b.
22 Dec. 1879
, son of the
Rev.
Thomas Jones
Wheldon
(
DWB
, 1015-6)
and
Mary Elinor
Powell
,
Bronygraig
,
Ffestiniog, Mer.
He was educated at
Friars School
,
Bangor
, the
High School
,
Oswestry
, the
University College of North Wales
— he was the first
secretary
of the
Students' Representative
Council
,
1899
—
B.A.
1900
, and at
St. John's College
,
Cambridge
(
B.A.
and
LL.B.
,
1903
,
M.A.
in
1920
). In
1906
he began his career as a
lawyer
in
63 Queen Victoria Street
,
London, EC.
He joined a number of
London
's
Welsh
societies (among them the
Hon. Soc. of Cymmrodorion
) and soon became well acquainted with the city's influential
Welshmen
. He speedily and unhesitatingly
enlisted in the army
and served in the
14th Battalion
of the
Royal Welch Fusiliers
in
France
from
December 1914 until December 1918
. As
major
and
second in command
, he was
wounded
, his bravery being
mentioned in dispatches
and recognised by the
D.S.O.
in
1917
. He was
Secretary
and
Registrar
of
Bangor College
from
1919 until 1933
when he was appointed
Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Department
of the
Board of Education
. He retired in
1945
but there was no diminution of his public work, the following being but examples of his unremitting service:
Chairman of the Welsh Committee
,
Festival of Britain
,
1951
;
Chairman
of the
Council of School Broadcasting for Wales
,
member of the Court and Council
of the
University of Wales
,
Vice-President
of the
University Council of North Wales
and
President
of the
Cymmrodorion Society
. In
1939
he was
knighted
, and appointed
K.B.E.
in
1952
; the
University of Wales
conferred upon him the degree of
Doctor in legibus (honoris causa)
in
1947
and the
Cymmrodorion Society
its
Medal
in
1955
. He died at
Prestatyn
on
10 Nov. 1961
and his will was proved on
18 Jan. 1962
.
On account of his shrewdness and balanced judgement he was a splendid
administrator
and he was able to ‘manage’ affairs without fuss and bustle. He disliked pomp and vulgarity, and he never suffered fools gladly. Yet he was essentially a warm-hearted man and a true friend. He understood the feelings and aspirations of his countrymen, in committees and on the field of battle, in religion and in politics. He clung faithfully to the
Calvinistic Methodist
denomination; the chief beneficiary of his will (apart from the family) was
Tabernacl
,
Bangor
(his father's former church). [He was a leading
layman
in his denomination. His guidance and experience proved crucial in his
chairmanship
of the
Commission on Education for the Ministry
(
1961
), and also in the discussions which led to the setting up of the
United Theological College
,
Aberystwyth
].He was a handsome, dignified man, there is a pencil drawing of him by
S. Morse
Brown
, a portrait by
Kyffin
Williams
(
1955
), and a bust by
Kustec
Wojnarowski
(
1958
) (in the
Council Chamber
of
Bangor College
, and another in the
Clwyd Record Office
,
Hawarden
).
He m.
Megan
Edwards
,
Canonbury
,
Prestatyn
, daughter of
Hugh
Edwards
,
London
,
31 July 1915
. They had two sons,
Huw Pyrs
and
Tomas Powell
(who died a few months before his father) and two daughters,
Mair
and
Nans
.
