Brinley Roderick Rees (27 December 1919 – 21 October 2004) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

academic. He wrote extensively on

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

, particularly the study of the

Greek language Greek ( el, label=Modern Greek, Ελληνικά, Elliniká, ; grc, Ἑλληνική, Hellēnikḗ) is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to Greece, Cyprus, southern Italy (Calabria and Salento), southern Al ...

. His early work was devoted to Greek papyri; a later publication was devoted to the life and letters of

Pelagius Pelagius (; c. 354–418) was a British theologian known for promoting a system of doctrines (termed Pelagianism by his opponents) which emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin. Pelagius and his followers abhorred the moral ...

Life and career

Rees was born on 27 December 1919. His father was a winder in the Mynydd (Mountain) colliery in

Gorseinon Gorseinon is a town within the City and County of Swansea, Wales, near the Loughor estuary. It was a small village until the late 19th century when it grew around the coal mining and tinplate industries. It is situated in the north west of Swa ...

, and Brinley was one of four children including Alwyn D. Rees. Rees was educated at Christ College,

Brecon Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the coun ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, and Merton College, Oxford, and after wartime service in the

Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designate ...

took his first academic position at

Cardiff High School Cardiff High School ( cy, Ysgol Uwchradd Caerdydd) is a comprehensive school in the Cyncoed area of Cardiff, Wales. Stephen Jones has been Headteacher since 2011. It has been rated as Excellent for current performance and Excellent for prospect ...

for Boys, where he was Assistant Master between 1947 and 1948. Rees then started his long career in higher education. In 1948, he became lecturer in

at the

University College of Wales, Aberystwyth , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

, then senior lecturer in Greek at the

University of Manchester , mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity , established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...

from 1956. From there, he went to the University of Wales College, Cardiff, where he was Professor of Greek from 1958 to 1970. During that time, he was also successively Dean of Arts (1963–1965) and Dean of Students (1967–1968). In 1970 he moved to the

University of Birmingham , mottoeng = Through efforts to heights , established = 1825 – Birmingham School of Medicine and Surgery1836 – Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery1843 – Queen's College1875 – Mason Science College1898 – Mason Univers ...

, but stayed there only five years, for in 1975, he was appointed as principal of

St David's University College University of Wales, Lampeter ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited ...

, Lampeter, the very first principal in the college's long history who was not in holy orders. He was a Welsh Supernumerary Fellow of

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship S ...

, in 1975–1976 by virtue of his position as Principal of St David's. Rees' time at Lampeter came to an end when he retired in 1980, but his involvement in higher education had not come to an end, for he was vice-president of the University of Wales College, Cardiff, between 1986 and 1988. In 1981, the

University of Wales The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff � ...

awarded him an honorary LLD in recognition of his service to the colleges at Lampeter, Cardiff and Aberystwyth. In 1951 Rees married Zena Muriel Stella Mayall; they had two sons. Rees died on 21 October 2004.

Publications

*''Ieuan Gwynedd: Detholiad o'i Ryddiaith'', 1957 *''The Merton Papyri, Vol. II'' (with H. I. Bell and J. W. B. Barns), 1959 *''The Use of Greek'', 1961 *''Papyri from Hermopolis and other Byzantine Documents'', 1964 *''Lampas: a new approach to Greek'' (with M. E. Jervis), 1970 *''Classics: an outline for intending students'', 1970 *''Aristotle’s Theory and Milton’s Practice'', 1972 *''Strength in What Remains'', 1980 * *''The Letters of Pelagius and his Followers'', 1991 *''Pelagius: life and letters'', 1998

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rees, Brinley Roderick 1919 births 2004 deaths Welsh classical scholars Alumni of Merton College, Oxford Academics of Cardiff University Academics of Aberystwyth University Academics of the University of Manchester Academics of the University of Birmingham Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford People educated at Christ College, Brecon People associated with the University of Wales, Lampeter Academics of the University of Wales, Lampeter Classical scholars of the University of Birmingham Presidents of the Classical Association