Papers and correspondence of William Charles Evans, 1911-1988

The collection is particularly noteworthy for its full coverage of Evans's research

Section A : Biographical, is slight but includes a number of autobiographical accounts and the many letters of congratulation Evans receives on his election as Fellow of the Royal Society

Section B : Leeds University, comprises a small amount of duplicated teaching material

Section C : University of Wales, consists chiefly of teaching material used by Evans and colleagues at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and UCNW, and applications, correspondence and reports relating to the financing of Evans's research through the 1970's and early 1980's. There are also a number of drafts by Evans on the history of biochemistry in Wales with particular reference to UCNW.

Section D : Research, is the largest in the collection. Nearly all aspects of Evans's research are well documented. In addition to notebooks used by Evans as an undergraduate, postgraduate notes and material dating from Evans's wartime service in the Blood Transfusion Service, there are extensive sequences of notes on Evans's later research at Aberystwyth and Bangor on pasture plants, bracken toxicity and the breakdown of aromatic compounds. There is also material relating to a commercially funded research project on the degradation of wattle tannins.

Section E : Publications, lectures and broadcasts, is chiefly drafts by Evans with related correspondence. It includes much unpublished work. also in this section is a collection of lectures and other teaching material originally belonging to A.N. Worden, Professor of Animal Health at Aberystwyth 1945-1950. It provides fascinating documentation of the teaching of veterinary science in London and Cambridge in the 1930's. There is a complete set of reprints of Evans's publications at WCE/E/131

Section F : Visits and conferences, is a chronological sequence of material relating to visits made and conferences attended by Evans. This short section is dominated by the correspondence and papers from Evans's 1969 visit to the University of Khartoum, principally to give advice on the Department of Biochemistry and Soil Science there.

Section G : Correspondence, contains few extended sequences of correspondence. Much of the correspondence refers to specific research problems and many of Evans's letters therefore contain quite detailed accounts of his current research. The section also includes Evans's references and recommendations including material relating to his work as External Examiner for a number of universities.

William Charles Evans was born in Penrhos near Caernarvon on October 1, 1911. He was educated at local schools in Bethel and Caenarfon and won a scholarship to the University College of North Wales (UCNW), Bangor, in 1929. Evans received his BSc in chemistry with first class honours in 1932 and studied for a further two years at UCNW to gain his Teachers Training Diploma his MSc in organic chemistry.

In 1934 Evans was awarded the Platt Physiological Scholarship to Manchester University. Here he studied for his PhD in physiological chemistry (on the tyrosinase-tyrosine reaction) under H.S. Raper, while also taking the First and Second M G courses to improve his knowledge of biology. Evans gained his doctorate in 1937.

Evans's first appointment was at Leeds University, initially as Demonstrator, later as Lecturer, in biochemistry in the Physiology Department. Following the outbreak of war Evans became Director of Plasma Production and Serology in the Leeds University-based Regional Blood Transfusion Laboratories. In 1942 he married Dr Irene Antice Woods, who had gained her doctorate in zoology at Leeds. She was to collaborate on many joint projects with her husband as well as pursuing independent research. They had four children. Evans held the Directorship for four years until 1944 when he moved to St Mary's Hospital Medical School, Paddingtion, to work under Professor (later Sir) Alexander Fleming on the production of diphtheria toxin in the Inoculation Department (Director Sir Almroth Wirght).

In 1946 Evans returned to Wales. He was Special Lecturer in biochemistry at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, initiating research on the health problems of farm animals associated with certain plants, 1946-1951. On the death of G.W. Robinson Evans was appointed to the Chair of Agricultural Chemistry at UCNW, a position he held until retirement in 1979. During this period he oversaw a considerable expansion of his Department of Agricultural Chemistry into one of Biochemistry and Soil Science.

Evan's most important research at UCNW was in two main areas: the education of the biochemistry of the aerobic and anaerobic pathways of the catabolism of aromatic compounds (including agrochemicals and pesticides) in Nature, and the isolation of the toxic factors in bracken fern causing the poisoning of farm animals - this undertaken in frequent collaboration with his wife, who independently demonstrated theat bracken was also carcinogenic. For his outstanding contributions in both fields Evans was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1979.

Evans was of humble origins; his father worked as a stone-mason in the Dinorwig Slate Quarries. It was a Welsh-speaking environment and Evans did not begin to learn English until about ten years old. Throughout this collection are notes, drafts and letters attesting to his deep love of his homeland and pride in this native tongue. He realised the importance for the survival of the Welsh language of its being used as a medium for scientific communication and served as Honorary President of Y Gymdeithas Wyddonol Genedlaethol (the National Scientific Society), lectured and publications. It was fitting therefore that following his death in 1988 the journal Y Gwyddonydd was to publish as his memorial an autobiographical 'Portrait of a Welsh scientist' which he had drafted for it shortly before he died.

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