| AdminHistory | The founder of this solicitor's practice at Caernarfon, was Hugh Ellis, the second son of Archdeacon Ellis, vicar of Bangor who died in 1785 and Anne, the youngest child of Hugh and Ellen Lloyd of Trallwyn. His brother was the Rev. John Ellis, Rector of Llanystumdwy, who lived at Plas hen, Chwilog. Hugh Ellis married Ann Wright of Knutsford, Cheshire, a sister of Henry and Thomas Wright who were solicitors to the Vaynol estate at one time. Originally, Hugh Ellis's office was at Bangor, but sometime before 1790 he moved to Caernarfon, and his interests became permanently identified with the county town when he was appointed treasurer of the county in 1796. It is also believed that Ellis also acted as clerk of the magistrates for the Caernarvon district. Hugh Ellis was also made undersheriff for T. Assheton Smith in Caernarfon County in 1774.
The first mention of John Evans in connection with the practice occurs in 1788 when his name appears as that of a clerk in the affairs of the Dinorwig slate quarry in which Hugh Ellis and his brother in law, Thomas Wright were concerned. John Evans was born on 12 November 1766, the son of a farmer in the parish of Llanllyfni, and entered into articles with Hugh Ellis in August 1789 and the affidavit of service was sworn at the second Great Sessions at Conway five years later. There is nothing to suggest that he became Ellis's partner after this, but when the latter died in 1808, John Evans seems to have taken over his practice and extended it very substantially. He headed one of the most extensive practices of the day in North Wales and was considered to be the most active amongst his fellows, with interests extending considerably beyond the limits of ordinary legal activities. His clientele was a wide one. He was administrator of two major estates in the county of Caernarfon for a period, Madryn and Coetmor, and his counsel was acceptable in the affairs of the Gwynfryn, Vaynol and Glynllifon estates. Below these, came such estates as the Pentir and the Brynkir estates in Caernarvonshire and the Taicroesion estate in Anglesey for which he acted. He was also concerned in the fortunes of a large number of yeomen properties in the counties. On the death of Hugh Ellis, John Evans also succeeded him as clerk of the magistrates for the Caernarfon district. In 1810 he succeeded Samuel Grindley as Deputy-Protonotary of the North Wales Circuit - an appointment which made him a central figure in the legal circles of three counties. John Evans also acted as deputy sheriff to Thomas Parry Jones Parry, Madryn in Caernarfon County in 1811 and again in 1812 and 1821 for Sir Joseph Huddart. The assistants of John Evans also acted similarly for G.F. Barlow in 1814 and Rice Thomas in 1817 - both sheriffs of Anglesey. The extra-legal activities of John Evans give him a place in any account of the slate and quarrying industry during the early stages of the industrial revolution. He undertook to open the Cilgwyn Quarry in 1800 and seems to have acted in the capacity of managing director of the concern. His office at Porth yr Aur, Caernarfon was also the office of the quarry company. He was also interested for a time in the Cefn Du Quarry. John Evans married Sydney, daughter of the Rev. William Griffith of Rhoscolyn and had a son, John Griffith Evans who served his articles in his fathers' office but did not succeed to the practice. An improvident marriage, on the part of John Griffith Evans led to an estrangement between him and his father, which ultimately led to complete separation.
John Evans died on 8 July 1827 and was succeeded by his nephew, Evan Evans who had been in his uncles service for several years. He was able to retain one at least of his uncles offices, that of Deputy-Protonotary, but the practice in general shrank during his short career. Following the death of Evan Evans ca. 1836, the practice, or at least the office, was occupied by R.D. Williams who was succeeded by his son of the same name and who was known as of Porth yr Aur, Caernarfon. This served to give the Porth yr Aur collection its title. |