Saron Independent Chapel Tredegar - geograph

Thomas Thomas (1817 – 16 March 1888) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

church minister and

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, also known as Thomas Glandŵr (Thomas Landore). He is described as "the first national architect of Wales" and the "unchallenged master of chapel architecture in Wales in the 1860s".

Early life

Thomas Thomas was born in 1817 and brought up near

Ffairfach Ffairfach is a village south of the market town of Llandeilo in the eastern part of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is close to the confluence of the Afon Cennen and the River Towy. Population is 516 according to 2017 census. Etymology The Welsh la ...

, at

Llandeilo Llandeilo () is a town and Community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated where the River Towy is crossed by the A483 road, A483 on a 19th-century stone bridge. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census the community had ...

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

. His father ran a carpentry business, where Thomas worked before moving to

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

Religious ministry

Though he had no formal training he was appointed as a chapel minister in Clydach in 1848, a post which he held until 1853. Reverend Thomas subsequently became a

Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...

minister at

Landore Landore () is a district and community in Swansea, Wales. The district falls in the Landore council ward. A mainly residential area, it is located about 2.5 miles north of Swansea city centre. The north-easterly part of Landore is known as ...

, Swansea, until he resigned in 1875. It has been conjectured that he resigned after it was discovered he was the owner of sub-standard workers housing in north Swansea.

Architecture

Thomas was also known an architect and began designing chapels in 1848 and continued through the chapel-building boom of the 1860s and '70s, designing not only for his own Congregational denomination but for others too. He had redesigned Landore's own Siloh Chapel in 1860. The New Siloh Chapel (1878) in Landore was, however, designed after Thomas's resignation by Thomas Freeman who had been a builder and surveyor of the Reverend Thomas's earlier chapels. Thomas Thomas is credited with at least 119 chapels across Wales. He also made sure he garnered the distinction of preaching the first sermon (or one of the first sermons) at each of his new chapels. His trademark design feature of chapels was the giant arch in the

pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...

on the facade of his buildings. He also invented the stylistic interior feature of dipping the chapel gallery behind the preacher's

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...

Later life

After resigning as a church minister, Thomas moved to

Mumbles Mumbles () is a headland sited on the western edge of Swansea Bay on the southern coast of Wales. Toponym Mumbles has been noted for its place names considered unusual, unusual place name. The headland is thought by some to have been named by ...

. He died there on 16 March 1888 and was buried at

Sketty Sketty () is a surburban district and community in Swansea, Wales, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the Swansea city centre on Gower Road. It falls within the Sketty council ward of Swansea. Description The area approximates to the Vivian ...

Notable works

* Capel Bethel,

Llansamlet Llansamlet is a suburban district and Community (Wales), community of Swansea, Wales, falling into the Llansamlet (electoral ward), Llansamlet ward. The area is centred on the A48 road (named Samlet Road and Clase Road in the area) and the M4 mot ...

, Swansea,

Glamorgan Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...

(1849–51 and 1879/80) * Capel Als,

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

(1852/3) * Saron Welsh Independent Chapel,

Tredegar Tredegar (; ) is a town and community situated on the banks of the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in the southeast of Wales. Within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial R ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

(1858) * Capel Tabernacl,

, Carmarthenshire (1860) * Salem Welsh Independent Chapel,

Porthmadog Porthmadog (), originally Portmadoc until 1972 and known locally as "Port", is a coastal town and community (Wales), community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, Wales, and the historic counties of Wales, historic county of Caernarfonshire. It li ...

Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire (; , ), previously spelled Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the north-west of Wales. Geography The county ...

(1860) * Sardis Independent Chapel and Schoolroom,

Ystradgynlais Ystradgynlais (; ) is a town in southwest Powys, Wales. It is located on the River Tawe, and was within the boundaries of the former county of Brecknockshire. The town has a high proportion of Welsh language-speakers. The community includes C ...

Brecknockshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1 ...

(1860/1) * Carmel Welsh Independent Chapel, Porth Amlwch,

Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

(1861/2) * Capel Mair,

St Clears St Clears ( ; ) is a town on the River Taf and a community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. At the 2011 census, the population was 2,995. The community includes the small settlements of Bancyfelin and Pwlltrap. It is bordered by the Carmarthenshire t ...

, Carmarthenshire (1862) * , Swansea, Glamorgan (1862) * Hermon Chapel and Sunday School,

Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the England–Wales border, Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5 road (Great Britain), A5, A483 road, A483 and A495 road, A495 ro ...

Shropshire Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...

, England (1862), now Grade II* listed. *

Brecon Congregational Memorial College Brecon Congregational Memorial College was a Congregational college in Brecon, Powys, Mid Wales. The college graduated ministers and missionaries who were posted to Africa and India. There were classes in biblical literature, chemistry, classic ...

, Brecknockshire (1869), a college until 1959 later converted into flats. * Seion Independent Chapel,

Llandysul Llandysul, also spelt Llandyssul, is a town and Community (Wales), community in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. As a community it consists of the townships of Capel Dewi, Llandysul, Capel Dewi, Horeb, Pontsian, Pren-gwyn, Tregroes, Rhydowen and ...

Cardiganshire Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a county in the west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Ab ...

(1870/1) * Hope Independent Chapel, Pontardulais, Swansea (1872) * Jerusalem Independent Chapel,

Resolven Resolven () is a small village and community in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. It is located in the Vale of Neath. Location The village is situated in the Vale of Neath, north east of the town of Neath, next to the A465 ''Heads o ...

, Glamorgan (1876) * Tabor United Reformed Church,

Maesycwmmer Maesycwmmer () is a village and community (Wales), community in the centre of Caerphilly (county borough), Caerphilly County Borough in Wales, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshir ...

, Monmouthshire (1876), now Grade II* listed. * Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel, Pembroke,

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

(1878) * Capel Salem,

Llangennech Llangennech (; ) is a village and community (Wales), community in the area of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales, which covers an area of . It is governed by Llangennech Community Council and Carmarthenshire County Council. Llangennech is also t ...

, Carmarthenshire (1879) * Providence Independent Chapel and house,

Llangadog Llangadog () is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, which also includes the villages of Bethlehem and Capel Gwynfe. A notable local landscape feature is Y Garn Goch with two Iron Age hill forts.The Welsh Academy Encyclopedia of ...

, Carmarthenshire (1883/4) * Bethania Welsh Independent Chapel, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire * Bethesda Chapel,

Llanwrtyd Wells Llanwrtyd Wells ( "church of St Gwrtud") is a market town and community (Wales), community in Powys, Wales, in the historic counties of Wales, historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire) on the Afon Irfon. The town is on the A483 road, A483 ...

, Powys (enlarged/rebuilt in 1907 by

Beddoe Rees Sir William Beddoe Rees (1877 – 12 May 1931), usually known simply as Beddoe Rees, was a Welsh architect, industrialist and Liberal politician. Family and education Rees was born in Maesteg, Glamorganshire, the son of John Rees, also of Maes ...

, also known as Bethel Chapel)

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Thomas 1817 births 1888 deaths 19th-century Welsh architects Welsh ecclesiastical architects Welsh Congregationalist ministers People from Llandeilo