Owen Owen (school inspector)
Encyclopedia
Owen Owen was a Welsh
teacher who, after being headmaster of a successful private school for boys in Oswestry
, Shropshire
, became the first Chief Inspector of the Central Welsh Board for Intermediate Education.
, on the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales. He was educated at Botwnnog
grammar school (as was his cousin John Owen
, who later became Bishop of St Davids). From there, he proceeded to Jesus College, Oxford
where he matriculated
in 1873. In 1877, he graduated with a B.A.
degree in Literae Humaniores
, obtaining his M.A. in 1882. In about 1878, he became headmaster of the Willow Street Academy, a private school in Oswestry
, Shropshire
. In the 1881 census, the school was recorded as having fourteen boarders aged from ten to twenty four, and a schoolmaster and a housekeeper in addition to Owen. The school’s success led, in 1883, to the purchase of new premises—a house called The Lawn, on Church Street, Oswestry, that had previously been the residence of members of a local wealthy family—and the school was known as Oswestry High School, or the Boys High School. Owen remained as headmaster and the excellent record of the school led to it drawing pupils from across Wales.
The Welsh Intermediate Education Act was passed in 1889, and Owen was co-secretary of the joint conferences set up to establish the schemes to be implemented at county level. In 1896, the Central Welsh Board for Intermediate Education was established, with Arthur Humphreys-Owen
(Member of Parliament
for Montgomeryshire
) as its first chairman and John Viriamu Jones
(the first vice-chancellor
of the University of Wales
) as vice-chairman. The Board had the responsibility of overseeing the Welsh Intermediate Schools, and this was done through an annual examination and inspection. Owen was appointed as the Board’s first chief inspector in 1896. He held the position until 1915, when illness compelled his retirement, and was regarded as having held the office "with exceptional ability and conscientiousness". He was succeeded in the post by William Edwards
, a former fellow of Jesus College. After his enforced retirement, he moved to Colwyn Bay
on the coast of North Wales, where he died on 14 March 1920; he was buried in the cemetery at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos.
As well as educational matters, his interests included music and politics, with a particular interest in the movement for disestablishment of the Anglican church in Wales. He also served as a justice of the peace
in Oswestry from 1893.
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...
teacher who, after being headmaster of a successful private school for boys in Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, became the first Chief Inspector of the Central Welsh Board for Intermediate Education.
Life
Owen was born in the parish of LlaniestynLlaniestyn
Llaniestyn is a village and former civil parish in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The parish was abolished in 1934, and divided between Tudweiliog and Botwnnog....
, on the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales. He was educated at Botwnnog
Botwnnog
Botwnnog is a village and community in Gwynedd in Wales, located on the Llŷn Peninsula. It has a population of 955.It lies between Mynytho and Sarn Meyllteyrn, and is the home to two schools, a primary Pont Y Gof Primary School, and secondary . It also has the main branch of general practician ...
grammar school (as was his cousin John Owen
John Owen (bishop)
John Owen was the Professor of Welsh at the St David's College, as well as the Dean of St Asaph. He became the Bishop of St David's in 1897....
, who later became Bishop of St Davids). From there, he proceeded to 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...
where he matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
in 1873. In 1877, he graduated with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
, obtaining his M.A. in 1882. In about 1878, he became headmaster of the Willow Street Academy, a private school in Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. In the 1881 census, the school was recorded as having fourteen boarders aged from ten to twenty four, and a schoolmaster and a housekeeper in addition to Owen. The school’s success led, in 1883, to the purchase of new premises—a house called The Lawn, on Church Street, Oswestry, that had previously been the residence of members of a local wealthy family—and the school was known as Oswestry High School, or the Boys High School. Owen remained as headmaster and the excellent record of the school led to it drawing pupils from across Wales.
The Welsh Intermediate Education Act was passed in 1889, and Owen was co-secretary of the joint conferences set up to establish the schemes to be implemented at county level. In 1896, the Central Welsh Board for Intermediate Education was established, with Arthur Humphreys-Owen
Arthur Humphreys-Owen
Arthur Charles Humphreys-Owen was a Welsh barrister, landowner and Liberal politician.Humphreys-Owen was born at Garthmyl, Montgomeryshire, the son of Erskine Humphreys, a barrister. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge...
(Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Montgomeryshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1542, it elects one Member of Parliament , traditionally known as the knight of the shire, by the first-past-the-post system of election.The Montgomeryshire Welsh Assembly...
) as its first chairman and John Viriamu Jones
John Viriamu Jones
John Viriamu Jones, FRS , was a British scientist, who worked on measuring the ohm, and an educationalist who was instrumental in establishing the University of Sheffield and Cardiff University.-Early life and studies:...
(the first vice-chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
) as vice-chairman. The Board had the responsibility of overseeing the Welsh Intermediate Schools, and this was done through an annual examination and inspection. Owen was appointed as the Board’s first chief inspector in 1896. He held the position until 1915, when illness compelled his retirement, and was regarded as having held the office "with exceptional ability and conscientiousness". He was succeeded in the post by William Edwards
William Edwards (school inspector)
William Edwards was a Welsh school inspector for nearly 50 years and a writer on educational topics.-Life:...
, a former fellow of Jesus College. After his enforced retirement, he moved to Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
on the coast of North Wales, where he died on 14 March 1920; he was buried in the cemetery at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos.
As well as educational matters, his interests included music and politics, with a particular interest in the movement for disestablishment of the Anglican church in Wales. He also served as a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Oswestry from 1893.