RICHARDS, JEDEDIAH (1784? - 1838), hymnist and itinerant bookseller

Name: Jedediah Richards
Date of birth: 1784?
Date of death: 1838
Gender: Male
Occupation: hymnist and itinerant bookseller
Area of activity: Business and Industry; Literature and Writing; Music; Poetry; Printing and Publishing; Religion
Author: Evan David Jones

a remarkable character who lived for the greater part of his life at Tan-yr-esgair near Ffald-y-brenin, Llan-y-crwys, Carmarthenshire. He described himself as a ' free practising Christian ' and ' peripatetic philosopher.' He published ballads and pamphlets, sold books, and collected subscriptions for publications and periodicals. He travelled extensively in Wales and amassed a store of information about Welsh literature. He inaugurated a ' Christian Singing School ' at Llandovery, 29 December 1819. From 1821 to 1823 he kept what he called a ' Free Christian Practice-Schools ' at Carmarthen and other places. He was buried in S. Peter's churchyard, Lampeter, 9 March 1838, aged 54. His first publication was on comparative religion - Hanes Crefyddau'r Byd (Carmarthen, 1820). He described his singing school in a sheet entitled Cyhoeddiad neu Hyfforddiad ar Reolau yr Ysgol Ganu i Gristion (Trefriw, 1821). In 1824 he published, at Aberystwyth, a four-page prospectus of his ' Free Christian Practice-Schools ' under the bilingual title - A Publication of the Purposes and Articles of the Free Christian Practice-School, in sundry Places, by Jedeiah Richard, T - r. 1820. Cyhoeddiad o Reolau neu Hyfforddiadau yr Ysgol er Rhydd-Ymarfer Crist'nogaidd. Gan Jedeiah Richard, Ffald-y-Brenin, Hyfforddwr ac Addysgwr yr Ysgol er Rhydd-Ymarfer Cristianogol, yn Nghaerfyrddin a Lleoedd ereill, 1821, 1822, 1823. He published a collection of hymns, including his own compositions, entitled Diddanwch y Pererinion (Carmarthen, 1825). The following books and pamphlets are also attributed to him: Cynghorion Da a buddiol … ynghyd a Hymnau (Carmarthen, 1823); Marwnad David Evans, Morfa (Caernarvon, 1825); Marwnad … Ebenezer Morris, Blaen y Wern, Troed yr Aur (Caernarvon, 1825), Golwg ar Ddrych y Greadigaeth (Aberystwyth, 1826); Hanes Ymneillduwyr Protestanaidd (Carmarthen, 1826); Palmer's Catechism (Carmarthen, 1827); Casgliad o Hymnau, sef Pleser y Pererinion (Cardigan, 1827); Cofiant byr D. Dafis, Castell Hywel (Carmarthen, 1827); Hanes cywir am Lofruddiaeth Hannah Davies (Aberystwyth, 1829); Addysg ac Amddiffyniad (Carmarthen, 1832); and Marwnad Ebenezer Richards (Carmarthen, 1837). Dr. Timothy Richard (1845 - 1919) was his nephew.

Author

Evan David Jones, (1903 - 1987)

Sources

Seren Gomer, 1838, 157
Cymru (O.M.E.), xxxiii, 18
Y Diwygiwr, 1838, 126
N.L.W., a copy of the Catalogue of Printed Literature in the Welsh Department, Cardiff Free Libraries (1898) (with manuscript additions by J. H. D.)
Lampeter parish register
NLW Archives: NLW MS 9721E
R. D. Griffith, Hanes canu cynulleidfaol Cymru (Cardiff 1948), 54-5
Y Tyst, 10 May 1951.

Additional Links

Wikidata: Q20748844

Published date: 1959

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