Evan Frederic Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar (13 July 1893 – 27 April 1949) was a Welsh peer,

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

and

eccentric Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to: * Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal" Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics * Off- center, in geometry * Eccentricity (graph theory) of a ...

. Following the death of his father on 3 May 1934, Morgan became the 2nd Viscount and 4th

Baron Tredegar Baron Tredegar, of Tredegar in the County of Monmouth, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 16 April 1859 for the Welsh politician Sir Charles Morgan, 3rd Baronet, who had earlier represented Brecon in Parliamen ...

, and the 6th Morgan Baronet. Morgan was also known to his friends as Evan Tredegar.

Life

He was the son of

Courtenay Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar Courtenay Charles Evan Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, CBE, KStJ, VD (10 April 1867 – 3 May 1934), was a Welsh peer. Early life Morgan was born on 10 April 1867 at Ruperra Castle near Newport, Monmouthshire.Published under Association of Cri ...

, and Lady Katharine Carnegie, daughter of the 9th Earl of Southesk. Morgan was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford University Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. While working as private secretary to a government minister, W. C. Bridgeman, in 1917, he became friendly with another Oxford man, the poet

Robert Graves Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was an English poet, soldier, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were b ...

, who had been a school friend of Evan's cousin, Raymond Rodakowski. They shared an interest in both poetry and the supernatural. A Roman Catholic convert, Morgan was a Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape to Popes

Benedict XV Pope Benedict XV (; ; born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, ; 21 November 1854 – 22 January 1922) was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His pontificate was largely overshadowed by World War I a ...

and

Pius XI Pope Pius XI (; born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, ; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939) was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 until his death in February 1939. He was also the first sovereign of the Vatican City State u ...

. An accomplished

occultist The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mystic ...

, he was hailed by

Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...

as the 'Adept of Adepts'.In

1929 This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...

, he unsuccessfully stood as the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

candidate for

Limehouse Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. It is east of Charing Cross, on the northern bank of the River Thames. Its proximity to the river has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains throu ...

. After the death of his father, in 1934, he took possession of the family seat of

Tredegar House Tredegar House (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Tŷ Tredegar'') is a 17th-century Charles II of England, Charles II-era mansion in Coedkernew, on the southwestern edge of Newport, Wales. For over five hundred years it was home to the Morgan family, late ...

, near Newport, where he had a menagerie of animals and birds. He dedicated one room, his 'magik room', to his study of the occult. He fought in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, gaining the rank of Lieutenant in the service of the

Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WLSH GDS; ), part of the Guards and Parachute Division, Guards Division, is one of the Foot guards, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the World War I, First ...

, and in 1930 was appointed an honorary Colonel. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

with MI8, his responsibility was to monitor

carrier pigeons The homing pigeon is a variety of domestic pigeon (''Columba livia domestica''), selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long distances. Because of this skill, homing pigeons were used to carry messages, a practice ...

. He carelessly let slip on occasion departmental secrets to two girl guides and was court martialled but not sent to jail or worse. Morgan provided inspiration for the character "Ivor Lombard" in Aldous Huxley's 1921 ''

Crome Yellow ''Crome Yellow'' is the first novel by British author Aldous Huxley, published by Chatto & Windus in 1921, followed by a U.S. edition by George H. Doran Company in 1922. Though a social satire of its time, it is still appreciated and has been ...

'', and for Eddie Monteith in Ronald Firbank's ''The Flower Beneath the Foot''. He was decorated with the following awards: * Knight of Honour and Devotion, Sovereign and Military Order of Malta * Knight of Justice, Constantinian Order of St. George * Knight of Justice, Order of St. John of Jerusalem (KJStJ) * Commander, Order of the Holy Sepulchre (with star) In 1937 or 1938

Edith Mary Hinchley Edith Mary Hinchley ( Mason; 23 January 1870 – 16 October 1940) was a British painter, suffragist, and humanist. Early life and education Edith Mary Mason was born in 1870 in the Chelsea area of London where her father was a florist and nurs ...

painted him. This painting is in the National Trust collection.

Marriages

Despite his known homosexuality, he married twice. * Lois Ina Sturt (1900–1937), an actress and daughter of Humphrey Napier Sturt, 2nd Baron Alington of

Crichel House Crichel House is a Grade I listed Classical Revival country house near the village of Moor Crichel in Dorset, England. The house has an entrance designed by Thomas Hopper (architect), Thomas Hopper and interiors by James Wyatt. It is surrounded ...

and Lady Feodorowna Yorke, on 1 April 1928. She died in 1937. * Princess Olga Sergeivna Dolgorouky (1915–1998), daughter of General Prince Serge Alexandrovitch Dolgorouky and Irina Vassilievna Narishkina, on 13 March 1939; this union was annulled in 1943. During a lunch with

Marie Belloc Lowndes Marie Adelaide Elizabeth Rayner Lowndes (née Belloc; 5 August 1868 – 14 November 1947), who wrote as Marie Belloc Lowndes, was a prolific English novelist, and sister of author Hilaire Belloc. Active from 1898 until her death, she had a re ...

in 1946, Morgan asserted that he was 'toying with the idea of proposing to Lady Illingworth' in an attempt to bring an influx of money to the failing estates. Belloc noted '

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

has an enormous number of acquaintances – I fear no friends'.

Death

He died on 27 April 1949 at age 55, without issue, and his viscountcy became extinct, although the title of Baron Tredegar passed to his 75-year-old Uncle Frederic. To avoid death duties Tredegar House passed straight to Frederic's son

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

, the 6th Baron, who soon afterwards sold it to the Sisters of St Joseph.

Works

*''Fragments'' *''Gold and Ochre'' *''At Dawn'' *''The Eel'' *''The City of Canals''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tredegar, Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount 1893 births 1949 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford 20th-century Welsh poets British Army personnel of World War I British Army personnel of World War II Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers Converts to Roman Catholicism LGBTQ peers Welsh gay politicians Welsh gay writers Welsh LGBTQ poets LGBTQ Roman Catholics Gay poets Gay military personnel British LGBTQ military personnel Welsh male poets Papal chamberlains Knights of Malta Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Welsh occultists Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature 20th-century Welsh male writers 20th-century occultists Welsh Guards officers Royal Corps of Signals officers British Home Guard officers London Regiment officers Royal Engineers officers Territorial Force officers Military personnel from Caerphilly County Borough