Thomas Powel (1845 – 16 May 1922) was a Welsh Celtic scholar, who was Professor of Celtic at

University College, Cardiff , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

from 1884 to 1918.

Biography

Powel was born in

Llanwrtyd Llanwrtyd is a small settlement in Powys, mid-Wales, giving its name to a community, in the historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), through which flows the River Irfon. It lies 1.5 miles north of the town of Llanwrtyd Wells. Llanwrtyd ...

in 1845 and educated there and in

Llandovery Llandovery (; cy, Llanymddyfri ) is a market town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on the River Tywi and at the junction of the A40 and A483 roads, about north-east of Carmarthen, north of Swansea and west of Brecon. Histo ...

before

matriculating Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used now. ...

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 St ...

in 1869. He obtained a BA degree in Literae Humaniores in 1872. He taught at the Independent College in

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

from 1878 to 1880, when he was appointed headmaster of Bootle College, holding that position until 1883. He then became an assistant lecturer in classics at the new University College, Cardiff, then lecturer in Celtic. In the following year, 1884, he was appointed Professor of Celtic, continuing in this position until he retired in 1918. He edited (1879–1886) and contributed articles on linguistics and literature to the

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...

journal '; he also edited medieval texts, including Thomas Stephens's version of '. He helped Cardiff to obtain important manuscripts and books for the university and city libraries and was a member of the governing body of the

National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million boo ...

from its foundation. He said that he chose to give his time to his students rather than to his own research. 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 D.Litt. degree in 1921. He died in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

on 16 May 1922.

References

External links

* 1845 births 1922 deaths Welsh scholars and academics Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Academics of Cardiff University People from Brecknockshire {{Wales-academic-bio-stub