JAMES, CHARLES (1820 - 1890?), musician

Born at Llanilar, Cardiganshire, 11 July 1820. His father conducted the singing in the church, where the boy was given the opportunity of developing his gift for singing. He had a good voice, and a London gentleman offered to find him a place in his church choir, but the offer was declined by his parents. He was given some lessons by Richard Mills of Llanidloes when the latter passed by on his periodic tours. Two of his airs were published in Caniadau Seion and three others in the Arweinydd Cerddorol. One of his compositions, ‘Llanilar,’ appears in the Ceinion, and another, ‘Bwth fy Nhad,’ in Y Cerddor Cymreig, no. 36. He lived in London for years and was elected conductor of the Welsh Choral Society. Latterly he lived at Whitchurch, near Cardiff. It is thought that he died in 1890, for his name then ceased to appear in the town Directory.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958), Old Colwyn

Sources

• M. O. Jones, Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig (1890).

Additional Links

• Wikidata: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q20732697

Published date: 1959

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