Illtud Evans was born John Alban Evans on the 16th of July, 1913. His parents, Catherine and David Spencer Evans, a postmaster, were Welsh-speaking Nonconformists.
Though born in Chelsea, he went to Towyn Grammar School then St David's College, Lampeter (now the Lampeter campus of University of Wales, Trinity Saint David). However, he was expelled in 1934 for homosexuality - for attempting 'to induce a fellow-student to commit an act of gross immorality.'
He became a journalist then converted to Roman Catholicism and became Dom Illtud Evans of the Dominican Order. He became editor of 'Blackfriars' and 'New Blackfriars' journals and wrote for newspapers and magazines like 'Time and Tide' (a feminist magazine started by Lady Rhondda, which became more political and Christian after her death - though it also had become more right-wing with her changing views).
In the 1960s, he moved to the US, living in New York and California and visited prisons and rehabilitation centers as a priest.
Illtud Evans died on the 22nd of July, 1972 in Athens, having left the US in 1970 after a stroke.
Following his death, his friend Cliff Tucker began a campaign for Illtud Evans' exoneration and posthumous graduation, along with his partner Tony Dyson. They were both gay rights campaigners, Cliff Tucker having also gone to Lampeter University, giving his name to their Cliff Tucker Theatre.
Cliff Tucker was successful and Illtud Evans was awarded his degree posthumously.
Sources & Further Reading:
- Ruth Gooding, (2024), 'Evans, Illtud (John Alban Evans) (1913-1972), Catholic Priest,' Dictionary of Welsh Biography, https://biography.wales/article/s14-EVAN-ILL-1913
- Papers of Tony Dyson and Cliff Tucker https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/6aa178a1-4379-3933-877d-9beeb47de025
- Dom Illtud Evans Papers https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/5f573f63-23e2-3791-a383-d7ca593bef68
- https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands/special-collections/a-to-z/detail/?mms_id=992983876610801631
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