HUGHES, ROBERT (Robin Ddu yr Ail o Fôn; 1744 - 1785), poet

Born at Ceint Bach, Penmynydd, Anglesey. He was taught by Ellis Thomas, curate of Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf and was trained as a lawyer's clerk in Emrys Lewis of Trysglwyn's office at Beaumaris. He was a schoolmaster successively at Penmynydd, Heneglwys, Cerrig-ceinwen, Bodedern, and Amlwch; from 1763 to 1783 he was clerk to Ratcliffe Sidebottom, barrister-at-law, of Essex Court, Temple, London. As a poet he modelled himself on Goronwy Owen. He published his cywydd 'Molawd Môn' in Diddanwch teuluaidd , 1763, and his cywydd 'Y Byd' in Y Cylchgrawn Cymraeg, 1793. His best work is his cywydd 'Myfyrdod y Bardd am ei Gariad,' published in the North Wales Gazette, 15 September 1808. While in London he was a prominent member of the Welsh societies; in 1777 he was joint librarian with Richard Fenton to the Society of Cymmrodorion; he had helped to found the Society of Gwyneddigion, was its secretary and treasurer for three years, and was its president in 1778. He helped Owain Myfyr to get together the works of the poets for publication. His health broke down in London and he came to Caernarvon where he opened a school in 1783. He died 27 February 1785, and was buried in Hen-eglwys churchyard near Llangefni. The cost of erecting his tombstone was borne by the Society of Gwyneddigion.

Author

• Griffith Thomas Roberts

Sources

• Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vi, 1-24 and 231-52, vii, 260-9
• Leathart, Origin and Progress of the Gwyneddigion Society of London (London 1831), 11, 31
• Y Cymmrodor, 1951

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Robert Hughes

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q17307366

Published date: 1959

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