John Evans
Teacher and Sportsman
(ABGS 1948–1954)
John Evans
John Evans was born in 1937 and was brought up in Llwydcoed. He was the son of railway engine driver Cyrus Evans of Trecynon, and his wife Mary, née Davies, of Llwydcoed. The family lived in Exhibition Row.
John attended the local primary school in Llwydcoed, and gained a place at the Boys’ County Grammar School in 1948. He took his GCE O-levels in 1954, and left school in the summer of that year. He took a post in the Civil Service at GCHQ in Cheltenham, however after about a year there he reached the age of eighteen and had to leave to do his National Service.
He was placed in the Signalling Corps and was posted to Kenya. Whilst there, John not only fulfilled his duties, but also represented the East Africa regiment in rugby, football, cricket and basketball. On completion of his National Service, he returned briefly to work at GCHQ, but decided that he needed a change of career.
Consequently, from 1959 to 1961 John undertook training in Caerleon Teacher Training College after which he worked as a PE teacher in East London for the period 1961–64.
John Evans when at ABGS
In 1964, John returned to south Wales to take a Diploma in Physical Education at Cardiff Training College, Cyncoed.
The following year, in 1965, John married Sylvia Thomas from Trecynon1. The couple moved to the Midlands, living firstly in Birmingham but soon moving to Tamworth, where they settled permanently. John was a PE teacher at Boldmere School in Sutton Coldfield but later moved to be Head of PE at Wilnecote School in Tamworth.
In 1979 John was appointed Deputy Headteacher at Atherstone School in North Warwickshire, where he stayed until he retired in 1997.
Throughout John’s life, he was passionate about sport, especially rugby. He played for Tamworth Rugby Club and became its Chairman for a number of years. He remained a lifelong member and supporter of the club.
In retirement, John discovered golf, which became his new passion. He also became a magistrate.
In 2002 John lost his wife Sylvia at the relatively early age of 61.
A year or two later John took the plunge to try solo travelling. Over the course of the years John travelled to New Zealand, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Scandinavia, Russia and many destinations in Europe.
John in Kuala Lumpur
John and Sylvia Evans
John died on May 2nd 2025 aged eighty-seven, following a short illness. He is survived by two daughters, one son and
four grandchildren.
His funeral took place on 13th June 2025 at Lichfield District Crematorium.
Footnotes
- Sylvia was born in Pencoed but her family moved to Trecynon when she was a young girl.
Acknowledgements
- We are most grateful to Jacqueline, John’s daughter, for information about her parents and for providing the photographs.
CR, July 2025