Tribute to former Professor of Welsh D. Ellis Evans

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Professor D. Ellis Evans, who was a former Professor of Welsh at Swansea University and a member of staff between 1957 and 1987 has died aged 83.

In a tribute to him, Professor Tudur Hallam, Professor of Welsh and Research Director at Academi Hywel Teifi, Swansea University,said:

“It was with great sadness that I heard of the death of Professor D. Ellis Evans,” said Professor Hallam.

“There remains a close tie between the Welsh Department and his family and we sympathise with them in their loss.

  “Having held two Chairs, and a Fellow of the British Academy, he enjoyed a distinguished academic career and gave generous support to many students and scholars.”

David Ellis Evans was born in 1930.  Originally from the Towy valley, in Carmarthenshire, he attended Llandeilo Grammar School before going on to study at Jesus College, Oxford, where he gained a doctorate. He was a lecturer at Swansea University between 1957 and 1978, and became Professor of Welsh at the University.

He later returned to Oxford University as Professor of Celtic Studies and became Professorial Fellow of Jesus College. He was appointed Fellow of the British Academy in 1983 and delivered the Academy’s Sir John Rhys Memorial Lecture in 1977. He retired in 1996.

His main interest was the early Celtic culture in Europe and a volume of essays was published in his honour on his 65th birthday in 1995. One of his best known contributions was Gaulish Personal Place Names (1967).