THOMAS
,
JOHN EVAN
(
1810
-
1873
),
sculptor
;
b. at
Brecon
15 Jan. 1810
, the eldest son of
John
Thomas
,
Castle Street
, and
Jane
(
Evans
)
his wife. He studied in
London
under
Chantrey
and afterwards on the
Continent
, began to work independently in
1834
, and was a frequent
exhibitor
at the
Royal Academy
between 1835 and 1857
. He had a very successful career, and many of his works are to be seen in
Wales
and elsewhere — in his home town, for instance, we have his statue of the
duke of Wellington
, while the
Priory church
(now the cathedral) contains more statuary by him. He was a thoroughgoing
Welshman
, and
took a great interest in everything pertaining to Wales
. He took a leading part (with the support of
lord Llanover
) in the movement to prevent the mis-use of the endowments of
Christ College
,
Brecon
. In
1857
he bought
Penisha'r-Pentre
, a little mansion at
Llansbyddid
; in
1868
he was
sheriff
of
Brecknock
. He d.
9 Oct. 1873
, in
London
, and was buried there. For thirty years he was assisted in his work by his brother
WILLIAM
THOMAS
, who was b.
13 July 1819
and d.
7 Sept. 1877
.
The latter, when he had completed his elder brother's unfinished works, continued to work on his own. He
specialised in allegories
and
medallions executed in marble
. Another brother was
JAMES
THOMAS
, b.
6 Nov. 1825
, and d.
4 Oct. 1904
.
He was an
architect
by profession and became
chief surveyor
to the
War Office
— he was the
designer of the military hospital
at
Netley
. He retired in
1890
. In
London
he was a prominent member of the
Society of Ancient Britons
, of which he was
sub-treasurer
, and took an interest in its school at
Ashford
.
Bibliography:
-
Poole
,
The Illustrated History and Biography of
Brecknockshire
, 1886
, 322-4 (the fullest account);
-
Theophilus Jones
,
History of the County of
Brecknock
(3rd imp.), iv, 162-3;
-
there is a short note on J. E. Thomas in the
Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography
Author:
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, C.B.E., D.Litt., Ll.D.,
F.S.A., (1881-1969), Bangor
