THOMAS, LAWRENCE (1889 - 1960), archdeacon

Name: Lawrence Thomas
Date of birth: 1889
Date of death: 1960
Spouse: Beatrice Lilian Thomas (née Williams)
Parent: Elizabeth Thomas
Parent: David Thomas
Gender: Male
Occupation: archdeacon
Area of activity: Religion
Author: Mary Gwendoline Ellis

Born 19 August 1889, son of David and Elizabeth Thomas, Gelli-gaer, Glamorganshire. He was educated at Lewis' School, Pengam, St. David's College, Lampeter, where he gained B.A. (2nd-class honours) Divinity 1911; St. Michael's College, Llandaff, and was ordained in 1912 and served as curate of St. John's, Canton. He was ordained priest in 1913. In 1914 he served as curate of Headington Quarry, near Oxford, and was also a student at St. John's College Oxford, where he gained B.A. (3rd-class honours) Divinity 1916, M.A. 1920. From 1916-24 he served as curate of St. John's, Cardiff. He obtained the living of Briton Ferry in 1924 where he remained until 1942, continuing his studies. He gained B. Litt. at Oxford in 1926; B.D. Trinity College Dublin in 1929 and D.D. 1930. In 1930 he published his standard work, The Reformation in the old diocese of Llandaff. In the same year he published The life of Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, a pamphlet prepared by the Llandaff Diocesan Sunday School Council to commemorate the bicentenary of the starting of the circulating schools in 1731.

He obtained the living of Bargoed in 1942 and was appointed canon of Llandaff cathedral in 1944. He moved to Aberavon in 1946 and when the archdeaconry of Margam was formed in 1948 he was selected to be the first archdeacon. An able administrator, he fulfilled his duties effectively. He resigned the vicarage in 1958. He married in 1923, Beatrice Lilian Williams of Crickhowel and they had one daughter. He died 19 October 1960 and was buried at Gelli-gaer.

He was an authority on the impact of the industrial revolution on the church in south-east Wales, but because of his onerous duties he was unable to find time to write a book on the subject. His main interests were in historical and antiquarian subjects. He contributed articles to the DWB. He was known for his forthright and unconventional induction charges to congregations. A distinguished character, he was well-loved by his people.

Author

Published date: 2001

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/

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