by Tommy Smyth of Newport.
While he was on the Lions tour in South Africa he was offered a job by De Beers, the diamond mining company, which he accepted. He kept up his rugby playing for Grigualand West and was a member of the Currie Cup winning team in 1911.
Travelling
Mel travelled back and forth to South Africa by ship. He travelled out on the SS Borda from London to Cape Town leaving on June 1st 1922.
He returned on November 30th 1931 on the Warwick Castle sailing from Cape Town to Southampton; on both trips he is described as an engineer.
He returned in 1939 and was staying with his youngest sister Hilda at Trelenny, Mathern, near Chepstow, when the information for the 1939 register was collected. On this occasion he was accompanied by his wife Ethel. His mother was also there who as she was born in 1848 was now in her 90s and was described as a widow.
It is thought that Mel and his wife moved to Canada after the war.