Cylchgronau Cymru

Obittrarp Polices. THE VEN. ARCHDEACON THOMAS, M A., F.S.A. When on October 4th, 1916, Archdeacon Thomas passed peacefully away at Llandrinio, there was lost to Montgomeryshire in particular, though no less to North Wales, one who was born in the county, lived all his long life, save the period during which he held the Curacy of Rhuddlan, and the Rectory of Cefn, and died in the county, and among its natives, whose works have outlasted them, he will be entitled to a place. The late Archdeacon first saw the light at Llanfechain in 1833, being the third child of Mr. Owen Thomas, a gentleman farmer of that place. Shortly afterwards Mr. Thomas bought Caus Castle, near Westbury, and the Archdeacon was sent to a Dafne's School in the village, kept by a Mr. Meredith, where he picked up much valuable information, not least the actual measurement of fields, an accomplishment upon which he himself in later years put a great store. In 1846 it was decided largely through the advice of Dr. Evans Riadore, that young Thomas should be sent to Ruthin (thus being saved from a commercial life) in preference to Shrewsbury, and it was there that he heard of a sudden accident in 1848 which brought his father's life to a sudden end, and altered the possibilities of his own. In 1850 he was head boy at Ruthin, under the Rev. E. L. Barnwell, whose friend- ship he retained until his death, but his hope of an Oxford career seemed but slight owing to family circumstances, and his chances of completing the course depended mainly upon his successes in scholarship examination and financial aid that was given by a few