Register’ between 1791 and 1795, and was published in book form in the latter year (London, 8vo). These two works still form the chief sources of information as to the early history of the baptist denomination in Wales. A new edition of the Welsh history, with additions, was brought out by B. Davies of Pontypridd in 1885. Thomas died at Leominster on 25 Aug. 1797.
As many as eleven members of Thomas's family entered the baptist ministry. His son Timothy Thomas (1753–1827) was for forty-seven years pastor of the church at Devonshire Square, Bishopsgate. Two of Joshua's brothers, Timothy (1720–1768) and Zechariah (1727–1816), were successively pastors of Aberduar church, Carmarthenshire (Seren Gomer, 1820, p. 361; cf. Davies, Echoes from the Welsh Hills, p. 338). The former was the author or translator of several doctrinal works in Welsh, the best-known being ‘Y Wisg wen Ddisglaer’ (1759), and a small volume of hymns (1764).
There was another Joshua Thomas (d. 1759?), who was born early in the seventeenth century at Penpes in the parish of Llanlleonfel, Breconshire. He became curate of Tir Abbot in the same county in 1739, vicar of Merthyr Cynog 1741, with which he also held, from 1746, the living of Llanbister, Radnorshire, till 1758, when he became vicar of Kerry (D. R. Thomas, St. Asaph, p. 324). In 1752 he published a Welsh translation of Dr. John Scott's ‘Christian Life,’ under the title ‘Y Fuchedd Gris'nogol,’ London, 8vo. This has been described as ‘in every respect one of the best Welsh books published in this period’ (Rowlands, Cambr. Bibliography, pp. 431, 439–9).
[J. T. Jones's Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol, pp. 565, 571, 573, 575, 579, 591, 595; Ashton's Hanes Llenyddiaeth Gymreig, pp. 289–95; Rowlands's Cambrian Bibliography, pp. 445–6, 588; Williams's Eminent Welshmen, pp. 486–8; information from St. David's Diocesan Registry.]
THOMAS, LEWIS (fl. 1587–1619), preacher, born in 1568, was a native of Glamorganshire, or, according to another account, of Radnorshire. He was educated at Oxford, where he matriculated, under the name of Lewis Evans, from Gloucester Hall, 11 Dec. 1584, and graduated B.A. from Brasenose College on 15 Feb. 1586–7, being then described as ‘Lewis Evans alias Thomas.’ He took orders soon after, and was eventually beneficed ‘in his native county of Glamorgan and elsewhere’ (Wood). It is supposed that he was alive in 1619, but the date of his death is unknown.
He was the author of the following two volumes of sermons: 1. ‘Seaven Sermons, or the Exercises of Seven Sabbaths; together with a Short Treatise upon the Commandments.’ The first edition was issued in 1599 (Arber, Transcript of the Stationers' Register, iii. 140), but no copy of it is now known. A fourth edition appeared in 1602, and a seventh and tenth, printed in black letter, in 1610 and 1619 respectively (Brit. Mus. Cat.), while another edition is mentioned as issued in 1630 (Wood). 2. ‘Demegoriai. Certaine Lectures upon Sundry Portions of Scripture,’ London, 1600, 8vo (cf. Arber, op. cit. iii. 175). This is dedicated to Sir Thomas Egerton, lord keeper of the great seal, who was one of Thomas's first patrons.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ii. 277, Fasti ii. 236; Clark's Register of the University of Oxford, iii. 139; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714, s.v. ‘Evans’ and ‘Thomas;’ Williams's Eminent Welshmen, p. 487.]
THOMAS, MATTHEW EVAN (1788?–1830), architect, born in 1787 or 1788, was a student of the Royal Academy. In 1815 he gained the academy's gold medal for a design for a palace. He went to Italy in the following year, remaining there till 1819. During his stay he was elected a member of the academy at Florence, and of St. Luke at Rome. After his return he exhibited architectural drawings at the Royal Academy between 1820 and 1822. He died at Hackney on 12 July 1830, and was buried in St. John's Wood chapel.
[Dict. of Architecture, 1887; Gent. Mag. 1830, ii. 91.]
THOMAS, Sir NOAH (1720–1792), physician, son of Hophni Thomas, master of a merchant vessel, was born at Neath, Glamorganshire, in 1720. He was educated at Oakham school, when Mr. Adcock was its headmaster, and was admitted as a pensioner at St. John's College, Cambridge, on 18 July 1738, and there graduated B.A. in 1742, proceeding M.A. 1746 and M.D. 1753. He settled in London, was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society on 1 Feb. 1753, was elected a fellow of the College of Physicians on 22 Dec. 1757, and delivered the Gulstonian lectures in 1759. In 1761, 1766, 1767, and 1781 he was one of the censors. He became physician extraordinary to George III in 1763, and physician in ordinary 1775, and was knighted in that year. He was also physician to the Lock Hospital. He died at Bath on 17 May 1792. His portrait was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and hangs in the combination-room of St. John's College, Cambridge. In the College of Physicians he was esteemed
