William Arthur Sewell (1903 - 1972)

Born 9 Aug 1903 in Goole, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Margaret Ella (Abrahamson) Sewell — married 18 Jul 1929 (to before 1951) in Somerset East, Cape Province, South Africa

Husband of Yolande Rosemary Levinge Seymour — married 26 Jul 1951 in Kensington, London, England, United Kingdom

Died 19 Apr 1972 at age 68 in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand

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Biography

William Sewell is Notable.

William was born on 9 August 1903,^[1] his birth was registered in the Jul-Aug-Sep quarter of 1903 in the Goole district.^[2]

In the 1911 census, William (age 7) was the son of William John Sewell at 16 Bridge St Goole, Goole, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England.^[3]

In the 1921 census, William (age 17) was the single son of William John Sewell at 14 & 16 Bridge Street, Goole, Yorkshire (West Riding), England.^[4]

William studied at Leeds University and obtained his BA in English in 1924. ^[5]

In 1924 part of his poem 'The Shoemaker' was published in Leeds University Verse 1914-24 by Swan Press Leeds under the name W.A.P. Sewell. Under the same name he also had an article ‘A Reading in Beowulf’ published in the Times Literary Supplement (11 Sept 1924), page 556. It is not known why he added the inital P. to his name at this time or what it stood for.

Sewell won a scholarship to Queen's College, University of Oxford, in 1925.^[6]

In 1926 he became senior lecturer in English at the University of Cape Town.^[6]

William (age 25) married Margaret Ella Abrahamson (age 23) 18 July 1929 at All Saints Anglican Church, Somerset East, Kaapprovinsie, Suid-Afrika.^[7]

He completed his BLitt at Oxford in 1932.^[6]

William was chair of English at Auckland University College from 1933 to 1945.^[6]

In 1946 he was appointed Byron professor of English at the University of Athens. ^[6]

William's marriage to Rosemary Yolande Levinge Seymour on 26 July 1951^[6] was registered in the Jul-Aug-Sep quarter of 1951 in the Kensington district.^[8]

He was director of the British Institute in Barcelona (1952–53), and professor of English at the University of Ankara (1954–56) and at the American University of Beirut (1956–65). ^[6]

William returned to New Zealand in 1965 as professor of English at the University of Waikato until his retirement in 1969. ^[6]

William residing at 37 Bretton Terrace, Hamilton, died in Hamilton, New Zealand on 19 April 1972. ^[9][10]

See also

• Wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Arthur_Sewell

• Bill Sewell. 'Sewell, William Arthur', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau, first published in 1998. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4s20/sewell-william-arthur (accessed 26 March 2024)

Sources

1. ↑ Digital image of birth record obtained from GRO. Birth: Ninth August 1903 16 Bridge Street Goole U.D.; Name: William Arthur; Sex: Boy; Father: William John Sewell; Mother: Ada Mary Sewell fromerly Hill; Father's occcupation: Chemist (master); Informant: A.M. Sewell Mother 16 Bridge Street Goole; Registered: Eighteenth September 1903.
2. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office"
   GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 25 March 2024)
   Sewell, William Arthur (Mother's maiden name: Hill).
   GRO Reference: 1903 Jul-Aug-Sep in Goole Volume 09C Page 983.
3. ↑ 1911 Census: "1911 Census For England & Wales"
   Series: RG14; Piece number: 28280; Schedule: 132
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 25 March 2024)
   William Arthur Sewell (7) son in household of William John Sewell (43) at 16 Bridge St Goole in Goole registration district in England. Born in Goole Yorks.
4. ↑ 1921 Census: "1921 Census Of England & Wales"
   Archive: The National Archives; Series: RG 15; Piece number: 23408; District reference: RD 514 RS 1 ED 5
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 25 March 2024)
   William Arthur Sewell (17), single son, in household of William John Sewell (53) at 14 & 16 Bridge Street in Goole registration district in England. Born in Goole, Yorkshire, England.
5. ↑ 'Graduates' "Sewell, William Arthur, B.A. Hons. Eng.I., 1924." University of Leeds Calendar, 1929-30 page 653 http://digital.library.leeds.ac.uk/11554/1/LUA-PUB-003-3-53_000.pdf (accessed 25 March 2024)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7} Bill Sewell. 'Sewell, William Arthur', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau, first published in 1998. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4s20/sewell-william-arthur (accessed 26 March 2024)
7. ↑ Marriage: "South Africa, Civil Marriage Records, 1840-1973"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007732116_012_M96H-L74; Image number: 61
   FamilySearch Record: 6ZHT-SMR1 (accessed 25 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9BY-1QL1-J
   William Arthur Sewell (25) marriage to Margaret Ella Abrahamson (23) on 18 Jul 1929 in Somerset East, Kaapprovinsie, Suid-Afrika.
8. ↑ Marriage Registration: "England & Wales Marriage Index"
   FreeBMD Entry Information (accessed 25 March 2024)
   Sewell, William A.
   GRO Reference: 1951 Jul-Aug-Sep in Kensington Volume 5c Page 2941.
9. ↑ Probate: "England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 25 March 2024)
   William Arthur Sewell probate on 29 Jan 1974 in Hamilton. Died 19 Apr 1972.
10. ↑ Death registration https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search/ (accessed 25 March 2024). Registration number: 1972/35493; Family name: Sewell; Given names: William Arthur; Date of birth: 9 August 1903.