William John Pugh, 28 July 1892 - 18 March 1974

Abstract

William John Pugh was born in the village of Westbury in West Shropshire on 28 July 1892, the only son of John Pugh by his second wife Harriet. John Pugh was described as a master wheelwright on his son’s birth certificate but he subsequently became a coal merchant. In reminiscence, William Pugh tended to attribute his pursuit of academic excellence mainly to encouragement from his mother although he may well have acquired his fluency of exposition and love of teaching from his father, who was a non-conformist lay preacher of some renown in the district between Shrewsbury and Welshpool. The probability is that both his parents exerted a considerable influence on him because, with his step-brothers and step-sisters already adult and away from home, he grew up in reality as the only son of a middle-aged couple. In due course he attended the village school in Westbury and won a scholarship which took him to Welshpool County School. There his innate versatility began to manifest itself as he became captain of the first XI football team, Head Boy, and successful candidate for a place in the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.