David William Evans
Encyclopedia
Sir David William Evans (4 November 1866 – 17 March 1926) was a Welsh
lawyer and public servant, who played a leading role in the fight against tuberculosis
in Wales
. In his early adult life, Evans was a very keen sportsman and played rugby union
for Oxford University
and Cardiff
. He played five international matches for Wales national rugby union team
between 1889 and 1891.
, Merthyr Tydfil
, Wales, his father (Thomas Evans) being a merchant and musician. Evans was educated at Llandovery
School and Jesus College, Oxford
, matriculating in 1885. He won his "Blue" at rugby
in 1887 and 1888, but the Cambridge University
team won on both occasions. He played for the Wales national rugby union team
against the Irish
and Scottish
teams in 1889, and against the English
and Irish teams in 1890 and 1891. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1893, and practised in Cardiff
. In 1913, he was appointed as director and legal advisor of the King Edward VII National Memorial Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis; his obituary in The Times
said that his "keenness and energy" in this role "unquestionably had far-reaching effects on the health of the Principality". He was also a member of the council of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the Prince of Wales's Hospital, the Nursing Association, the National Eisteddfod Association, the National Council of Music, and the Ministry of Health Consultative Council for Wales. He was knighted in 1925 "for public services in Wales". Shortly before his death, he was installed as Master of the Hendre Lodge of Freemasons. He died in Cardiff on 17 March 1926, having been suffering with a heart condition for some time that had required him to spend the previous four months away from work.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
lawyer and public servant, who played a leading role in the fight against tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. In his early adult life, Evans was a very keen sportsman and played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for Oxford University
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
and Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
. He played five international matches for Wales national rugby union team
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
between 1889 and 1891.
Life
Evans was born at DowlaisDowlais
Dowlais is a village and community of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. As of 2001, it has a population of 6646.Dowlais is notable within Wales and Britain for its historic association with ironworking; once employing, through the Dowlais Iron Company, roughly 5,000 people, the works...
, Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, Wales, his father (Thomas Evans) being a merchant and musician. Evans was educated at Llandovery
Llandovery
Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line...
School and Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, matriculating in 1885. He won his "Blue" at rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
in 1887 and 1888, but the Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
team won on both occasions. He played for the Wales national rugby union team
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
against the Irish
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and Scottish
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
teams in 1889, and against the English
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
and Irish teams in 1890 and 1891. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1893, and practised in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In 1913, he was appointed as director and legal advisor of the King Edward VII National Memorial Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis; his obituary in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said that his "keenness and energy" in this role "unquestionably had far-reaching effects on the health of the Principality". He was also a member of the council of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the Prince of Wales's Hospital, the Nursing Association, the National Eisteddfod Association, the National Council of Music, and the Ministry of Health Consultative Council for Wales. He was knighted in 1925 "for public services in Wales". Shortly before his death, he was installed as Master of the Hendre Lodge of Freemasons. He died in Cardiff on 17 March 1926, having been suffering with a heart condition for some time that had required him to spend the previous four months away from work.