by Janet Bradshaw

Evan George (he added Bartholomew himself whilst at university) was born in 1891 in Llandysul to Welsh speaking parents, the youngest of eight children. His father was a miner, who had been working away from home in mines in the Bridgend area, but later laboured locally as a roadman. The family moved to Penrhiwllan near Newcastle Emlyn when Evan was quite small and he attended Aberbanc school and, later, Llandysul County School.

Evan began his teaching career as a pupil teacher at Brongest School before enrolling at Aberystwyth University, where he studied for a B. A. degree. However, his studies were interrupted by the First World War and in March 1918, having been mobilised from Llanion Barracks, he embarked at Southampton for Le Havre. He did not see Front Line Action, as far as can be gleaned from his diary, being mainly involved in prisoner escort and stores duties. However, he did note that the “scenery was exquisite” on the journey from le Havre to Rouen but that Rouen itself was “a very wicked city”. In 1919 he resumed his studies at Aberystwyth, graduating in 1921. In that same year he married Margaret, also from South Ceredigion, and took up a Maths teaching post at Pembroke Dock County School.

E.B. and Margaret lived first at Apley Terrace before moving to Argyle Street, with their two daughters, in the late 1920s. In his leisure time, he enjoyed playing chess, was a prominent member of the Pembroke Dock Bowls team and also represented Pembroke County at bowls. In addition, he was a fly fisherman, played billiards at the RAOB club in Pembroke Dock and was a mason.

Evan was not well travelled and never owned a car. He and his family spent their summer holidays either at Aberystwyth, on Meg’s father’s farm near Newcastle Emlyn, or in the Brecon Beacons, travelling mostly by train.

E.B. taught for only a year at the Pembroke Grammar School site before his retirement in 1956. He died in 1965.

William Smith, recalls that EB used to give up his Saturday mornings to help students who were struggling with sections of their Central Welsh Board Mathematics syllabus. He also recollects that EB had a dog called Mott, who used to accompany him when he walked from his home to the nearby Memorial Park to play bowls.

My abiding memory of E.B.George (or Ebo as he was fondly called in my day) is of him looking over the shoulder of me or someone else in the class at our attempts to master some geometry problem and saying in a despairing voice, "There's something rrradically wrong here". The rrr is my way of trying to illustrate his pronunciation of the word, not my typing error!! Margaret Trobridge (nee Knight)

I first met Mr George in September 1938 when I joined the P.D.C.S. as a 2nd Former. At first, I was not at all sure how we would get on - he looked so stern and was obviously a ‘master’ of his profession. However, as the term went on, I realised just how perceptive Mr George was – he understood each and every one of his pupils – and to the lame duck, he was a blessing. He did not suffer fools gladly and let it be known – loudly!

I had a great respect for Mr George – remembering the odd times he used my class book to explain a particular geometry theorem or the intricacies of an algebraic problem – using his pen, with the gorgeous smell of the Quink ink, to illustrate.

We had Mr George as our Form master for at least a year. I always thought of him, as fair minded– a kindly man, in spite of his serious countenance. He did laugh sometimes and could be very funny. He automatically kept control of his form and that set a standard, which he maintained as long as I knew him.

Mr George taught me to enjoy maths – a journey into an interesting, exciting and rewarding subject. I am grateful to him and consider myself privileged to have been one of his pupils.
Audrey Watson (nee English)