Dictionary of Welsh Biography

THOMAS, MARGARET HAIG (1883 - 1958), suffragette, editor, author and businesswoman was, unlike many spouses, compliant. She attended London demonstrations, wrote in the suffrage and local press, spoke at meetings countrywide and even jumped onto the running board of Prime Minister Asquith's car in St Andrews. In 1913 she was briefly imprisoned in Usk Gaol and went on hunger strike after setting a letterbox alight in Newport. As a member of a prominent family she attracted
THOMAS, THOMAS HENRY (Arlunydd Penygarn; 1839 - 1915), artist ultimately settled down in that town. Henceforth he became closely associated with Welsh life - the national eisteddfod, the Royal Cambrian Academy (of which he was one of the first promoters), the Cardiff Naturalists' Society (he was a particularly active member in this society, becoming its president in 1888), etc. The geology, archaeology, and folk-lore of Wales, the study of Pontypool and Usk japan
VAUGHAN, HENRY (1621 - 1695), poet distressed by political events but found consolation in the scenery of the Usk Valley. He also turned to the reading of devotional works and occult philosophy and began to practise as a physician. He was twice married - (1) to Catherine Wise, and (2) to her sister Elizabeth. He died 23 April 1695, and was buried at Llansantffraed. Vaughan's chief works are: Poems, 1646; Silex Scintillans, 1650; Olor
WALLACE, ALFRED RUSSEL (1823 - 1913), naturalist and social reformer Born 8 January, 1823, Kensington Cottage, Usk, Gwent, son of Thomas Vere Wallace and Mary Anne (n. Greenell). When Wallace was three years old the family moved to England where the young Alfred Russel attended school at Hertford. Aged 13 he moved to live with his brother John in London. Some years later he moved to live with his other brother, William, who was already established as a land
WATKINS, ALBERT JOHN (1922 - 2011), cricketer Allan Watkins was born on 21 April, 1922 at Usk, the son of a policeman. He married Molly, and they had three children. Allan Watkins had a 23-year career with the Glamorgan Cricket club, in which as a left-arm batsmen he played in 484 matches, scored 20,361 runs and took 833 wickets with left-arm seam or cutters, and 464 catches. He was one of the finest short-leg fielders to play for the county
WILLIAMS, ABRAHAM (1720 - 1783), Independent minister an Independent church he became its assistant preacher, and on the death of M. J. Lewis was, in 1758, ordained its minister. He married a woman of Usk, where he made his home. In the opinion of Philip David, in spite of the fact that he once (1778) accused him of ranting, Abraham Williams was a good preacher (1775, twice noted), and when he was buried the old minister testified (not quite
WILLIAMS, ALBERT CLIFFORD (1905 - 1987), Labour politician was also chairman of the Monmouthshire Health and Welfare Committee and also of the Usk River Board, 1945-65. In 1952 he was appointed a JP. He sat on the North Monmouthshire Hospital Management Committee, the Monmouthshire Joint Workshops for the Blind and the Welsh Water Authority. He was a member of the Monmouthshire CC, 1946-64, an alderman in 1964-65, and he continued thus until local
WILLIAMS, Y Fonesig ALICE MATILDA LANGLAND (Alys Mallt, Y Fonesig Mallt Williams; 1867 - 1950), author and celtophile Born in Oystermouth, Gower (though some sources say in Aberclydach, Tal-y-bont on Usk, Brecknockshire), 4 October 1867, fourth child of John James Williams, M.D. ('Brychan'), one of two sisters of William Retlaw Williams. She came in her youth under the influence of Lady Llanover, and throughout her long life she retained her interest in Welsh and Celtic cultural and political movements. Her name
WILLIAMS, CHARLES (1633 - 1720), benefactor of his native town majority, subject to the condition that he added the name ' Williams ' to his own surname; this was done in 1729 (see Hanbury-Williams, Sir Charles). In his will, he left £4,000 to found a charity school for thirty boys and twenty girls in Caerleon-on-Usk, and to pay for their apprenticing - so far as the balance permitted; the school was built in 1724. Moreover, in a codicil (23 August 1720), he left a
WILLIAMS, WILLIAM RETLAW JEFFERSON (c.1863 - 1944), solicitor, genealogist, and historian the African continent from the Cape to Cairo in 1909-10. He died in 1920. The second son, William Retlaw (which is Walter in reverse) became a solicitor in 1884, and had offices at Brecon and Tal-y-bont on Usk. There was a tradition of practising law in the family. The grandfather, Howell Williams, had married a sister of Walter Powell, the senior partner in the firm of Powell, Jones and Powell
WROTH, WILLIAM (1576 - 1641), Puritan cleric, and founder of the first Independent church in Wales He was born in 1576; it is not yet known for certain whether he was a Wroth of Maindiff in Llandeilo Bertholau or one of the family of that name who had settled at Llangattock-juxta-Usk. He went to Oxford - his name is connected with three of the colleges - and graduated M.A. from Jesus, 1605. When exactly he became rector of Llanfaches is somewhat of a mystery, as there is much in documents at

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