JONES, THOMAS GRIFFITHS (Cyffin; 1834 - 1884), antiquary

son of David and Elizabeth Jones; was born at Llansantffraid, Montgomeryshire, 12 January 1834. His father, a shopkeeper, died when he was 14 and he carried on the business until his own death, 10 September 1884. Since he had received very little schooling, owing to ill-health, he undertook to educate himself by extensive reading and writing. He took great delight in collecting books and manuscripts, and was keenly interested in the folk-lore, native idiom, traditions, and antiquities of Wales, and especially those of his own district. It is said he collected a mass of material on the history of the Quakers in Montgomeryshire. He was a frequent contributor to Welsh periodicals, sometimes using the pen-name Cyffin, and in later years ' Gypt ' and ' Borderer.' He was an accomplished penillion -singer. In the summer of 1861 he succeeded in founding the Powys Cymreigyddion society, and became its first president. When the Powysland club was formed he became an active member, and contributed to the Mont. Coll. He was a Nonconformist (Independent) and a Liberal. He married, 7 February 1871, Mary Anna, daughter of Samuel Pryce, Gwern-y-pant; they had six children.

Author

• Dr Enid Pierce Roberts

Sources

• T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
• R. Williams, Montgomeryshire Worthies (1894)
• Collections Historical and Archaeological relating to Montgomeryshire, iv, 75-168, x, 359-78, xi, 61-124, 285-316, xii, 297-308, xiii, 311-32, xiv, 345-54
• Y Geninen, 1883 (75), 1884 236-8), 1885 (62-3)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20804790

Published date: 1959

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