MORGAN, WILLIAM (Gwilym Gelli-deg; 1808 - 1878), poet
Pseudonym: Gwilym Gelli-deg
Date of birth: 1808
Date of death: 1878
Gender: Male
Occupation: poet
Area of activity: Eisteddfod; Poetry
Author: Watkin William Price
Born at Carmarthen, but spent the greater part of his life in the hamlet of Gelli-deg, near Merthyr Tydfil. He worked as a miner in Rhymney, Dowlais, and Cyfarthfa.
He was admitted as ' bard ' in the Abergavenny eisteddfod of 1837. A constant competitor in local eisteddfodau, he won several prizes for poems and as penillion singer; he also served as music adjudicator. Amongst his prize poems are ' Awdl Gweledigaeth Pedr ' (Merthyr, 1836) and ' Cywydd o glod i Wenynen Gwent ' (Merthyr, 1837). A selection from his works was published under the title of Cerbyd Awen (Merthyr Tydfil, 1846), whilst thousands of copies were sold, in fairs and taverns, of his ballad - ' Ple byddaf mhen can mlynedd? ' He died, in poverty, 29 May 1878, and was buried in Cefn cemetery, near Merthyr Tydfil.
Author
- Watkin William Price, (1873 - 1967)
- Cymru (O.M.E.), 1907, 239
- G. Penar Griffith, Blodau Cudd ar Faes Awen (Dolgellau 1906)
- Y Gwron, 18 June 1859
- Seren Gomer, September 1850
- The Principality, 9 June 1848
- Tarian y Gweithiwr, 7 June 1878
- NLW MS 2196E, NLW MS 2197E
- Ben Morus, Enwogion Aberdâr (1910)
Sources
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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