DURSTON, THOMAS (died 1767), bookseller and printer at Shrewsbury.

Although there is no certainty that Thomas Durston was Welsh-speaking, he printed so many Welsh books and ballads at Shrewsbury that he deserves a short mention in this work. He started to print Welsh books in 1711 (for example Y Lyfr Gweddi-Gyffredin, Y Cydymmaith Goreu; yn y ty a'r stafell, cystal ac yn y Deml) and continued to be in business until he died; he was buried 26 September 1767. He had become a freeman of the 'Cornbrethren of Saddlers' at Shrewsbury on 23 May 1714. For his malpractices in regard to the publications of some fellow-printers see J. H. Davies, 'Early Welsh Bibliography,' in The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1897-8; for the titles of some of his Welsh publications, including ballads, consult the source-books listed below.

Author

• Sir William Llewelyn Davies, (1887 - 1952)

Sources

• W. Rowlands, Cambrian Bibliography (Llanidloes 1869)
• W. Rowlands, Y Traethodydd, 1850
• J. H. Davies, A Bibliography of Welsh Ballads printed in the 18th century (London 1908-11)
• Ifano Jones, A history of printing and printers in Wales to 1810, and of successive and related printers to 1923 (Cardiff 1925)
• Llewelyn C. Lloyd, 'The Book-Trade in Shropshire' in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, 1935, 1936

Works

• Y Brif addysg i ddarllain gyntaf, neu, Brimer Cymraeg a osodwyd allan yn gyfattebol i'r Llyfr Gwedi Gyffredin (Shrewsbury c.1730)
• Thomas a Kempis, Hugh Owen (trnsl.), Pattrwm y gwir-Gristion: neu, Ddilyniad Jesu Grist (Mwythig c.1730)
• Lewis Bayly, Rowland Vaughan (trnsl.), Yr Ymarfer o Dduwioldeb, yn cyfarwyddo dyn i rodio fal y rhyngo ef fodd Duw (Llundain 1630)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734435

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/