CHARLES, DAVID, III (1812-1878), Calvinistic Methodist minister,
son of Thomas Rice Charles and Maria his wife, and grandson of Thomas Charles (q.v.); b. at Bala 23 July 1812. He was educated at Bala and Chirk, and after reading with the rector of Llanycil matriculated at Jesus College, Oxford, in May 1831, proceeding to the degree of B.A. in 1835. He was associated with his brother-in-law, Lewis Edwards (q.v.), in the inception in 1837 of the preparatory school which developed into the Theological College at Bala. Ordained to the ministry of the C.M. connexion in 1841, he was appointed principal of Trevecka College in 1842 and remained there for twenty years. In Jan. 1863 he became pastor of the C.M. church at Aber-carn, Mon. After five years there he undertook organizing work in connection with the projected University College of Wales, which was opened at Aberystwyth in Oct. 1872. Upon the appointment of his nephew T. C. Edwards (q.v.) as principal he resigned his post and later migrated to Aberdovey, where he d. on 13 Dec. 1878. In 1869 he was moderator of the general assembly of his connexion.
He m. (1), 1839, Kate Roberts, Holyhead, who d. c. 1844; (2), 1846, Mary, daughter of Hugh Jones of Llanidloes and widow of Benjamin Watkins, by whom he had three daughters, one of whom, with his widow, survived him. He was buried at Llanidloes.
Bibliography:
- Cylch. Cymd. Hanes M.C., xx, 28;
- Y Traethodydd, 1893;
- D. E. Jenkins, Life of Thomas Charles, iii, 645;
- Foster, Alumni Oxon..
Author:
Thomas Iorwerth Ellis, M.A., (1899-1970), Aberystwyth
His brother THOMAS CHARLES (1811-1873), F.R.C.S., christened 10 Jan. 1811, practised at Menai Bridge (1841-6) and afterwards in London, emigrated to Sydney c. 1855, returned to Wales c. 1870, and practised at Pembroke and at Aberystwyth, where he d. 11 April 1873. Two facts about him may be mentioned. In the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald, 11 Dec. 1841, he entered a strong protest (unusual for a Methodist of his day) against the attempt of the Anglesey presbytery to ‘interfere with my right of judgement in political matters’ by forbidding its members to attend a Free Trade meeting at Caernarvon. And in April 1854 a meeting to promote a university college in Wales was held at his London house — (Davies and Jones, The University of Wales, 69-70).
Author:
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, C.B.E., D.Litt., Ll.D., F.S.A., (1881-1969), Bangor.
