Early life · Family · Education · Medical School at University College Cardiff and University College London

Abstract

Thomas lewis was born in Cardiff, Wales, on December 26 1881 at Teigel House in Roath, a district in the centre of the city. A few years later his parents moved into the countryside a few miles north of Cardiff to a house called Tynant at Taffs Well, which remained his home until he was a young man. He was the third of five children and his only sister died in infancy. His father, Henry Lewis (1850–1916) was one of ten children of Thomas Lewis (1819–1881) and Mary Lester (1822–1902) both of Abersychan, Monmouthshire. Henry’s forbears were Monmouthshire yeomen, belonging to an old Welsh family whose origin could be traced back to 1000 A.D. His pedigree is in the College of Heralds, and his armorial bearings⁽¹⁾ were those of 1) Rhys Goch; 2) Howell of Caerleon; 3) Caradwg Greich Fras; and 4) Howell Dola.⁴¹ His mother, Katherine Hannah Davies was the daughter of Owen Davies of Cardiff who owned slate quarries in North Wales, and Hannah Davis who came from a Somerset family.