WILLIAMS, RICHARD (Gwydderig; 1842 - 1917), collier and poet

Born 16 February 1842 in a cottage called Pen-y-graig, Brynaman, the son of Daniel Richard Williams, collier, and Mary, his wife, the daughter of a farmer. Gwydderig was brought up in a house named Bryn Hafod, Brynaman, Glamorganshire. He lost his father when he was only a boy and went early to work in a coal mine. He began to contribute poems to Y Gwladgarwr at a time when William Williams (Caledfryn) was editor of the poetry column of that journal. When a depression came to the Brynaman and surrounding districts, Gwydderig went to work in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. After his return he continued to write poems, particularly englynion, and won prizes at national and other eisteddfodau; he became, in fact, known in many parts of Wales as 'Bardd yr englyn.' It is said that, in conjunction with Evan Gurnos Jones (Gurnos), another poet, he began to compile a dictionary giving examples of cynghanedd. It does not appear that a collected edition of his poems was published; they must, therefore, be sought in newspapers and journals of his time - there are some examples in the articles in Y Geninen noted below. He died 30 March, and was buried 4 April 1917 in the burial ground attached to Gibea chapel, Brynaman.

Author

• Sir William Llewelyn Davies, (1887 - 1952)

Sources

• Y Geninen, April and October 1917
• Amman Valley Chronicle, 5, 12, 19, and 26 April, and 3 and 10 May 1917
• South Wales Weekly Post, 7 April 1917
• Western Mail, 24 January 1936
• Information from John Jenkin Morgan, Glanaman

Further reading

• Adgof am Gwydderig, Y Drych, 18 Ebrill 1918
• BBC cymrufyw: Cymuned yn codi arian i adfer bedd y bardd Gwydderig

Additional Links

• NLW Archives: NLW MS 22196D - Cerddi Gwydderig
• NLW Archives: NLW MS 22197D - Cerddi Gwydderig
• NLW Archives: NLW MS 22198C - Cerddi Gwydderig
• VIAF: 51497442
• Wikidata: Q28361692

Published date: 1959

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