HUWS, WILLIAM PARI (1853 - 1936), Independent minister

Born 27 September 1853 at Penrhyndeudraeth, son of Gwilym Prysor, a cultured poet and writer. The family moved to Dolwyddelan where he and his brothers, the Rev. G. Parry Hughes (Calvinistic Methodist) of Morfa Nefyn and the Rev. Rowland Hughes of Cardiff, were brought up. After leaving elementary school he worked for a time in the Blaenau Ffestiniog quarries, after which he went to Llanrwst grammar school and later to the Bala Independent College, 1874. In 1877 he was admitted to Yale University, U.S.A., where, in 1880, he graduated B.D. On his return to Wales he received a call to Beulah and Bryn-mair churches, Cardiganshire, where he was ordained in 1882. He soon came into the public eye as a zealous temperance reformer and, with his neighbour David Adams of Hawen, initiated a movement which set the whole county in a ferment. In 1887 he moved to Blaenau Ffestiniog to take charge of Bryn Bowydd and Rhiwbryfdir chapels, and in 1895 to Dolgelley as minister of Tabernacle and Islaw'r Dref. He retired in 1926 and died at Old Colwyn 10 February 1936. He was buried in Brithdir chapel burial ground, near Dolgelley.

He was one of the stalwarts of the Independent ministry of his time, a distinguished writer and poet who had won a number of eisteddfodic chairs and a reputation as a hymn-writer. He was joint editor of his denomination's Blwyddiadur for twenty-one years and of the Dysgedydd, 1915-18. He edited a small book, Gemau Gwalia, containing selected extracts from the works of the great Welsh poets, and collaborated in Cofiant y Parch David Adams. In 1930 he published a volume of his own work, Mam yr Iesu, a Darnau Eraill. He was secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents 1897-9, and chairman 1923-4; he was also for three years a member of the Merioneth county council.

Author

• Reverend Richard Griffith Owen, (1890 - 1973)

Sources

• University College of North Wales, Bangor Manuscripts 4787-50
• manuscript by Dr. G. P. Huws
• Y Dysgedydd, 1936, 136-9

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734694

Published date: 1959

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