Eryl Thomas

He vigorously exposed an important case of misuse of funds in the Church in Wales, incurring thereby some ill-will, and his opposition to the Sunday closing legislation applicable to Welsh public houses irritated Nonconformist abstainers.

A prominent representative of the Anglo-Catholic school of theology, he seems however to have avoided the narrowness of outlook of some more conservative Christians and played an important role in Jewish-Christian dialogue in the Cardiff area.

In 1975 Thomas was convicted of gross indecency which resulted in a fine, prior to which he felt obliged to resign, and he remained outside public ministry for a number of years.

[5][6] Although the content of the case might now be seen as indicating that Thomas was bisexual, he made no public statements concerning his orientation and remained married to and supported by his wife Jean, (with whom he had four children).

Politically Thomas is known to have been on friendly terms with the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and a letter, which is in the public domain[7] refers to her gratitude for his encouragement "when times are difficult and criticism is so cruel".