JONES, WILLIAM (Gwrgant; 1803 - 1886), lawyer and writer

Name: William Jones
Pseudonym: Gwrgant
Date of birth: 1803
Date of death: 1886
Parent: Margaret Jones
Parent: Robert Jones
Gender: Male
Occupation: lawyer and writer
Area of activity: Eisteddfod; Law; Literature and Writing
Author: Helen Myfanwy Ramage

Born at Brwynog, Llanfihangel, Montgomeryshire, son of Robert Jones, a mason, and Margaret, his wife. He was educated at the village school at Meifod and then articled to a solicitor at Llanfyllin. He removed from there to S. Asaph, and thence to London, where for many years he carried on an extensive business.

He took a keen interest in Welsh letters, and wrote to the Welsh magazines under the name of Gwilym Brwynog. He published a book called Gwreiddiau yr Iaith Gymraeg. Gwrgant was a popular adjudicator at eisteddfodau; as one of the three adjudicators at the Rhuddlan eisteddfod (1850) he read the adjudication awarding the chair prize for a poem in the open metres to Evan Evans (Ieuan Glan Geirionydd).

Gwrgant took an active part in London Welsh activities all his life; he was a member of the Cymreigyddion Society, chairman of the London branch of the Cambrian Institution, and a member of the Society of Cymmrodorion - he was the librarian of the second Cymmrodorion Society, was present at the formation of the third Society thirty years later, and was a vice-president until his death in 1886.

Author

Published date: 1959

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

The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.

Find out more on our sponsorship page.