REES
,
RICE
(
1804
-
1839
),
cleric and scholar
;
b.
31 March 1804
at
Ton
near
Llandovery
, son of
David
and
Sarah
Rees
— see the article on the
Rees
of
Ton
family
. His father was apparently an
Independent
, and
Rice
Rees
was christened in the
Independent chapel
by
Peter
Jenkins
of
Brychgoed
. In
1819
he went to
Lampeter grammar school
, which in those days was in charge of
Eliezer
Williams
(q.v.)
, but his stay there was short. After that, he spent some time at home and it was during this period that this interest in
Welsh
was roused by
John
Howell
,
Ioan Glan Dyfroedd
(q.v.)
, who was
headmaster of the British school
in the town. He then went to his uncle,
W. J.
Rees
(q.v.)
, at
Cascob
to be prepared for
Oxford
; he was admitted to
Jesus College
in
1822
, graduated in
1826
(
B.D.
1837
), and in
1828
was elected a
Fellow of his college
.
Llewellyn
Lewellin
(q.v.)
was his tutor at
Oxford
, and when
Lewellin
became
principal
of the newly founded
S. David's College
,
Lampeter
,
Rice
Rees
was appointed
lecturer in Welsh
and
librarian
. He was ordained the same year; in
1832
he became
rector
of
Llanddewi Velfrey
, and in
1838
was appointed
bishop's chaplain
— he had already been entrusted with the responsibility of
examining candidates for holy orders in Welsh
. He was a
scholar
by nature, and his book,
The Welsh Saints
, is, according to the article on him by
(
Sir
)
J. E.
Lloyd
in the
D.N.B.
, ‘full and illuminating’ and remains the standard authority on this subject; it was originally a prize essay at the
Carmarthen eisteddfod
(
1835
), but in
1836
was enlarged into a book which was published by his brother,
William
Rees
(
1808
-
1873
) (q.v.)
. He edited an impression of
Canwyll y Cymry
(
Rhys
Prichard
, q.v.
), which appeared (
1841
) posthumously; and he was a member of the committee appointed to produce a revised edition of the
Welsh Book of Common Prayer
. He had intended publishing an edition of
Liber Landavensis
, but d. before the work was finished — it was, in fact, inadequately
completed by
W. J.
Rees
in
1853
. It is clear that
Rice
Rees
overworked; he d. suddenly at
Newbridge on Wye
on his way from
Cascob
to
Lampeter
,
20 May 1839
, and was buried at
Llandingad
.
Bibliography:
-
M.A. dissertation by
T. Lloyd Bowen
.
Author:
Selwyn Jones, Mus.Bac., (1906-81), Hirwaun
