ANWYL, JOHN BODVAN ('Bodfan'; 1875-1949), minister (Congl.), lexicographer, and author

Born 27 June 1875 in Chester, son of John Anwyl, lay preacher, of the Anwyl family of Caerwys, Flintshire, and his wife Ellen (née Williams), whose family came from Llangwnnadl, Caernarfonshire. He entered the ministry and became minister of Elim (Congl.), Carmarthen in 1899. Owing to deafness he relinquished his church to take charge of the Deaf and Dumb Institute at Pontypridd, 1904-19. In 1914 he was responsible for the sixth edition of Spurrell's Welsh-English Dictionary; later, 1916, he edited the seventh edition of Spurrell's English-Welsh Dictionary. Both ran to several further editions. He was appointed (1921) secretary of the projected Welsh dictionary sponsored by the Board of Celtic Studies of the University of Wales. On retiring from the post, he settled in Llangwnnadl, Caernarfonshire, where he died, by drowning, 23 July 1949; he was buried in Penllech, Caernarfonshire churchyard.

A younger brother of Sir Edward Anwyl, he contributed extensively to the Welsh press. He edited reprints of Drych y prif oesoedd and Gweledigaethau y Bardd Cwsc, was author of Y pulpud bach (1924), Yr arian mawr (1934), Fy hanes i fy hunan (1933), and Englynion (1933), and prepared translations (into Welsh) of books published by the London Missionary Society.

Author

• Sir Thomas Herbert Parry-Williams, (1887)

Sources

• Y Faner, 10 August 1949
• Western Mail, 27 July 1949
• Y Cymro, 29 July 1949
• Y Llan, 12 August 1949
• Y Llusern: cylchgrawn misol at wasanaeth eglwysi ac ysgolion Sabbothol y Trefnyddion Calfinaidd, 1949
• Who was who?

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: John Bodvan Anwyl

Additional Links

• VIAF: 202217195
• Wikidata: Q20748846

Published date: 2001

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