William Thomas (1734 – 3 September 1799) was a Welsh clergyman and academic, who was a

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located at Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale, and was named after ...

, and later chancellor of

Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf) is an Anglican cathedral and parish church in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. It is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, head of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. It is dedicated to Saint Peter ...

Life

Thomas was born to Lewis and Eleanor Thomas of Eglwys Nynnid, near Margam, south Wales, and christened on 26 August 1734. After schooling in

Cowbridge Cowbridge ( cy, Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for e ...

, he attended the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

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. ...

from

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 1751 and obtaining degrees of BA and MA from

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title formerly claimed by University College, wh ...

in 1755 and 1758 respectively. He was ordained deacon in 1758 and priest in 1759, before being presented to the living of

Aberavon Aberavon ( cy, Aberafan) is a town and community in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. The town derived its name from being near the mouth of the river Afan, which also gave its name to a medieval lordship. Today it is essentially a distri ...

with Baglan and

Briton Ferry Briton Ferry ( cy, Llansawel) is a town and community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The Welsh name may indicate that the church, ''llan'', is protected from the wind, ''awel''. Alternatively, ''Sawel'' may be a derivative ...

; he was later the priest of

Llangynwyd Llangynwyd is a village (and electoral ward) 2 miles to the south of Maesteg, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. It was part of the medieval commote (Welsh: ''cwmwd'') of Tir Iarll. History and amenities The village is the site of Llangy ...

with Baiden and the curate of Llangeinor. He nevertheless lived mainly in Oxford after 1760, and was a

and tutor of

; he was regarded as a good scholar of Celtic and Oriental languages. He was later chaplain to Lord Vernon, who had presented him to his earliest parish posts, and was appointed as chancellor of

in 1777. He was also a friend and encourager of the poet Evan Evans. Thomas died in 1799.

References

1734 births 1799 deaths 18th-century Welsh Anglican priests Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford Fellows of Pembroke College, Oxford Celtic studies scholars Welsh scholars and academics {{Wales-bio-stub