EVANS
,
EVAN
(
1882
-
1965
),
businessman
;
b.
8 Nov. 1882
in
Glanyrafon
,
Betws Leucu, Cards.
, son of
David
Evans
and
Elizabeth
(née
Davies
)
his wife. He left
Llangeitho school
when he was only nine years old. At the age of 15 he went to
work in his cousin's dairy
in
Marylebone
with very little knowledge of
English
, but he attended night school in
London
to learn the language. By the age of twenty he
owned his own dairy
and later
bought a farm
,
kept a hotel
,
had a car sales business
and established
Evan Evans Tours, Ltd.
, which had world-wide links. He took an active interest in the public life of the Borough of
St. Pancras
as a
councillor
1922-59
and
alderman
1935-45
,
mayor
1939-41
,
deputy mayor
for five years, and
J.P.
He worked hard to provide a refuge for those who lost their homes during the air raids in
1940
. He was a member of
London County Council
1931-34
and was granted the
freedom of the City of London
in
1946
. Elected an
alderman
in
1932
, he served as
secretary
of
Jewin (Presb.) Church
from
1938
until his death, and was
moderator
of the
Association in the South
,
1961-62
. He contributed towards the cost of publishing the book by
Tom
Beynon
(see above)
on
Howel
Harris
in
London
. Under the bardic name ‘
Ifan Gwynfil
’ he became a member of the
Gorsedd
of Bards
at
Swansea national
eisteddfod
,
1964
. On
19 Feb. 1936
he m.
Nancy Meurig
Davies
in
Jewin Chapel
, and they had one son. He d. at his home in
Guildford Street
,
24 July. 1965
, and was interred in the graveyard of
Gwynfil Chapel
,
Llangeitho
.
Bibliography:
-
Information from his son,
Dafydd Gwyn Evans
;
-
The Biographical Index of W.W. Price,
Aberdâr
(at the National Library of Wales and Aberdare
Public Library)
.
-
See also
Camden and St. Pancras Chronicle
,
30 July, 1965
.
Author:
Dr Mary Auronwy James, Aberystwyth
