Evans, John (d.1832) (DNB00)

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EVANS, JOHN (d. 1832), miscellaneous writer, a native of Bristol, kept a school in that city for several years, first at Lower Park Row, and afterwards (by October 1815) at Kingsdown. During part of the time he officiated as a presbyterian minister at Marshfield in Gloucestershire. He eventually removed to London, where he had a school in Euston Square. There he died in 1832 (Gent. Mag. vol. cii. pt. i. pp. 372–3, 651; prefaces to his works). Besides some schoolbooks Evans wrote: 1. ‘An Oration on the Doctrine of Philosophical Necessity considered in reference to its Tendency,’ 8vo, 1809. 2. ‘The Ponderer, a series of Essays; Biographical, Literary, Moral, and Critical’ (originally published in the ‘British Mercury’), 12mo, London, Bristol (printed), 1812; another edit., ‘Essays,’ 12mo, London, 1819. 3. ‘The Picture of Bristol; … including Biographical Notices of Eminent Natives,’ 12mo, Bristol, 1814; 2nd edit. 12mo, Bristol, 1818. An abridgment, entitled ‘The New Guide, or Picture of Bristol, with Historical and Biographical Notices,’ was published as a ‘third edition,’ 8vo, Bristol (1825?). The historical account of the church of St. Mary Redcliffe appeared in a separate form, 12mo, Bristol, 1815. Evans also edited, with a memoir, the ‘Remains’ of William Reed of Thornbury, 8vo, London, 1815, and compiled the second volume of ‘The History of Bristol,’ 4to, Bristol, 1816, the first volume of which was written by John Corry [q. v.]

Evans is to be distinguished from John Evans (fl. 1812), probably son of Benjamin Evans of Lydney, Gloucestershire, a clergyman of the establishment, who matriculated 4 April 1789, aged 21, at Jesus College, Oxford, and proceeded B.A. 1792 (Foster, Alumni Oxon. ii. 28). He was author of: 1. ‘A Tour through part of North Wales in the year 1798, and at other times; principally undertaken with a view to Botanical Researches in that alpine country; interspersed with Observations on its Scenery, Agriculture, Manufactures, &c.,’ 8vo, London, 1800; 2nd edit. 8vo, London, 1802; 3rd edit. 8vo, London, 1804. 2. ‘Letters written during a Tour through South Wales in the year 1803 and at other times … containing Views of the History, Antiquities, and Customs of that part of the Principality,’ &c., 8vo, London, 1804. 3. ‘Monmouthshire’ in vol. xi. of Brayley and Britton's ‘Beauties of England and Wales,’ 8vo, London, 1810. 4. ‘North Wales,’ 8vo, London, 1812, being vol. xvii. of the same series. At the time of his last publication (April 1812) Evans was residing at Delancy Place, Camden Town, London. He had intended to write the account of South Wales for the ‘Beauties,’ but died shortly after the completion of the first part of his undertaking (Rees, preface to ‘South Wales,’ Beauties of England and Wales, vol. xviii.)

[Authorities as above.]

G. G.