Sir Samuel Thomas Evans Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Personal Computer Queen's Counsel, was a Welsh barrister, judge and Liberal politician.
Background
Evans was born at Skewen, near Neath, Glamorganshire, the only son of John Evans, a grocer, and his wife Margaret, both originally of Cardiganshire. Evans married firstly Rachel, daughter of William Thomas, in 1887. After his first wife"s death in 1889 he married secondly Blanche, daughter of Charles Rule, in 1905.
Education
He was educated in Swansea, at University College, Aberystwyth, and the University of London.
Career
They had one son. They had one daughter. He qualified as a solicitor in 1883. In 1891 he was called to the Bar.
Evans gained a large practice on the South Wales circuit and in 1901 he became the last Queen's Counsel appointed by Queen Victoria.
He served on the Neath Town Council during the 1880s. He was a Recorder of Swansea from 1906 to 1908 and became a Bencher of the Middle Temple in 1908.
In 1889, Evans sought election to the inaugural Glamorgan County Council but was unsuccessful both at the initial election and the by-election which followed the successful Conservative candidate"s elevation to the aldermanic bench. In 1890 he was elected to the House of Commons for Mid Glamorgan.
He combined his parliamentary work with his legal practice in Wales.
He was re-elected in 1892, 1895 and at the Khaki General Election of 1900;
At the General Election of January/February 1906 he was returned Unopposed. In October 1906 upon appointment as Recorder of Swansea, in accordance with the times he was required to seek re-election and in the by-election he was returned unopposed. In 1908, he was appointed Solicitor-General in the Liberal administration of H. H. Asquith and knighted upon taking office.
He was re-elected at the following general election, in January 1910;
He was then sworn of the Privy Council in 1910.
In March 1910 Evans decided to give up his political career and accept the post of President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice. His appointment was not popular with the legal establishment as he was considered to have little experience in these fields.
He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1916. However, he declined the offer of a peerage.
Evans died in September 1918 aged 59 and was buried at Skewen.
Membership
24th United Kingdom Parliament. 25th United Kingdom Parliament. 26th United Kingdom Parliament.
27th United Kingdom Parliament.
28th United Kingdom Parliament. 29th United Kingdom Parliament.