Warwick William Wroth

“ WYON, ALLAN (1843–1907) , medallist and seal-engraver, born in 1843, was the son of Benjamin Wyon [q. v.] , chief engraver of the royal seals, and the younger brother of Joseph Shepherd Wyon [q. v.] and Alfred Benjamin Wyon [q. v.] He was early taught the arts hereditary in his family, and for a time aided his brother Joseph in his medal-work. From 1884 till his death he carried on in London the business of the Wyon firm of medallists and engravers founded by his grandfather, Thomas Wyon the elder [q. v.] ”

“ A 'Supplement' was published in 1890, in which Evans described the discoveries subsequent to 1864, and inserted a map showing the find-spots of British coins.
Evans's varied knowledge, his grip of business, and habit of rapid decision made him a valuable officer of learned societies. He was elected F.R.S. in 1864, and for forty years took a conspicuous part in the society's business. He was a vice-president from 1876 and treasurer from 1878 to 1889. ”

“ The first, 'The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain,' was published in 1872 (French trans. 1878) , a second and revised edition being issued in 1897. The other work, 'The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland,' was published in 1881 (French trans. 1882) .
Evans had a special predilection for numismatics, and formed splendid collections of ancient British money, of gold coins of the Roman emperors, including some unique specimens, and of Anglo-Saxon and English coins, among which the gold series was especially noticeable. ”

“ He kept in his own care the rain-gauges and percolation-gauges erected by his uncle at Nash Mills. In 1859 Evans accompanied Sir Joseph Prestwich [q. v. Suppl. I] , the geologist, to France, as his assistant in an examination of flint-implements found in the old river-gravels of the valley of the Somme. Prestwich and Evans confirmed the opinion of the discoverer, Boucher de Perthes (circ. 1841–7) , that these chipped flints were human handiwork and that they helped to prove the antiquity of man in western Europe. ”

“ In January 1893 he was gazetted 'engraver to the mint' (Ann. Report of Deputy-Master of the Mint for 1893, p. 30) , and from that time till his death was actively engaged in the production of dies for English and colonial coins and for official medals. He was a skilful craftsman who worked with great rapidity, and he designed, modelled and engraved most of his dies. He was in some degree influenced by the French school of Roty and Chaplain, but in his official work there was no great scope for innovation and the play of fancy. He was a man of kindly disposition, entirely devoted to his craft. ”

“ He executed the dies for the new issue of coins of Queen Victoria in 1893, designed by Thomas Brock. He designed the Britannia reverse of the English bronze coins of 1895, and the issue of English coins made in 1902 after the accession of Edward VII. His signature on the coins is 'De S.' He also designed and engraved the dies for various colonial coins, such as the British East Africa copper coins, 1897; the British Honduras coins 1894 ”

“ Paul's in March 1848, and being presented in 1851 by Prince Albert to Charterhouse School, remained there till 1856. In 1859 he became an assistant in the department of antiquities and coins in the British Museum. ”

“ B., p. 1; Geological Mag. 1908, pp. 1–10; Numismatic Chronicle, 1908, Proceedings, pp. 25–31 (B. V. Head) ; L. Forrer in Gazette numismatique française, 1909, with bibliography; Boule in L'Anthropologie, 1908 ”