Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1874-1927 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.2 cubic metres (7 boxes, 11 vols, 1 bundle)Some files are unfit for production - see file level descriptions.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
J. E. Powell was a Wrexham ironmonger. He was born around 1851 at Wrexham, Denbighshire, the son of Evan Powell, ironmonger, of Town Hill, Wrexham. He took over his father's ironmongery business about 1875, and established the Cambrian Ironworks in 1876 in association with his brother and a gentleman called John Whitaker. He had a keen interest in educational matters and was a member of the Central Welsh Board at the turn of the century as well as being a Governor on local school boards. He was also a member of the Calvinistic Methodist Church at Pentrefelin and was a Trustee and Chairman of the North Wales C. M. Loan Fund between 1907 and 1920. He served as a Justice of the Peace in Wrexham.
J. E. Powell was actively involved in the establishment of the Central Welsh Board of Education and was also a member of the Board. The Board was established in 1896 to foster educational interests and opinion in Wales. It comprised 80 members and its first meeting was held on 8 January 1897. J. E. Powell was present representing Denbighshire.
The Board was seen as an organisation created to foster discussion on educational matters in Wales. However, opinion regarding the value of J. E. Powell's contribution to the Board varied. O. M. Edwards, Chief Inspector of Education for Wales, described him in 1910 as 'a man of strong convictions and very stormy eloquence ... and was above all others, the champion of the Central Welsh Board - which he considered to be perfect ... and any criticism of Welsh intermediate education was treason...'.
Following a deputation sent by the Board in 1913 to see the President of the Board of Education, the Rt. Hon. J. A. Pease M.P., Powell was described as a 'mere appendage to the group'. It was also stated that 'Powell was present apparently to provide a boring and colourless historical interlude on the failure of Wales to establish a Welsh National Council for Education, and said, in his ignorance, that all the Welsh counties had joined in the attempt'.
J. E. Powell remained an active member of the Board up to 1925 when illness prevented him from attending meetings, although he continued to correspond with the Board until his death on 2 January 1926.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by Mr R. E. G. Powell, Bangor, in February 1964.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The fonds contains the business and personal papers of J. E. Powell.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: The fonds has been appraised: details are given at the appropriate level of description..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
The papers are arranged according to provenance into two groups: business records and personal papers.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Finding aid available in hard copy at NLW.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Text
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Previously called Cambrian Ironworks
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
GEAC system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
This description follows NLW guidelines based on ISAD(G) Second Edition; AACR2; and LCSH.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
August 1999.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Mair James.
Archivist's note
The following source was used in the compilation of this description: Wales (North and South) Trades' Directory accompanied with a gazetter of England 1927 (London: Trades Directories Limited, 1927)