REES
,
CALEB
(
1883
-
1970
),
inspector of schools and author
;
b. in
1883
the son of
Jacob
and
Mary
Rees
,
Esgair-ordd
,
Whitchurch, Pembs.
From the village school he went to
Port Talbot Intermediate School
where he gained a
scholarship
to
Cardiff University College
in
1899
. There he won the
Gladstone Memorial Prize
, and graduated with first-class hons. in
English
in
1902
. He continued his education at
Manchester University
where he won the
Withers Prize
before returning to
Cardiff
as a
lecturer in the education department
in
1908
, gaining an
M.A.
degree the following year. In
1912
he was appointed
inspector of schools
for the counties of
Brecon
and
Monmouth
and the borough of
Newport
, later becoming
deputy chief inspector
for
Wales
. At the beginning of
World War II
he was seconded to the
Ministry of information
in
Cardiff
but his health failed and after recuperating he returned to his work as
inspector of training colleges and university training departments
. He m. in
City Road chapel (Welsh Meth.)
,
London
,
28 Aug. 1922
,
Laura Gertrude
Powell
,
medical officer
of the
Board of Health
at
Cardiff
, and they made their home in
28 Clytha Park Road
,
Newport, Mon.
Although he retired in
1943
to
Island House
,
Laugharne
, he was given the task three years later of
interviewing young men, many ex-service men among them, for the teaching profession
. He and his wife became members of his old church in
Pen-y-groes
, where he was elected a
deacon
. His wife d.
1 Jan.
and he on
9 Jan. 1970
.
He and his brother
Stephen Morris
Rees
were co-
authors
of a history of
Pen-y-groes Congregational Church
(
1959
). He also wrote a series of articles on education which appeared in the
Traethodydd
1907-08
; an article on teaching
Welsh
in schools in
Beirniad
, 1; the story of his great-uncle who emigrated to
America
in
Llenor
,
1933
; as well as pamphlets on education.
Bibliography:
-
Who's who in Wales
(1937)
;
-
University of Wales Calendar
,
1900-13
;
-
Cardigan and Tivyside Advertiser
,
16 and 23 Jan. 1970
;
-
The Biographical Index of W.W. Price,
Aberdâr
(at the National Library of Wales and Aberdare
Public Library)
;
-
Office of Population and Census Studies
Indexes
, b. registered
July — Sept. 1883
.
Author:
Dr Mary Auronwy James, Aberystwyth
