SAYCE
,
GEORGE ETHELBERT
(
1875
-
1953
),
journalist and newspaper proprietor
;
b. in
Llangua, Mon.
,
Christmas Day 1875
, s. of
George
Sayce
and his wife
Athel
(née
Miles
)
. He was trained in
journalism
and pursued literary and commercial studies at
King's College
,
London
, gaining experience as a
journalist
between 1898 and 1914
chiefly in
Yorkshire
, where he became
editor
of
The York Observer
,
The Thirsk and District News
, and also
The
Yorkshire Chronicle
for a while. In
1914
he acquired the
Brecon and Radnor Express
and the
Radnor Express
and took over the
Brecon County Times
in
1933
, incorporating it in the
Brecon and Radnor Express & County Times
. He was
director of several commercial companies
and was one of the founders of
Builth Chamber of Trade
. He
took a prominent part in local government
, being
chairman
of
Builth urban district council
and
chairman
of the
Wye Valley Development Association
. He did much to
promote tourism
and
support games, especially golf
. He also took an
active interest in local hospitals
and
St. John's Ambulance
as well as in
elementary and higher education
, being a
member of the courts of the university colleges
at
Aberystwyth
and
Swansea
. He was the first
president
of the
North Breconshire Agricultural Society
and became
chairman
of the
Brecon and Radnor Liberal Association
. He served twice as
High Sheriff
of
Brecknockshire
(in
1940-41
and
1947-48
) and was
Justice of the Peace
(
1932-50
). To commemorate the end of
World War II
he
donated a stained glass window
to
St. Mary's Church
. He published his mother's poetry (
Poems by Athel Sayce
) in
1915
;
Guide to Llandrindod Wells
,
Day with the blind
, and
Rambles in Yorkshire
.
In
1901
he m. (1)
Eleanor
Richards
(d.
1910
) and they had a son and three daughters. He m. (2), in
1914
,
May
Walsh
and they had a son and daughter. His last years were spent in
Pontrilas
where he d.
7 Oct. 1953
and was buried at
Kenderchurch
,
Herefordshire
.
Bibliography:
-
Who's who?
,
1941
;
-
The Brecon and Radnor Express
,
15 Oct. 1953
.
Author:
Evan David Jones, F.S.A., (1903-87), Aberystwyth
