EVANS, WILLIAM ALBERT (1857-1921) was the son of James Evans, Llanelly, Wales. Educated at Ammanford Academy, Spring Hill College, Birmingham, and Cardiff University, he was ordained a minister of the Congregational Church and had charge of the Bridge End church, Glamorgan, and afterwards of the Ryan church in Bradford (1887).

While at Cardiff he studied biology and philosophy at the university. For the sake of his health he came to New Zealand in 1888 and was in temporary charge of the Moray Place Church in Dunedin. In 1889 he went to Nelson and there married (1890) Kate Milligan (Mrs Evans, q.v.).

In 1893 Evans relinquished his pulpit and settled in Wellington to carry on religious and philanthropic work under the style of the Forward Movement. The movement included many lectures on the lines of university extension classes in which Stout, A. R. Atkinson and Hogben assisted Evans and his wife. He initiated slum work and at the request of the Wellington charitable aid board inaugurated methods of administration which have since been continued. He advocated the foundation of a university college and when eventually Victoria College was established he was a member of the council (1898-1921) and chairman (1902-03). He was a member of the Wellington City Council, the technical education board and the benevolent trustees. The 'Forward' Movement having achieved its main object, Evans was again appointed to a church in Wellington. He died in 1921.

Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Cycl. N.Z., i (p); The Dominion, 19 Aug 1938.

Reference: Volume 1, page 134

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