Rice Rees
Encyclopedia
Rice Rees was a Welsh
cleric and historian.
, Carmarthenshire
, Wales
, and christened in the local Independent chapel. From 1819, he was educated for a short time at Lampeter
grammar school, under Eliezer Williams
, before being educated at home and by his uncle, William Jenkins Rees. He matriculated
at Jesus College, Oxford
in 1822. He was appointed to a college scholarship in 1825 and graduated with a B.A.
degree in 1826 and a M.A. degree in 1828. His tutor was Llewelyn Lewellin
, who in 1827 was appointed as the first Principal of St David's College, Lampeter (which later became the University of Wales, Lampeter). Rees was appointed as lecturer in Welsh
and librarian at St David's College. He was elected to a Fellowship of Jesus College in 1828, retaining this position until his death. He was ordained deacon in 1827 and priest in 1828, becoming rector of Llanddewi Velfrey, Pembrokeshire
in 1832, obtaining a B.D.
degree in 1837 and being appointed chaplain to the Bishop of St Davids, John Jenkinson, in 1838.
His book, The Welsh Saints, was described by the historian Sir J. E. Lloyd
as "full and luminous". It was based on a prize-winning essay Rees wrote for the 1835 Carmarthen
eisteddfod and was thereafter expanded, and published by his brother, William Rees, in 1836. He was also a member of the committee appointed to revise the Welsh Book of Common Prayer
. He died suddenly, apparently from overwork, at Newbridge-on-Wye
on 20 May 1839 when travelling from Cascob to Lampeter
, and was buried at Llandingad. His unfinished work on the Liber Landavensis, a Welsh 12th century chronicle of the history of the Diocese of Llandaff
, was completed by his uncle.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
cleric and historian.
Life
Rees was born at Ton, near LlandoveryLlandovery
Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line...
, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and christened in the local Independent chapel. From 1819, he was educated for a short time at Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
grammar school, under Eliezer Williams
Eliezer Williams
Rev. Eliezer Williams was a Welsh clergyman and genealogist, who served the Earl of Galloway as a family tutor and genealogical researcher.-Life:...
, before being educated at home and by his uncle, William Jenkins Rees. He matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1822. He was appointed to a college scholarship in 1825 and graduated with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1826 and a M.A. degree in 1828. His tutor was Llewelyn Lewellin
Llewelyn Lewellin
Llewelyn Lewellin was a clergyman and academic, the first principal of St David's College, Lampeter....
, who in 1827 was appointed as the first Principal of St David's College, Lampeter (which later became the University of Wales, Lampeter). Rees was appointed as lecturer in Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and librarian at St David's College. He was elected to a Fellowship of Jesus College in 1828, retaining this position until his death. He was ordained deacon in 1827 and priest in 1828, becoming rector of Llanddewi Velfrey, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
in 1832, obtaining a B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree in 1837 and being appointed chaplain to the Bishop of St Davids, John Jenkinson, in 1838.
His book, The Welsh Saints, was described by the historian Sir J. E. Lloyd
John Edward Lloyd
Sir John Edward Lloyd , was a Welsh historian, the author of the first serious history of the country's formative years, A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, 2 vols...
as "full and luminous". It was based on a prize-winning essay Rees wrote for the 1835 Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
eisteddfod and was thereafter expanded, and published by his brother, William Rees, in 1836. He was also a member of the committee appointed to revise the Welsh Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
. He died suddenly, apparently from overwork, at Newbridge-on-Wye
Newbridge-on-Wye
Newbridge-on-Wye is a small village in Powys, Wales. It lies, as its name suggests, on the River Wye, just downstream from the market town of Rhayader.- Location :...
on 20 May 1839 when travelling from Cascob to Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
, and was buried at Llandingad. His unfinished work on the Liber Landavensis, a Welsh 12th century chronicle of the history of the Diocese of Llandaff
Diocese of Llandaff
The Diocese of Llandaff is a Church in Wales diocese. It is headed by the Bishop of Llandaff, whose seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Llandaff, a suburb of Cardiff...
, was completed by his uncle.