On a September day in 1896 three little boys came to school at Ampleforth from Caerleon, near Newport. During the next few years, three younger brothers arrived. The renowned Bishop Hedley of Newport, a friend of the family, was the influence that brought these boys from Monmouthshire to this, at the time, small and comparatively speaking unknown school. The eldest, Oswald, and the youngest, Leonard, were both killed in action during 1915 in France, within a month of each other, Oswald aged 30 and a Major in the Monmouthshire Regiment and Leonard only 19 years old and a subaltern in the South Wales Borderers. Philip who held a governmental post in Africa met with a severe accident and returned home a bed-ridden invalid. For the last few years of his life he lived near the monastery at Ampleforth. Three of the brothers became monks at Ampleforth, Walter, always called Wattie till he became Fr Illtyd, and Hugh, later Fr Raphael, for many years a housemaster and professor of philosophy to junior monks, still working successfully as a convent chaplain, and Edward, later Fr Christopher, never robust and dying early in his priestly life.
Wattie was only just 9 years of age when he came to the School. He was a lively, mischievous boy, intelligent and quickwitted, but not a studious type. He had a natural flair for sport and games both outdoor and indoor, that never left him all his life. He played well too. In particular he was a good all-round cricketer, perhaps the best or at least among the best produced at Ampleforth. He was nimble and quick-footed, his power of timing correctly united with ability to seek success and concentrate on immediate need made him a really good batsman. In later life he was a more than competent golfer. Indifferent health and lack of opportunity restricted him in this field. He was a more than useful forward in the old soccer days, played 'ball place' games and lawn tennis well. So too he was not to be challenged lightheartedly at Billiards, Chess or Bridge. All this should be noted, since, though it would be wrong to say that games were his main interests, his prowess at them gave him prestige among boys in his schooldays and brought him contacts with divers kinds of men in later life.
After nine years in the school, this lively boy of just eighteen surprised many by asking to be admitted to the novitiate. In those days Belmont Priory (now Abbey) was a joint house in the English Benedictine Congregation which had a common novitiate and house of studies there; it was also the Pro-Cathedral for the diocese of Newport with the residential Canons. The three years that he spent at Belmont with concentration on the religious life with a monastic background and the living with men from Downside and Douai besides Ampleforth both directed and enlarged his outlook. In the autumn of 1908 he was sent to Louvain to learn French. There was a crying need for a master at Ampleforth who could speak French fluently. Nothing showed more the quick and able mind of Fr Illtyd than the fact that, after only eight or nine months in Belgium, he returned to Ampleforth to teach French most successfully for some years and fill quite adequately a gap in the Staff. The famous Abbot Marmion who was then Prior at Louvain was very kind and helpful to the young English monk whose worth he did appreciate and over whom he exercised a considerable influence. Abbot Marmion's deep Irishman's faith did help to develop the simplicity of outlook in the young monk, which impressed many in his later life.
Fr Illtyd was ordained a priest in 1913. In 1926 he was made House Master of the Junior House. This was the most impressive period of his active life. For the first four years the Junior House was in the central block of the school building. In 1930 the Preparatory School was moved to Gilling, and the Junior House moved into the building it still occupies. Fr Illtyd is well remembered as an influential member of the House Masters' meeting, and many of the moves that the late Head Master, Fr Paul, made were initiated by Fr Illtyd. He and the late Fr Felix Hardy were responsible for the new edition of the College Prayer Book. A more indirect influence was that which he exercised in the Lay Masters' Common Room. But of course it was as Head of the Junior House and in his dealings with his boys that he chiefly showed his abilities. Both those who worked as masters and those who were boys under him testify to the great work that he did in this capacity. One experienced colleague says that he was a genius in coping with the 12-14 years old. He was not a theorist, though he most firmly held that one must 'never talk down' to boys of that age. He had not forgotten his own school days.
Ill health caused his retirement from the Junior House in the summer of 1936, and nine months later he went as an assistant priest to St Anne's, Liverpool. He generously entered into the life of a curate in a large and busy city parish. He was much appreciated as a preacher who taught the truths of religion in simple and pregnant language. But persistent ill health continued, and in 1940 he entered St Joseph's Nursing Home, Horsforth. There he remained for seven years, first as a patient and then as a patient-chaplain. In April 1947 he left Horsforth and after staying for short periods and assisting incumbents at Knaresborough, Parbold, Grassendale and Warwick Bridge, he became, in 1948, Parish Priest of Easingwold.
His health, always uncertain, gradually worsened. In his latter days he was much helped by priests from the Abbey. He died at the Purey Cust Nursing Home, York, on 9th April, in the presence, as he so ardently desired, of two of his brethren, Fr Prior and Fr Peter. He was buried in the monastic cemetery at Ampleforth by Fr Abbot who had been a boy under him in his House.
The high esteem in which Fr Illtyd was held by his Abbot and brethren was shown when in 1961 he was honoured by being made Titular Cathedral Prior of Durham, yet poor health had prevented him for the latter part of his monastic life from holding a post of responsibility. Maybe the fact that he kept cheerful and was always a good companion endeared him to us all. He had a very good mind, and always retained a great interest in all that concerned Ampleforth. He was fundamentally humble minded; he used cheerfully to say that he was selfish and yet was so grateful for any service rendered that one was always ready to please him. So too he accepted quite simply the small pleasures and joys that came his way in life and enjoyed them all and wanted others to enjoy them. All six brothers were individuals; and all had a great devotion to Ampleforth in common. Ampleforth should be grateful to them, and not least to Fr Illtyd. May he rest in peace.
WALTER ILLTYD WILLIAMS 9 April 1964
1887 1 Aug Born Caerleon
Educ Ampleforth
1905 Clothed at Belmont
1906 Simple Vows
1909 Solemn Vows
1913 11 Jun Priest
Taught at Ampleforth
1926 Housemaster of the Junior House from its inception
1936 Assistant at St Anne's Liverpool
1940 Horsforth in broken health
1947 At Knaresborough, Parbold, Grassendale & Warwick Bridge
for short periods
1948 Parish Priest at Easingwold
1961 Appointed Cathedral Prior of Durham
1964 9 Apr Died in Purey Cust Nursing Home, York
Buried at Ampleforth