Percy Mansell Jones (11 April 1889 - 24 January 1968) was a Welsh Professor of French. He was born 11 April 1889 at

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, ; , 'Merlin's fort' or possibly 'Sea-town fort') is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community (Wales), community in Wales, lying on the River Towy north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. At the 2021 United Kingdom cen ...

to Arnaud Johnson Jones and his wife. He started his education at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Carmarthen before going on to gain a first-class honours degree in French in 1908 at

Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth University () is a Public university, public Research university, research university in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding member institution of the former federal University of Wales. The university has over 8,000 stude ...

. He later went on to achieving a master's degree. After his time at Aberystwyth, he attended

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

, where he obtained a B.Litt. He became a lecturer at various universities, specialising in French literature and history and modern French poetry. He obtained the position of lecturer at Aberystwyth University, University College of South Wales, Cambridge University and Cardiff. He was appointed Professor of French at

Bangor University Bangor University () is a Public university, public Research university, research university in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. It was established by Royal charter, Royal Charter in 1885 as the University College of North Wales (UCNW; ), and in 1893 ...

in 1937 and went on to hold the position of the first Professor of Modern French Literature at the University of Manchester in 1951. In 1960, he was honoured with an Hon.

D.Litt Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...

degree from the University of Wales which was given to him soon after his retirement. P Mansell Jones specialised in modern French poetry which provided a natural sensitivity and understanding to various French poets. For example, he studied poets such as

Emile Verhaeren Emile or Émile may refer to: * Émile (novel) (1827), autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life * Emile, Canadian film made in 2003 by Carl Bessai * '' Emile: or, On Education'' (1762) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a treatise o ...

and

Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poet, essayist, translator and art critic. His poems are described as exhibiting mastery of rhythm and rhyme, containing an exoticism inherited from the Romantics, an ...

. This is highlighted in his book ''The Oxford Book of French Verse'', published in 1957. As well as a passion for French poetry, he wrote various essays highlighting his interest in understanding French thought and contemporary issues. These essays are: ''French Introspectives'' (1937), ''The Background of Modern French Poetry'' (1951) and ''Tradition and Barbarism'' (1930). He died on 24 January 1968.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Percy Mansell 1889 births 1968 deaths People from Carmarthen Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Welsh writers Welsh scholars and academics Academics of Bangor University Academics of Aberystwyth University