GRIFFITH, ROBERT (1847 - 1909), musician

Born 1 March 1847 at Glog Ddu, Llangernyw, Denbighshire, the son of John and Jane Griffith. The family moved to Llanrwst in 1853. The father was an Anglican and the mother a Calvinistic Methodist. After receiving some education at the National School, Llanrwst, he became a servant to 'Glan Collen' and afterwards to the Rev. John Rougler, Eglwys-bach. He then became apprenticed to Robert Roberts, Pandy Tudur, carpenter, and followed that trade afterwards at Llanrwst and later (soon after 1870) at Manchester, where he worked for the Lancashire and Cheshire Railway Company.

At Manchester he came under the influence of Ceiriog, Idris Vychan, and R. J. Derfel; he took a prominent part in founding ' Cymdeithas Genedlaethol Cymry Manceinion ' ('Manchester Welsh National Society'). He lodged at the home of Idris Vychan who taught him to play the harp and to sing 'pennillion'. His greatest contribution to the literature of music was his Cerdd Dannau, a treatise on harp music and harpists, published in 1913, two years after his death; his wife, Isabella Davies, niece of Robert Thomas (Ap Vychan, 1809 - 1880,), gave him much help in compiling the material for his work.

He died 8 October 1909 and was buried in the Southern Cemetery, Manchester.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)

Sources

• Manuscript autobiography at U.C.N.W., Bangor
• Moss Side church Report

Further reading

• Wyn Thomas, 'Griffith, Robert (1845-1909)', Cydymaith i Gerddoriaeth Cymru (Talybont 2018), p.198

Additional Links

• NLW Archives: Robert Griffith, Llyfr Cerdd Dannau: ymchwiliad i hanes hen gerddoriaeth a'r dulliau hynaf o ganu (Caernarfon [1913])

Published date: 1959

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