Canon Thomas Romans, 1876-1958

Thomas Romans was born on 24 July 1876, and educated at St Peter's School, York, and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Ordained in 1902, he served curacies at Haltwhistle, Northumberland, and Gateshead and Staindrop, Co. Durham, interrupted by two years war service. He was Vicar of St Mark's, Millfield, Sunderland 1922-1937, Master of Sherburn Hospital, Durham from 1937 until his death, and in 1956 was made an honorary canon of Durham Cathedral.

Romans graduated from Cambridge with a first in Natural Sciences, and developed strong antiquarian and archaeological interests. He excavated with Kirk and Collingwood at Brough by Bainbridge in Wensleydale in 1926, with Kirk and Rowland in 1927 at Malton in Yorkshire, at Birdoswald on the Roman Wall in the same year, and later with Kirk and Corder at Langton and with Corder at Brough by Humber (Roman Petuaria ). He was also involved in the 1940 rescue of the bath-house associated with the villa at Old Durham.

Much of Romans' antiquarian work was concerned with churches, particularly with structural detail and ornament. His interest ranged through the whole of English ecclesiastical architecture, with particular emphasis on the Anglo-Saxon and early medieval churches of the north. Pre-Conquest sculpture was an especial enthusiasm.

Romans published little, but he was an accomplished photographer, and it has been said that his way of describing was to photograph. He was also a member of the Architectural Details Postal Club, through which members could arrange to exchange photographs.

Romans served for many years on the Central Advisory Council for the Care of Churches, and on its local diocesan committee, and on the committee of the Society of Antiquaries' William Morris Fund for the repair of historic churches. He was made a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1932. From 1948 to 1950 he was President of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

From the guide to the Romans Collection, ca.1910-ca.1950, (Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections)