Wynford Vaughan-Thomas
Wynford Vaughan-Thomas CBE | |
---|---|
Born | Lewis John Wynford Thomas 15 August 1908 |
Died | 4 February 1987 Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales | (aged 78)
Nationality | Welsh |
Education | Bishop Gore School |
Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford |
Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, journalist and writer |
Employer(s) | BBC, HTV |
Spouse |
Charlotte Rowlands (m. 1946) |
Lewis John Wynford Vaughan-Thomas (
Early life and education
Thomas was born in Swansea, in South Wales, the second son of Dr. David Vaughan Thomas, a Professor of Music, and Morfydd Lewis, the daughter of Daniel Lewis who was one of the leaders of the Rebecca Riots in Pontarddulais.[1] He was the older brother of Hugh Vaughan-Thomas.[2]
He attended Bishop Gore School, Swansea.[citation needed] At Exeter College, Oxford, he read modern history and gained a second class academic degree.
Career
BBC
In the mid-1930s, Vaughan-Thomas joined the
In 1953, he was one of a team of BBC commentators on the
Harlech Television
In 1967, after leaving the BBC, Vaughan-Thomas was one of the founders of
In 1985, Vaughan-Thomas notably presented the 13-part series
Writing
Vaughan-Thomas wrote numerous books, many on Wales and a favourite subject of his, the Welsh countryside.
His wartime overview and experiences, and his successful broadcasting career later, enabled him to view life and its vagaries with what he called "pointless optimism" — a perspective that served him.
His 1961 book Anzio was adapted as the 1968 Italian-American film Anzio, about the Battle of Anzio, the Allied seaborne assault on the Italian port of Anzio south of Rome during the Second World War.
Heritage
In May 1970, when president of the
Private life
In 1946, Thomas married Charlotte Rowlands.[5]
Honours
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1974 Birthday Honours for services to Wales,[6] and promoted Commander (CBE) in the 1986 Birthday Honours for services to Welsh culture.[7]
He died in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, on 4 February 1987, aged 78.
Memorial
A memorial was constructed after his death, completed and unveiled in 1990 at Cadair viewpoint, near Aberhosan (at 52°32′56″N 3°43′06″W / 52.5489°N 3.7183°W), in the form of a toposcope looking out over the rolling hills and mountains of Wales, with a depiction of Vaughan-Thomas pointing towards Snowdon, Wales' highest peak, which is just visible on a clear day.[8]
Works
- Anzio (1961)
- Madly in All Directions (1967)
- The Shell Guide to Wales (1969, with Alun Llewellyn)
- Portrait of Gower (1976)
- Great Little Trains Of Wales (1976)
- Trust to Talk (1980)
- Wynford Vaughan-Thomas's Wales (1981)
- Princes of Wales (1982)
- The Countryside Companion (1983)
- Dalgety (1984)
- Wales: a History (1985)
- How I Liberated Burgundy: And Other Vinous Adventures (1985)
References
- ^ John, D; Thomas, DN (Autumn 2010), "From Fountain to River: Dylan Thomas and the Bont", Cambria.
- ^ "Hugh Vaughan-Thomas".
- ^ Rob Brown (21 March 2019). "The Dragon Has Two Tongues Again". Bella Caledonia. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Jenkins, Geraint H. (1 May 2013). "Williams, Gwyn Alfred (1925-1995), historian and television presenter". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales.
- .
- ^ "No. 46310". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 June 1974. p. 6804.
- ^ "No. 50551". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1986. p. 8.
- ^ "Wynford Vaughan Thomas". Archived from the original on 6 August 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2022. Across the hills towards Yr Wyddfa and the Snowdonia National Park
Nicholls, Christine Stephanie (December 2018). The Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. 12: 1986-1990. Forgotten Books.
Further reading
- Vaughan-Thomas, Wynford (1980). Trust to Talk. London: Hutchinson. ISBN 9780091438708. – autobiography