GRIFFITH, JOHN (1863 - 1933), schoolmaster and musician

Born at Rhiw, Llŷn, 18 April 1863, the eldest son of Siôn Griffith, shoemaker, of Pen-y-groes, Rhiw, and Martha Griffith, Pen Nebo, Rhiw. He was educated at Botwnnog grammar school, was a pupil teacher at Nebo, Llanllyfni, and a student at Bangor Normal College, 1881-2, and became headmaster of the British Schools at Glanwydden and Machynlleth. He married Dorothy, daughter of Owen Jones, Siop Fawr, Tal-y-sarn, 1889, and had four sons and one daughter. He became a Tate exhibitioner at the university college of North Wales, Bangor, 1897, and took his B.Sc. (London) with second class honours in Physics and Botany, 1899. He served as science master at Ffestiniog county school, and was headmaster of Dolgelley grammar school from 1904 to 31 March 1925.

A keen musician, John Griffith devoted much of his leisure throughout his life to encouraging the performance of classical music, choral and instrumental. He was chairman of the revived Harlech music festival, and joint editor of Y Cerddor. He prepared Welsh words for Schubert's 'Song of Miriam' and 'Scenes from Gluck's Orpheus.' He was a geologist, and worked for many years with J. R. Dakyns in preparing a geological map of Snowdonia. He spent his retirement in translating Plato into Welsh, but did not publish his version. He died 6 November 1933.

Author

• Llewelyn Wyn Griffith, (1884 - 1977)

Sources

• Personal knowledge
• information from Mr. John Lloyd, Llanbedr ar Artro

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733426

Published date: 1959

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