Born 12 February 1904 at Swansea, only son of William John and Agnes Amelia Matthews. He was educated at the Grammar School, Swansea, Jesus College Oxford where he held a Meyricke Exhibition, and gained B.A. (2nd-class hons. Theology, 1926, M.A. 1930), St. Stephen's House Theological College, Oxford, 1926. He was ordained deacon, 1927, served as curate of St. Dyfrig, Cardiff, 1927-35, and was ordained priest, 1928. In 1935 he was appointed the first Warden of St. Teilo's Hall of Residence, University College of South Wales, Cardiff. In 1940 he obtained the living of St. Saviour's, Roath, Cardiff. He was Llandaff Diocesan Missioner, 1936-40, and Examining Chaplain from 1938. He was Chaplain to H.M. Prison, Cardiff, 1940-45. In 1946, he was appointed canon of Llandaff cathedral and became Chancellor in 1952. He married in 1953 Mary Laurella, eldest daughter of Walter Rees and Kathleen Olga Thomas, Whitchurch, Cardiff. They were fellow-students at Oxford. He obtained the living of St. Fagans in 1953, died there 6 August 1964 and was buried in Llandaff Cathedral graveyard.
He was a member of the Liturgical Commission of the Church in Wales from its inception, and a member of the Central Committee for the Training of Ordinands; he wrote a number of pamphlets on the call to the ministry. From 1942 he had been lecturing on English literature for the L.E.A. and the British Council. He was a frequent broadcaster and in 1957 he became a member of the Brains Trust on B.B.C. television. He wrote many articles in the press and in various journals on literary subjects and was a competent musician.
His influence was strong in the Church in Wales, where he was a talented preacher. A wit and a raconteur, he was considered one of the most brilliant clergymen in the Church in Wales of his day.
Published date: 2001
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.
Find out more on our sponsorship page.