Thomas Iorwerth Ellis OBE (19 December 1899 – 20 April 1970) was a Welsh classicist, who wrote many books on Welsh literature and Welshmen (in

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 ...

and English), including a biography of his father, Thomas Edward Ellis.

Early life

Ellis, the son of the MP Thomas Edward Ellis, who had died seven months before his birth, and his wife Annie Jane (née Davies) was educated at

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

(where he was a King's Scholar), 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 = ...

and

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 ...

Career

He was an assistant master at Cardiff School for Boys from 1924 to 1928, then an assistant lecturer in classics at

University College, Swansea Swansea University ( cy, Prifysgol Abertawe) is a public university, public research university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. It was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. ...

from 1928 to 1930. He left to become headmaster of the County School in

Rhyl Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd''). To the we ...

, a post he held for 10 years. He was a lecturer in classics at St David's College, Lampeter from 1940 to 1941, then a lecturer at Aberystwyth from 1941 to 1946. He helped to found the New Wales Union in 1941 and was secretary for 25 years. He was awarded an honorary degree of LLD by the

University of Wales , latin_name = , image = , caption = Coat of Arms , motto = cy, Goreu Awen Gwirionedd , mottoeng = The Best Inspiration is Truth , established = , , type = Confederal, non-member ...

in 1967 in recognition of his cultural services to Wales, and in the following year he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He was President of the

Aberystwyth Old Students' Association Aberystwyth Old Students' Association ( cy, Cymdeithas y Cyn-Fyfyrwyr Aberystwyth), founded in 1892, is Aberystwyth University's alumni association and is one of the oldest such associations in the United Kingdom. It currently has more than 9,50 ...

in 1942–43. He served as warden of the Guild of Graduates of the University of Wales for six years, and as

High Sheriff of Cardiganshire The office of High Sheriff of Cardiganshire was established in 1541, since when a high sheriff was appointed annually until 1974 when the office was transformed into that of High Sheriff of Dyfed as part of the creation of Dyfed from the amalgama ...

from 1944 to 1945. He was also a member of the Court and Council of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and of the National Library of Wales, and served as a member of the Governing Body, Representative Body and College of Episcopal Electors of the

Church in Wales The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The p ...

. He died on 20 April 1970.

Personal life

He was married to Mari Ellis (born Mary Headley), the writer and women's rights activist. They had a son, Rolant, and a daughter, Marged, who, under the name Meg Elis, is a writer and activist.

Publications

*The Development of Higher Education in Wales (1935) *Life of Thomas Edward Ellis Vol. I (1944) and Vol. II (1948) – his father * (1952); * T. C. Edwards letters (ed.) (1952, 1953) * (1954) * (1955) * (1957) * (1958) * (1959) *Life of J. H. Davies (1963) – his uncle * (1967) *Life of Ellis Jones Griffith (1969) * (1971, reprinted 1977) Ellis also made a number of contributions to the '' Dictionary of Welsh Biography'' (published by the

Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion ( cy, Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Cymmrodorion), often called simply the Cymmrodorion, is a London-based Welsh learned society, with membership open to all. It was first established in 1751 as a social, cultural ...

) and articles and reviews in various English- and Welsh-language journals.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Thomas Iorwerth 1899 births 1970 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Academics of Swansea University Academics of Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth Old Students' Association Academics of the University of Wales, Lampeter Welsh classical scholars Welsh biographers Welsh-speaking academics Officers of the Order of the British Empire High Sheriffs of Cardiganshire