FISHER, JOHN (1862 - 1930), Welsh scholar

Born on 5 January 1862, at Cilcoll, Llandebïe, being the eldest son of Edward and Mary Fisher. He was educated at the national school, Llandeilo-Talybont (Pontardulais), Llandovery school, and S. David's College, Lampeter, where he graduated B.A., in 1884, and B.D. in 1891, having been scholar and prizeman. Ordained deacon in 1885, and priest in 1886, he held curacies at Pontbleiddyn, Llanllwchaearn, and Ruthin, in the diocese of St Asaph. His only incumbency was the rectory of Cefn, near S. Asaph, which he accepted in 1901. In the same year he became librarian of the cathedral library, a manuscript catalogue of which he compiled. In 1916 he was made canon of the cathedral, and in 1927 chancellor. He was appointed Welsh examining chaplain to archbishop Edwards in 1921; he had been Welsh examiner at S. David's College, Lampeter, in 1905-9. From 1917 he was a member of the governing body of the Church in Wales. Joining the Cambrian Archaeological Association in 1899, he succeeded canon R. Trevor Owens as general secretary in 1914. For a time, during the 1914-19 war, he was editor as well. Relinquishing the secretaryship in 1917, he retained the editorship till 1925, when he was elected vice-president. His principal literary work, of which he was joint-author with S. Baring Gould, was The Lives of the British Saints (4 vols.) published by the Hon. Society of Cymmrodorion, 1907-13. He had previously edited the Cefn Coch MSS., 1899. Later he edited Fenton's Tours in Wales for the Cambrian Archaeological Association, 1917, Allwydd Paradwys (by John Hughes, 1615 - 1686), 1930, and Kynniver Llith a Ban (by William Salesbury), 1931. Among his contributions to Archaeologia Cambrensis were the following articles: ' The Religious and Social Life of former days in the Vale of Clwyd,' 1906; ' Some Place-names in the locality of St. Asaph,' 1914; ' Wales in the time of Queen Elizabeth '; ' The Wonders of Wales,' 1915; ' The Welsh Wills,' 1919; ' The Welsh Celtic Bells '; ' Bardsey Island and its Saints,' 1926. He was elected F.S.A. in 1918, and received the honorary degree of D.Litt. from the University of Wales in 1920. He was also appointed a member of the commission on Ancient Monuments (Wales). He served as representative of the Cambrian Archaeological Association on the court of governors of the University of Wales and on its Board of Celtic Studies, and was a member of the court and council of the National Library of Wales. He died 9 May 1930, and was buried in St Asaph cathedral graveyard.

Author

• Canon Ellis Davies, (1872 - 1962)

Sources

• Archaeologia Cambrensis, 1930, 255-6
• Yr Haul, 1930, 172-4

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733420

Published date: 1959

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