Arthur Benoni Evans
Encyclopedia
Arthur Benoni Evans was a British writer.
Evans was born at Compton Beauchamp
in the English
county of Berkshire
(now Oxfordshire
), on 25 March 1781. His father, the Rev. Lewis Evans, vicar
of Froxfield, Wiltshire
, was a well-known astronomer
, and held for many years the professorship of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He married Ann, eldest daughter of Thomas Norman. The second son, Arthur, received his education at the college school, Gloucester, of which his uncle and namesake was head-master, and here he was known as ‘The Bold Arthur,’ from his remarkable personal courage. He went into residence at St. John's College, Oxford, 23 Oct. 1800, and proceeded B.A. 21 Feb. 1804, M.A. 1820, and B.D. and D.D. 1828.
In addition to his knowledge of classical languages, Evans became versed in Hebrew, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Icelandic. He had musical talent, and was a performer on several instruments. As an artist he sketched in pencil, crayon, and sepia, and his cattle pieces were of eminent merit. He studied geology
and botany
, and his knowledge of Greek, Roman, and English coins, of which he had a large collection, was considerable.
He was ordained to the curacy of Hartpury
, Gloucester
, in August 1804, and after receiving priest's orders in September 1805, was in the following month appointed professor of classics
and history in the Royal Military College, then lately established at Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and he removed with the college to Sandhurst in October 1812. Resigning this appointment in 1822, he went to Britwell, near Burnham, where he prepared pupils for the universities, and served the curacy of Burnham until 1829, when he accepted the head-mastership of the free grammar school at Market Bosworth
, Leicestershire.
Unusually Evans was one of the few headmasters of the Dixie Grammar School
to be appointed other than by the local Dixie Baronets
. The Bishop of Lincoln
, John Kaye, appointed Evans since in 1829 the 8th Baronet was only a child of 13. The schools' commissioners reported Evans' tenure as one of the most successful in the school's history.
While resident at the Dixie Grammar School he held successively the curacies of Bosworth, Carlton
, and Cadeby
between 1829 and 1841. He never derived from his clerical profession more than £100 a year and as a schoolmaster he was eminently successful.
Of Evans's children:
Evans was born at Compton Beauchamp
Compton Beauchamp
Compton Beauchamp is a hamlet and civil parish southeast of Shrivenham in the Vale of White Horse. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Location:...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
(now Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
), on 25 March 1781. His father, the Rev. Lewis Evans, vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Froxfield, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, was a well-known astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, and held for many years the professorship of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He married Ann, eldest daughter of Thomas Norman. The second son, Arthur, received his education at the college school, Gloucester, of which his uncle and namesake was head-master, and here he was known as ‘The Bold Arthur,’ from his remarkable personal courage. He went into residence at St. John's College, Oxford, 23 Oct. 1800, and proceeded B.A. 21 Feb. 1804, M.A. 1820, and B.D. and D.D. 1828.
In addition to his knowledge of classical languages, Evans became versed in Hebrew, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Icelandic. He had musical talent, and was a performer on several instruments. As an artist he sketched in pencil, crayon, and sepia, and his cattle pieces were of eminent merit. He studied geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, and his knowledge of Greek, Roman, and English coins, of which he had a large collection, was considerable.
He was ordained to the curacy of Hartpury
Hartpury
Hartpury is a rural parish of with some 270 homes and a population of about 700. It is situated about north of the city of Gloucester, England. Geographically it lies within the Leadon Vale; administratively it is part of the Forest of Dean....
, Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, in August 1804, and after receiving priest's orders in September 1805, was in the following month appointed professor of classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and history in the Royal Military College, then lately established at Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and he removed with the college to Sandhurst in October 1812. Resigning this appointment in 1822, he went to Britwell, near Burnham, where he prepared pupils for the universities, and served the curacy of Burnham until 1829, when he accepted the head-mastership of the free grammar school at Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
, Leicestershire.
Unusually Evans was one of the few headmasters of the Dixie Grammar School
Dixie Grammar School
Dixie Grammar School is a school in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire. It is next door to the high school Market Bosworth High School.The earliest records of the School's existence date from 1320, but the school was re-founded in 1601 under the will of an Elizabethan merchant and Lord Mayor of...
to be appointed other than by the local Dixie Baronets
Dixie Baronets
The Dixie Baronets are the holders of the one Dixie baronetcy, created in the Baronetage of England at the time of the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 for Sir Wolstan Dixie , a supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War and afterwards...
. The Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
, John Kaye, appointed Evans since in 1829 the 8th Baronet was only a child of 13. The schools' commissioners reported Evans' tenure as one of the most successful in the school's history.
While resident at the Dixie Grammar School he held successively the curacies of Bosworth, Carlton
Carlton, Leicestershire
Carlton is a village in Leicestershire, England, close to Market Bosworth.There are four roads in Carlton: Main Street , Bosworth Road , Congerstone Lane and Shackerstone Walk .- Village...
, and Cadeby
Cadeby, Leicestershire
Cadeby is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England, about 6 miles north of Hinckley, close to Newbold Verdon and Market Bosworth. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 177....
between 1829 and 1841. He never derived from his clerical profession more than £100 a year and as a schoolmaster he was eminently successful.
Family history
He died at Market Bosworth 8 Nov. 1854. In June 1819 he married Anne, third daughter of Captain Thomas Dickinson, R.N., of Bramblebury, near Woolwich, by whom he had six children. She died 10 May 1883, in her ninety-second year.Of Evans's children:
- Anne Evans (1820-1870), wrote poems and music, which in 1880 were edited and published with a memorial preface by Anne Thackeray Ritchie.
- John EvansJohn Evans (archaeologist)Sir John Evans, KCB, FRS was an English archaeologist and geologist.-Biography:John Evans was the son of the Rev. Dr A. B. Evans, headmaster of Market Bosworth Grammar School, and was born at Britwell Court, Buckinghamshire...
, K.C.B., F.R.S. (1823–1908), was treasurer of the Royal Society (1878–98), president of the Society of Antiquaries (1885–92) and a writer on coins, and stone, bronze, and flint implements. - Sebastian Evans (1830-1909), was a designer for glass work and a poet; he edited the Birmingham GazetteBirmingham GazetteThe Birmingham Gazette, known for much of its existence as Aris's Birmingham Gazette, was a newspaper that was published and circulated in Birmingham, England from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries...
1867–70, and was for some time the editor of ‘The People,’ a conservative Sunday journal.
Publications
- ‘Synopses for the use of the Students in the Royal Military Academy.’
- ‘The Cutter, in five Lectures on the Art and Practice of Cutting Friends, Acquaintances, and Relations,’ 1808.
- ‘Fungusiana, or the Opinions and Table-talk of the late Barnaby Fungus, Esq.,’ 1809.
- ‘The Curate and other Poems,’ 1810.
- ‘Plain Sermons on the relative Duties of the Poor as Parents, Husbands, and Wives,’ 1822.
- ‘Present National Delusions upon Wisdom, Power, and Riches,’ 1831.
- ‘Sermons on the Christian Life and Character,’ 1832.
- ‘Effectual Means of Promoting and Propagating the Gospel,’ 1836.
- ‘The Phylactery,’ a poem, 1836.
- ‘Calamus Scriptorius, or Copies for writing Greek,’ 1837.
- ‘The Fifth of November,’ a sermon, 1838.
- ‘The Village Church,’ a poem, 1843.
- ‘Education and Parental Example, in imitation of the XIVth satire of Juvenal,’ a poem, 1843.
- ‘The Sanctuary Service and not the Sermon the great object of Public Worship,’ 1843.
- ‘The Layman's Test of the true Minister of the Church of England.’
- ‘Divine Denunciations against Drinking, or the Word of God more powerful than Pledge-taking.’
- ‘Leicestershire Words, Phrases, and Proverbs,’ 1848. Enlarged edition, edited by Sebastian Evans; English Dialect Society, 1881.
- ‘Personal Piety, or Aids to Private Prayer for Individuals of all Classes,’ 1851.
- ‘Britain's Wreck, or Breakers Ahead. By an Old Hand on Board,’ 1853.