Tributes are paid to celebrated Welsh writer and teacher

2:19pm Thursday 23rd August 2007

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Tributes have been paid to former head of Pembroke Grammar School and celebrated Welsh writer Roland Mathias, who has died at the age of 91.

Mr Mathias became headteacher at Pembroke Grammar School in 1948, at the age of 33.

A former PE teacher at the school, Dennis Lloyd , said: "He was a wonderful educationalist and headmaster.

"He encouraged every child to participate in the arts and sciences and valued the benefits of sport as an ex-rugby player himself.

"He was a great loss to the school when he left in 1958."

Pembrokeshire journalist, Vernon Scott added: "He was a remarkable man."

Born in Talybont-on-Usk in 1915, Mr Mathias was renowned for his poetry and short stories.

Days Enduring, published in 1942, was his first poetry collection and he was also a literary critic and one of the founders of the magazine Dock Leaves, which later became The Anglo-Welsh Review.

Registered to undertake non-combatant duties in support of the war effort in 1940, Mr Mathias was imprisoned as a conscientious objector on two occasions.

In 1969 Mr Mathias ended his 30-year teaching career and became a full-time writer.

He leaves three children: Glyn, a former political editor of ITN; Mary and Ceinwen; plus four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

There is a thanksgiving service today (Thursday) at Plough Chapel in Brecon.