Welsh Journals

'chiefly to the precarious state of religious liberty during the whole of her reign On the accession of George I the dark clouds which hung over them were scattered and their liberty confirmed The sense of relief experienced by Llanofer Independents outweighed any ambiguities they may have felt concerning George I! Emanuel Davies did not live to see the new chapel opened but it was marked by the attendance and sermons of ten ministers among whom was the Reverend Llewelyn Richard Powell who had recently returned to Wales from serving as a minister in America, and he was invited to become Hanover's minister. Soon after his arrival in 1839, he opened a school to prepare young men for entry into the colleges and it quickly gained wide recognition. However, in 1847 he returned to America to be replaced by the end of that year by the Reverend Robert Thomas of Rhaeadr in Radnorshire. He was a native of Rhosllannerchrugog in Denbighshire and had already served as a minister at Glandwr (Landore), Swansea. In May 1839 he married Mary Loyd Williams of Newtown. At a later stage she was bequeathed a substantial amount of money and the husband and wife became renowned for their generosity. They contributed to many public charites but were also willing donors in a covert manner. 'Mr Thomas gave £ 500 to endow a scholarship at the Memorial College, Brecon as an acknowledgement of the education he had received at Newtown (where the college had been previously established). A true and valuable portrait of him hangs in the dining room of the college at Brecon where he looks down amiably on generations of students'.6 Robert Thomas was 'kindly and pleasant one who was truly helpful to his denomination. His generosity knew no bounds ’ ’ He remained at Llanofer until his death in 1886. It was during this period that the district became more Anglicized and English was introduced into the services in 1855. On 24 December, 1865, the church was once again reopened following extensive improvements: 'It was attractively decorated with a new gallery containing about sixty new seats The same source informs us that on 18 January, 1866 'An excellent lecture on the Old Vicar of Llandovery (Rhys Prichard (1579? 1644) was delivered by the Revd, Kilsby Jones. [One can assume that this would have been in delivered in Welsh]. About £ 60 were collected and around 400 attended the lecture which was received with great satisfaction by all'. (Kilsby was the acquired name of the Reverend James Rhys Jones who ministered at Rhaeadr before movng to Llandrindod. He was possibly the most eccentric minister of his day and a renowned preacher who attracted large holiday crowds to listen to him at the spa town.). In 1869 a vestry and schoolroom were added to the chapel, paid for by a Miss Morgans of Lower House, Llanofer. Robert Jermain Thomas (1839-1866) He was the younger son of Robert Thomas who had moved with his parents from Rhaeadr at the age of nine. He was received into full membership of the church at