# Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Bevan, William Latham

​BEVAN, WILLIAM LATHAM (1821–1908), archdeacon of Brecon, born on 1 May 1821 at Beaufort, Breconshire, was eldest of three sons of William Hibbs Bevan (1788-1846), then of Beaufort, but later of Glannant, Crickhowell (high sheriff for Breconshire 1841), by Margaret, daughter of Joseph Latham, also of Beaufort, but originally from Boughton-in-Furness. With a stepbrother, Edward Kendall, the father carried on the Beaufort Iron Works, trading as Kendall & Bevan, until 1833 (J. Lloyd, Old S. Wales Iran Works, 178-189). The youngest brother, George Phillips Bevan (1829-1889), wrote popular tourists' guides for Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, the three Ridings of Yorkshire, Warwickshire, the Wye Valley, and the Channel Islands (between 1877 and 1887, and repeatedly reprinted); industrial geographies of Great Britain and Ireland, France, and the United States (London 1880); and in conjunction with Sir John Stainer a handbook to St. Paul's Cathedral (1882) (see The Times, 10 August 1889).
After Bevan's education at Rugby under Dr. Arnold, he matriculated from Balliol College, Oxford, on 14 Dec. 1838; but he almost immediately removed to Magdalen Hall (now Hertford College) on being elected Lusby scholar there. He graduated B.A. in 1842, with a second class in the final classical school, and M.A. in 1845. In 1844 he was ordained deacon, and in 1845, after a short curacy at Stepney, he was admitted priest and presented to the living of Hay, Breconshire, by Sir Joseph Bailey, who was married to his mother's sister. This living, though a very poor one without a parsonage, he held for fifty-six years, his private means enabling him to contribute largely to the restoration of the church, the erection of British schools and of a town clock and tower, besides building a parish hall at his own expense. He was also prebendary of Llanddewi-Aberarth in St. David's Cathedral, 1876-9; canon residentiary of St. David's, 1879-93; arch-deacon of Brecon from 1895 till 1907 (when at his resignation his son Edward Latham was appointed in his place); proctor for the diocese of St. David's, 1880-95; examining chaplain to the bishop, 1881-97; and chaplain of Hay Union, 1850-95. He was offered, but declined, the deaneries of Llandaff (in 1897), St. David's (in 1903), and St. Asaph. On resigning the living of Hay in Nov. 1901 Bevan retired to Ely Tower, Brecon, where he died on 24 Aug. 1908; he was buried at Hay, where his widow, who died on 23 Oct. 1909, was also buried. He is commemorated in Hay Church by carved oak choir stalls and a marble chancel pavement, given by his family in August 1910. The St. David's diocesan conference in 1908 resolved on founding a diocesan memorial to him. Bevan married on 19 June 1849, at Whitney Church, Herefordshire, Louisa, fourth daughter of Tomkyns Dew of Whitney Court, by whom he had three sons and four daughters.
Bevan was a moderate churchman, who believed in enlarging the powers of the laity. He was a great linguist, and had a literary knowledge of Welsh, though he never preached in it. His general attitude to Welsh questions was that of a critical, scholarly anglican. He is best known for various pamphlets or printed essays and sermons in defence of the Welsh Church, which include: 'The Church Defence Handy Volume' (1892) and 'Notes on the Church in Wales' (1905). During the last twenty years of his life he was regarded as an authority on the history of the Welsh Church, but probably his only work of permanent value on the subject is his History of St. David's' in the S.P.C.K. series of diocesan histories (1888). Besides contributing numerous articles to Smith's 'Dictionary of the Bible,' Bevan was also author of three works on ancient geography 'A Manual' (1852); 'A Student's Manual,' based on [Dr. Smith's] 'Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography' (1861, 12mo); and 'A Smaller Manual' (1872, 12mo) as well as of 'A Student's Manual of Modern Geography, Mathematical, Physical and Descriptive' (2 vols. 1868, 12mo; 7th edit. 1884), which was translated into Italian and Japanese.
[Western Mail, 25 and 28 Aug. 1908; Guardian, 26 Aug. 1908; Church Times, 28 Aug. 1908; an excellent Welsh notice in Ceninen Gwyl Dewi, 1909; private information from his eldest daughter, Mrs. Dawson of Hartlington Hall, Yorkshire.]
D. Ll. T.