List of alumni of the University of Wales, Lampeter

University of Wales, Lampeter, originally known as St David's College and later St David's University College, was the oldest degree-awarding institution in Wales. Its alumni include politicians, bishops, writers, activists, and academics. It was founded in 1822 by Thomas Burgess, Bishop of St Davids, and given its royal charter by George IV in 1828. The college was originally intended for the teaching of Welsh male clergy, with a 1927 report estimating that 66% of Welsh clergy had received some amount of training in Lampeter. It later began teaching a range of subjects.

From the world of clergy, the college's alumni include at least seven Archdeacons (George Austin, Carl Cooper, Owen Evans, Judy French, John Griffiths, John Holliman and Lawrence Thomas), several bishops, and two Archbishops of Wales (Edwin Morris and Alwyn Rice Jones). The list of educators includes a President of Washington & Jefferson College (John C. Knapp) and a Vice-Chancellor of Edge Hill University (John Cater). Academics who studied at the college went on to teach at University College Cork (Graham Allen), (Siobhán Dowling Long), Oxford Brookes University (William Gibson), Wuhan University (James R. Lewis), and St David's College itself (William Henry Harris, Dic Edwards and Daniel Silvan Evans). The list of alumni also includes one member of the Senedd (Rhodri Glyn Thomas), a founding member of the Social Democratic Party (Sue Slipman), a polar explorer (Hannah McKeand), and several writers and poets (Ian Marchant, E. A. Markham, Adrian Mourby, Peter Paphides and Fred Secombe).

In 1965, the college began accepting female students for the first time. It was renamed St David's University College in 1971 after joining the federal University of Wales, and in 1996 renamed again to University of Wales, Lampeter. In 2010, the college merged with Trinity University College to form the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Alumni Abbreviations used in the following table E – Year of enrolment at St David's College/University of Wales G – Year of graduation/conclusion of study at St David's College/University of Wales ? – Year or degree unknown

Degree abbreviations BA – Bachelor of Arts BD – Bachelor of Divinity LTh – Licentiate of Theology MA – Master of Arts PhD – Doctor of Philosophy DLitt – Doctor of Letters

Clergy NameEGDegreeNotesRef??PhilosophyArchdeacon of York (1988–1999)David Bartlett??TheologyBishop of St Asaph, (1950-1970)???Bishop of Swansea and Brecon (1988–1999)???Chaplain of the Fleet for the Royal Navy (1876–1882)??BA FrenchBishop of St Davids (2002–2008), and Archdeacon of Merioneth (2000–2002)Dorrien Davies?1995?Archdeacon of Carmarthen (2017-2023), and Bishop of St Davids (2023-)Ellis Davies18921895?Priest and antiquarianIvor Evans?1922?Bishop in Argentina and Eastern South America with the Falkland Islands, (1946-1962)?1869?Vicar of Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog (1906–1913)?1955BA WelshBishop of Llandaff (1985–1999)Eric Evans???Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, (1988-1996)?1885BD (1885), Phillips and Treharne Scholar, Welsh and Science prize winnerVicar of St Asaph (1895–1901), Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923), and member of St David's College council (1927–1939)?1898BAArchdeacon of Bangor (1921–1937)Richard Fenwick?1966BABishop of St Helena, (2011-2018)??BA TheologyArchdeacon of Dorchester (2014–present)Alexander Goldwyer Lewis?1871ClassicsArchdeacon of Bombay (1890-1896)???Dean of St Asaph (1993–2001)??BARector of Llangadwaladr (1899–1917), and vicar of Welshpool???Archdeacon of Llandaff (1877–1897)???Bishop of St Albans (1996–2009)John Holdsworth?1992PhDExecutive archdeacon of Cyprus and the Gulf, (2010-2019)?1967BA (1965), LTh (1967)Archdeacon of the Army and Deputy-Chaplain general to the British Armed Forces?1868BDBishop of St Asaph (1870–1889)Idris Jones?1964?Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway (1998-2009); Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church (2006-2009)18341836Eldon Hebrew scholar (1835)Curate of Llanedwen and Llanddaniel Fab (1840–1850), and translator of English works into Welsh???Bishop of Sodor and Man (1989–2003)Brian Lucas19591962BA in HumanitiesChaplain-in-chief (RAF) and Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force, (1991-1995)Alan Morgan??Philosophy and historyBishop of Sherwood (1989-2004)???Curate of Mochdre (1842–1853)Edwin Morris?1922TheologyBishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of WalesThomas Milville Raven???Priest and pioneering photographer?1896BABishop of Llandaff (1931–1939)Raymond Renowden1941?TheologyDean of St Asaph, (1971-1992)?1955BA WelshBishop of St Asaph (1981–1999), and Archbishop of Wales (1991–1999)John Roberts??BAMissionary in the Bahamas and WyomingEdward Shotter??TheologyDean of Rochester, (1989-2003)Thomas James Stretch1934??Army chaplain???Vicar of Mynydd Llandygai (1860–1894)Harry Thomas???Bishop of Taunton (1945-1955)John Lloyd Thomas1927?HistoryPrincipal of St David's College (1953-1975)?1911BD (2nd)Archdeacon of Margam (1948–1958)Randolph Thomas???Archdeacon of Brecon, (2003-2013)??BA Classics (1st)Bishop of Swansea and Brecon (1976–1987), and lecturer in Theology at St David's College (1952–1955)David Williams ?1883ClassicsArchbishop of Huron, (1926-1931)Flora Winfield ?1985BABishop of Selby, (2024-)

Other religious leaders NameEGDegreeNotesRef2005?PhDMuslim televangelist and anti-extremism activist1836??Founder of the Agapemonites

Educators NameEGDegreeNotesRef?1974BA GeographyVice-Chancellor of Edge Hill University (1993–present)19631966BA Theology, DLitt (2006, honorary)Director of Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit at University of Warwick (1994–2012)?1999PhD Theology and Religious StudiesPresident of Washington & Jefferson College (2017–present), and President of Hope College (2013–2017)Henry Morris??TheologyPioneer of community education and founder of village collegesMichael Scott???Principal of North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (2001-2008); Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham Glyndŵr University (2008-2015)

Academics

NameEGDegreeNotesRef19821985BA English (1st)Professor of Literature at University College Cork?1980?Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Oxford Brookes UniversitySophie Gilliat-Ray??Theology and Religious StudiesProfessor in Religious and Theological Studies, Head of Islam UK Centre, Cardiff University?1910BA Welsh (1st), English and Welsh (Creaton) Essay Prizeman, Treharne and Senior ScholarLecturer in Theology (1919–1940), Professor of Theology (from 1940) and Professor of Welsh (from 1941) at St David's College. Also canon and treasurer of St Davids CathedralCraig Jamieson19711974PhilosophyKeeper of Sanskrit manuscripts, University of Cambridge??LawJudge, Mental Health Review Tribunal president known for his views on legal psychopathy??PhDResearch librarian for the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries?2003PhD Religious StudiesProfessor of Philosophy at Wuhan University (2019–present)19761980BA Theology and English Literature; MA English LiteratureProfessor of Theology and Religion at Durham University (2004–present), and Head of the Department of Religious Studies at the Newcastle University (1990–2004)??BAProfessor of Law at Duke University (1989–2010, 2012–present)BD (1868, honorary)Lecturer in Welsh at St David's College, writer on lexicography and orthography, and professor of Welsh at Aberystwyth University?1960BA ClassicsProfessor of Archaeology at University of Exeter, and Principal of Trevelyan College (from 1996)

Broadcasters and entertainers NameEGDegreeNotesRefVictor Brox19591962PhilosophyBlues musicianJuliette Foster19821985History / Church historyJournalist and television news presenter?1992BA ArchaeologyArchaeologist, and presenter on the BBC TV series Escape to the Country19851988BA GeographySports broadcaster, senior commentator and Football Correspondent for BBC RadioBruce Parker19601963EnglishBBC radio and television presenterAndrew Timothy???Announcer of The Goon Show and BBC newsreaderRebecca Wheatley??English literatureActress, presenter and cabaret singer

Politicians NameEGDegreeNotesRefDick Cole19881991Archaeology and historyLeader of Mebyon Kernow, (1997-)Karl McCartney19881992GeographyConservative MP for Lincoln (2010-2017, 2019-2024)19911991MTh Theology Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (1999–2016)Steve Witherden??BA English LiteratureLabour MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, (2024-)

Social activists NameEGDegreeNotesRef?1958BA Thai Buddhist social activist, writer, and economist; twice-nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize19681971BA EnglishPresident of the National Union of Students (1975–1978), and founding member of the Social Democratic Party19851988BA HistoryWelsh activist who died during protests at the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp

Sports people NameEGDegreeNotesRef??? Rugby union fullback and clergymanIvor Davies1911??Rugby union playerShaun Lightman?1966HistoryRace walkerAlfred Mathews18831886BARugby union player and priestAustin Matthews1925?TheologyNorthants, Glamorgan and England cricketerErnest Rowland18831886?Rugby union forwardJohn Strand-Jones?1899?Rugby union international and army chaplain

Explorers NameEGDegreeNotesRef??BA ClassicsPolar explorer

Writers and artists NameEGDegreeNotesRefTony Bianchi1969?English and PhilosophyWelsh-language novelistEuros Bowen???Welsh-language poet??MA (Alt) in The Word and The Visual Imagination Photographer and Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering, Arts, Science & Technology at University of Suffolk???Playwright and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidRichard Fawkes??EnglishWriter and directorJohn James??PhilosophyWriter of historical fiction19761979BA PhilosophyNon-fiction writer and radio presenter19621965BA Philosophy and LiteratureMontserratian poet and playwright, professor of Creative Writing at Sheffield Hallam University???Award-winning writer, journalist, and BBC producer???Rock critic for The Times (2005–2010)Pamela Petro??MA in The Word and the Visual ImaginationAuthor of Travels in an old tongue; Sitting up with the dead; The slow breath of stone;, and, The Long field.???Writer and clergymanChris Townsend??EnglishLong distance walker and outdoor writer

See also List of vice-chancellors of the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David List of academics of University of Wales, Lampeter

References