Thomas Charles Edwards Papers,

Manuscripts and papers of the families of Charles and Edwards, dated between [c. 1600] and 1922; they include letters from Thomas Charles Edwards to his wife, and their son Lewis Charles, 1876-1896; letters to Thomas Charles Edwards, 1885-1899; copies of letters, 1859-1898, including correspondence relating to University College of Wales, Aberystwyth; letters to and from Mary Roberts, 1867-[1893]; letters to their daughter, Elizabeth Alicia Edwards, 1887-1900; Edwards family letters, 1895-1900; and newspapers and press cuttings, [c. 1820]-1922.

The Rev. Thomas Charles Edwards (1837-1900), minister and academic, was the grandson of Thomas Charles (1755-1814), and son of Lewis Edwards, who had opened a religious academy in Bala (later Bala College) in Bala, Merionethshire, with his brother-in-law, David Charles, to train ministers of the Calvinistic Methodist denomination. Thomas Charles Edwards went to Bala College, and then to Oxford, graduating in 1862. He married Mary, née Roberts, and had four children. He became a minister in Liverpool, Lancashire, and in 1872 was appointed first Principal of the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire., a post he held until 1891. He became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1887. In 1891, he became Principal of Bala College, and he died in 1900.

The papers are arranged into the following: Thomas Charles manuscripts; Lewis Edwards mansucripts; Thomas Charles Edwards manuscripts; and additional letters; the first three, large groups are subdivided into manuscripts and correspondence, further divided by recipient and/or correspondent.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Thomas Charles Edwards, grandson of the Rev. Thomas Charles Edwards; Ampleforth; 'Permanent deposit'; 1940.

The Rev. Thomas Charles Edwards (1837-1900), minister and academic, was the grandson of Thomas Charles (1755-1814), and son of Lewis Edwards, who had opened a religious academy in Bala (later Bala College) in Bala, Merionethshire, with his brother-in-law, David Charles, to train ministers of the Calvinistic Methodist denomination. Thomas Charles Edwards went to Bala College, and then to Oxford, graduating in 1862. He married Mary, née Roberts, and had four children. He became a minister in Liverpool, Lancashire, and in 1872 was appointed first Principal of the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire., a post he held until 1891. He became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1887. In 1891, he became Principal of Bala College, and he died in 1900.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of Thomas Charles Edwards Papers; Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940 (London, 1959); Williams, J. Gwyn, The University of Wales, 1839-1939 (Cardiff, 1997); Morgan Iwan (ed.), University College of Wales Aberystwyth (Aberystwyth, 1928); Y Goleuad (27 October 1937); Y Cymro (9 July 1922).

Title supplied from contents of fonds. The archive includes earlier family papers accumulated by Thomas Charles Edwards and some papers which post-date his death.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can be accessed online.

February 2003

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records have been retained.

'Lodged in the National Library for safe keeping' in 1919 (see NLWJ, 1 (1940), 152).

Accruals are not expected.

A selection of letters relating to Thomas Charles Edwards's time as Principal of the UCW, Aberystwyth, 1872-1891 were transcribed and edited by T. I. Ellis. They were published as a supplement to the National Library of Wales Journal in 1952-1953.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales