DAVIES
,
EVAN
(
1826
-
1872
),
educationist
;
b.
26 June 1826
at
Gelli
,
Llan-y-crwys, Carms.
, son of
Timothy
Davies
, educated at
Ffrwd-y-fâl
by
William
Davies
(
1805
-
1859
) (q.v.)
, and afterwards at
Bristol
, was destined for the Independent ministry and in
1842
was
Dr. Williams scholar
at
Glasgow
, where he graduated (much later, in
1858
, he took his
LL.D.
). His college career coincided with the inception of the
Nonconformist ‘Voluntary’ school movement
in
South Wales
, led by
David
Rees
(
1801
-
1869
) (q.v.)
, of
Llanelly
; and the supporters of that movement, at a series of conferences held in
1845
, decided to set up a training college for teachers at
Brecon
(
1846
), of which
Evan
Davies
(after a period of training at
Borough Road
) was appointed
principal
. In
1849
the college was removed to
Swansea
, but the collapse of the
Voluntaryist movement
and the resulting financial stringency brought it for the
time being to an end (
1851
)-in later years, it was to become the
Swansea Training College
for
women teachers
.
Davies
continued the institution as a private venture school till
1867
, when he handed it over to
Dan Isaac
Davies
(q.v.)
and turned to the law, eventually becoming
partner in a legal firm
. He was also a
musician
of some note. He d.
22 Aug. 1872
.
Bibliography:
-
,
1872
, 286, and
-
,
July 1893
, for dates of birth and death;
- the Welsh periodicals from 1849 to 1851 provide material for the history of the Voluntaryist movement.
Author:
