Welsh Journals

Jenkin, who was probably the youngest brother, was at Ystrad Meurig School in 1791, though Lewis did not regard him as a good scholar. By 1790 he was working at a booksellers at the Strand, and by 1801 he appears to have had his own business at 16 Foster Lane, though for a time he lived with his brother John. It is not known whether this was bookselling or not: if so Jenkin Evans is not mentioned in the Libri Wallia Eiluned Rees's catalogue of Welsh books and the Welsh book trade. Though in 1802 Lewis was glad to note that Jenkin was a communicant in the Church, and hoped he would adorn the Gospel of Jesus by his good life,6 by 1804 he was very concerned to note his brother's dissatisfaction with the Church of England.7 A sister, Jane, lived in Camberwell. She was probably not the sister whose marriage bidding at Tyn'r Helig produced £ 30 in 1792,8 and who may have remained at home. Jane's address is given first as at 24 Denmark Road, where her mother either stayed occasionally or lived with her, but by 1830 she had moved to 3 Adelphi Place. Lewis then wrote and prayed that the Holy Spirit would continue to support her daughter and herself under all the trials they were facing.9 This is the last letter in the manuscript book. The date of Lewis's birth is not known, nor the date of his ordination. He was certainly educated at Ystrad Meurig School, for his letters refer to this and to Mr Williams the master's affectionate leave of his old pupils.10 This was John Williams, master from 1777 to 1818. Lewis seems to have been ordained by 1792 (the ordination papers for the diocese are missing for this period), for in a letter of that year he writes that the tithe application had been made but without any great success, and he was looking for a curacy sufficiently near to his home to enable him to reside there. He seems to have identified a place, for he wrote that a vicar's son was also after the same position, and might succeed as he had more influence.11 The previous year a letter had been addressed from Cwmgwili. He was still looking for better prospects in 1796, when, writing from Ystrad Meurig, he indicated that he had been offered curacies at 'Pullhely', New Radnor and Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomeryshire, the latter being worth £ 40 per annum with an additional £ 30 for taking a school.12 But. before he could move there was 'a Brace of rigid bishops to deal with'. He had thought of moving to England but Bishop Stuart would not allow 'an undergraduate' to leave the diocese, to which Lewis added that most of the men of 'his standing' had entered at university but the finances as well as the expenditure of two or three years to take a degree was beyond his resources. It is difficult