William Bevan of Swansea (c.1627–1702) – Merchant, Alderman, and Early Welsh Quaker
William Bevan of Swansea (c.1627–1702) – Merchant, Alderman, and Early Welsh Quaker A Merchant and Civic Figure in Seventeenth‑Century Swansea William Bevan , born in Swansea around 1627 , lived through one of the most turbulent periods in British history, spanning the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth, and the Restoration. Before his association with the Society of Friends, he was already a respected figure in the town, serving as a merchant and alderman . Local family traditions record that he later withdrew from the town corporation because of his religious convictions, a step that reflects both the seriousness of his beliefs and the pressures faced by early nonconformists. Conversion to Quakerism and Early Persecution The Quaker movement , founded by George Fox in the early 1650s, spread rapidly across Britain despite intense persecution. Fox visited Swansea in 1657 , by which time a Quaker meeting was already established—almost certainly due to William Bevan’s influence and support. ...
