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

University College, Cardiff Cardiff University () is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed Unive ...

from 1884 to 1918.

Biography

Powel was born in

Llanwrtyd Llanwrtyd is a small settlement in Powys, mid-Wales, 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 was historically the centre of a ...

in 1845 and educated there and in

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

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 no ...

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 ...

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. It is a market town and has a Minster (church), minster church. Its population in 2011 was 64,621. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century priory, monastic foundation, 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 languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...

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 (, ) in 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 books and periodicals, and the l ...

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 () 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 – the university was the first universit ...

awarded him an honorary D.Litt. degree in 1921. He died in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

on 16 May 1922.

References

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