Thomas Iorwerth Ellis

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(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 peopl ...

and English), including a biography of his father,

Thomas Edward Ellis Thomas Edward Ellis (16 February 1859 – 5 April 1899), often known as T. E. Ellis or Tom Ellis, was a Welsh politician who was the leader of Cymru Fydd, a movement aimed at gaining home rule for Wales. Ellis was, for a time, the most pro ...

Early life

Ellis, the son of the MP

, who had died seven months before his birth, and his wife Annie Jane (née Davies) was educated at Westminster School (where he was a King's Scholar), the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and Jesus College, Oxford.

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 from 1928 to 1930. He left to become headmaster of the County School in Rhyl, a post he held for 10 years. He was a lecturer in classics at

St David's College, Lampeter University of Wales, Lampeter ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited ...

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 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 The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. He was President of the Aberystwyth Old Students' Association 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 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 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 ...

, and served as a member of the Governing Body, Representative Body and College of Episcopal Electors of the Church in Wales. He died on 20 April 1970.

Personal life

He was married to

Mari Ellis Mari Gwendoline Ellis (born Mary Gwendoline Headley, 21 July 1913 – 25 January 2015), was a Welsh writer and women's rights activist. Life She was born in Dylife, Montgomeryshire, the daughter of the Reverend Richard Llewelyn Headley. She gr ...

(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 Meg Ann Elis (born 26 October 1950), also known as Marged Dafydd or Margaret Dafydd, is a Welsh writer, translator and language activist. She stood unsuccessfully as a Plaid Cymru candidate for the Delyn constituency in the National Assembly for ...

, is a writer and activist.

Publications

*The Development of Higher Education in Wales (1935) *Life of

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 The ''Dictionary of Welsh Biography'' (DWB) (also ''The Dictionary of Welsh Biography Down to 1940'' and ''The Dictionary of Welsh Biography, 1941 to 1970'') is a biographical dictionary of Welsh people who have made a significant contribution to ...

'' (published by the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion) 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