JONES, OWEN (1825 - 1900), cleric and musician

Born in 1825 at Pontruffydd, Bodfari, Denbighshire, but his parents, Joseph (died 1865) and Sarah Jones, removed in his infancy to Rhyd Orddwy, Rhyl. In 1849 he went to S. Bees, and in 1851 was ordained and licensed to Altrincham, whence, in 1853, he went to Ysgeifiog as curate to Rowland Williams the elder. Afterwards (1855-7) he was perpetual curate of Capel Garmon, but in 1857 became vicar of Pentrefoelas, where he remained till (in 1892) he was made vicar of Bodelwyddan. In 1895 he was given the prebend of Faenol, i.e. the precentorship of St Asaph. Despite the fact that he published anthems, he held that the 'cathedral' type of music was unsuited to the Welsh temperament, and preferred to lay stress on congregational singing. During his stay at Pentrefoelas, he had published (Wrexham, n.d., one in 1867) two collections of Christmas carols of his own composition - one of the carols is included in the Oxford Book of Carols. He had also collaborated with Shadrach Pryce in Hymnau Hen a Diweddar (1869 - twelve edns. by 1891), which included six hymn-tunes by Jones, the best known being ' Beuno.' He was a justice of the peace for Denbighshire; died 13/14 September 1900, and was buried at Pentrefoelas; his wife and three of his six children had predeceased him.

Author

• Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, (1881 - 1969)

Sources

• Crockford's Clerical Directory
• D. R. Thomas, A History of the Diocese of St. Asaph (1874), i, 336
• Baner ac Amserau Cymru, 19 September 1900
• Y Geninen, March 1901, 49-51
• Williams, Awduron Sir Ddinbych a'u gweithiau (1937), 89
• R. D. Griffith, Hanes canu cynulleidfaol Cymru (Cardiff 1948), 97, 176

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734086

Published date: 1959

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