The 2nd Viscount was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford University. While working as private secretary to a government minister, W. C. Bridgeman, in 1917, he became friendly with another Oxford man, the poet Robert Graves, who had been a school friend of Evan's cousin, Raymond Rodakowski. They shared an interest in both poetry and the supernatural.[2]
In 1929, he unsuccessfully stood as the Conservative candidate for Limehouse.[5] After the death of his father, in May 1934, he took possession of the family seat of Tredegar House, near Newport, where he lived alone with a menagerie of animals and birds. He dedicated one room, his 'magik room', to his study of the occult.[3]
He fought in the First World War, gaining the rank of Lieutenant in the service of the Welsh Guards, and in 1930 was appointed an honorary Colonel.[6] During the Second World War with MI8, his responsibility was to monitor carrier pigeons. He carelessly let slip on occasion departmental secrets to two girl guides and was court martialled but not sent to jail or worse.[5]
In 1937 or 1938 Edith Mary Hinchley painted him. This painting is in the National Trust collection.[8]
Marriages
Despite his known homosexuality, he married twice.[9]
Lois Ina Sturt (1900–1937), an actress and daughter of Humphrey Napier Sturt, 2nd Baron Alington of Crichel and Lady Feodorowna Yorke, on 1 April 1928. She died in 1937.
Princess Olga Sergeivna Dolgorouky (1915–1998), daughter of General Prince Serge Alexandrovitch Dolgorouky and Irina Vassilievna Narishkina, on 13 March 1939; this union was annulled in 1943.
Death
He died suddenly on 27 April 1949 at age 55, without issue, and his viscountcy became extinct, although the title of Baron Tredegar passed to his 75-year-old Uncle Frederic. To avoid death duties Tredegar House passed straight to Frederic's son John, the 6th Baron, who soon afterwards sold it to the Sisters of St Joseph.
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