Minister of Bethesda Chapel, Ynysmeudwy (1925-1943)

Thank you to Peter Evans, grandson of John Derlwyn Evans, for the additional information, and his family photographs.

In 1925 Mr John Derlwyn Evans (J Derlwyn Evans) was inducted in the January, and stayed until January 1943, when he left for Noddfa, Taibach, Port Talbot. During his ministry, in 1925, a manse was purchased, located just up the road from Bethesda Chapel. He lived at the Manse with his family. The building has since been demolished, and the area is now occupied by council houses.

Officials of Bethesda Chapel, outside the front of the building

Noddfa Chapel, Taibach, Port Talbot

Reverend John Derlwyn Evans moved to become minister of Noddfa Chapel, Taibach in January 1943. The meaning of the chapel's name in Welsh is "Refuge". It had been founded in 1933 after a split from the Gibeon Chapel, Gallipoli Terrace. The congregation of Noddfa first held their services in the Taibach library and later the Memorial Hall before a new building, located on Commercial Road, Taibach was built especially in 1939. The foundation stones, written in both Welsh and English, can be seen below the windows and confirm the date as April the 20th, 1939.

Richard Walter Jenkins moved to Taibach at a young age to live with his sister and her family as their mother had died. Noddfa Welsh Congregational Chapel was chosen by his sister Cecilia and her husband Elfed James as the place of worship to be attended by Richard Jenkins from 1939 onwards, when he would have been 13/14 years of age. Some time in later 1943, Richard entered Exeter College, Oxford on a six-month RAF scholarship, having changed his name to Richard Burton.

It is thus probable that Rev. John Derlwyn Evans had him in his congregation at Noddfa for some of the first half of 1943, when Richard was not off acting away from home.

In 1925, a manse was purchased, located just up the road from Bethesda Chapel. He lived at the Manse with his family. The building has since been demolished, and the area is now occupied by council houses.

These photographs are from the time that Rev. John Derlwyn Evans and his family lived there, between 1925 and 1943, and show him or family members.

John Derlwyn Evans and his family, outside the manse. From left to right they are Megan, his daughter; the Reverend; John Clifford Evans, his younger son; Margaret, his wife; and David Thomas Gwynfryn Evans, his older son.

Slightly distant view of people in the doorway of the manse.

Thank you to Rev John Derlwyn Evans' grandson, Peter Evans for these photographs of the family.

Reverend John Derlwyn Evans with his eldest son, David.