Roland Mathias
Encyclopedia
Roland Glyn Mathias was a Welsh
writer, known for his poetry and short stories. He was also a literary critic, and responsible with Raymond Garlick
for the success of the literary magazine Dock Leaves (from 1949), later from 1957 The Anglo-Welsh Review. He edited it from 1961 to 1976. His other writing includes books on David Jones
, Vernon Watkins
and John Cowper Powys
, and Anglo-Welsh Poetry 1480-1980 with Raymond Garlick.
He was born at Talybont-on-Usk, south-east of Brecon
in Powys
, in 1915 and brought up mostly in England and Germany. He graduated in history from Jesus College, Oxford
. Days Enduring (1942) was his first poetry collection. He was a pacifist, and was twice gaoled in World War II
as a conscientious objector
. His career was in teaching, in Wales and elsewhere in the UK where he served as Headmaster of King Edward VI Five Ways School from 1964 to 1969; he retired to Brecon
in 1969 and died in 2007.
The Roland Mathias Prize, a literary award, is administered by the Brecknock Society and Museum Friends
and is named in his honor.
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...
writer, known for his poetry and short stories. He was also a literary critic, and responsible with Raymond Garlick
Raymond Garlick
Raymond Garlick was an Anglo-Welsh poet and editor. Garlick was born in London, but grew up in Llandudno, and studied English literature at the University of Wales, Bangor. Whilst there, he converted to Roman Catholicism, although no longer a practising Catholic...
for the success of the literary magazine Dock Leaves (from 1949), later from 1957 The Anglo-Welsh Review. He edited it from 1961 to 1976. His other writing includes books on David Jones
David Jones (poet)
David Jones CH was both a painter and one of the first generation British modernist poets. As a painter he worked chiefly in watercolor, painting portraits and animal, landscape, legendary and religious subjects. He was also a wood-engraver and designer of inscriptions. As a writer he was...
, Vernon Watkins
Vernon Watkins
Vernon Phillips Watkins , was a British poet, and a translator and painter. He was a close friend of Dylan Thomas, who described him as "the most profound and greatly accomplished Welshman writing poems in English"....
and John Cowper Powys
John Cowper Powys
-Biography:Powys was born in Shirley, Derbyshire, in 1872, the son of the Reverend Charles Francis Powys , who was vicar of Montacute, Somerset for thirty-two years, and Mary Cowper Johnson, a descendent of the poet William Cowper. He came from a family of eleven children, many of whom were also...
, and Anglo-Welsh Poetry 1480-1980 with Raymond Garlick.
He was born at Talybont-on-Usk, south-east of Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, in 1915 and brought up mostly in England and Germany. He graduated in history from 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...
. Days Enduring (1942) was his first poetry collection. He was a pacifist, and was twice gaoled in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
. His career was in teaching, in Wales and elsewhere in the UK where he served as Headmaster of King Edward VI Five Ways School from 1964 to 1969; he retired to Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
in 1969 and died in 2007.
The Roland Mathias Prize, a literary award, is administered by the Brecknock Society and Museum Friends
Brecknock Society and Museum Friends
Brecknock Society and Museum Friends is a Welsh historical society that promotes "the study and understanding of the Archaeology, History, Geology, Natural History, the Arts and Literature of Wales, especially the historic county of Brecknock."...
and is named in his honor.