CARRINGTON, THOMAS ('TOM'), ('Pencerdd Gwynfryn '; 1881 - 1961), musician and printer
Pseudonym: Pencerdd Gwynfryn
Date of birth: 1881
Date of death: 1961
Spouse: Mildred Mary Carrington (née Jones)
Parent: Winifred Carrington (née Roberts)
Parent: John Carrington
Gender: Male
Occupation: musician and printer
Area of activity: Eisteddfod; Music; Printing and Publishing; Religion
Author: Huw Williams
Born at Gwynfryn, Bwlch-gwyn, near Wrexham, Denbighshire, 24 November 1881, the son of John Carrington (a descendant of one of the families that migrated from Cornwall to work in the Denbighshire lead mines) and Winifred (née Roberts), a native of Bryneglwys. He spent his early years at Gwynfryn and was educated at Bwlch-gwyn school. After leaving school he was apprenticed as a printer at Hughes and Son, Wrexham. He married Mildred Mary Jones, Minera, in 1905 and went to live in Coed-poeth where he followed his trade as a printer and as a music publisher.
From his early childhood it was obvious that he had a special talent as a musician. At the age of nine he had been appointed organist at the Wesleyan Methodist church at Gwynfryn and he held that office for about fifteen years. He studied music in his spare time through the medium of tonic sol-fa and with Morton Bailey in Wrexham. Later he was organist for over fifty years at Rehoboth Wesleyan Methodist chapel at Coed-poeth and he became well known as an eisteddfod adjudicator, conductor and composer. He was music editor of Y Winllan and Yr Eurgrawn and he was secretary of the committee responsible for the music of Llyfr Emynau a Thonau y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd a Wesleaidd (1929). He was also a keen eisteddfodwr and he served as the general secretary of the 1933 National Eisteddfod at Wrexham. His most important musical compositions include Concwest Calfari (SATB anthem 1912), Hen weddi deuluaidd fy nhad (contralto/baritone solo 1910), and Gwynfryn and Bryn-du (hymn tunes). He was also the author of the handbook Yr Ysgol Gân (Gee, 1957) and Doniau Da (1955) that contains a number of his original tunes and songs, as well as arrangements of hymn tunes.
He died in his home at Coed-poeth, 6 May 1961. In 1963 a memorial plaque was unveiled in Rehoboth Chapel, Coed-poeth.
Author
- Huw Williams, (1922 - 2002)
- Who's who in Wales (1937)
- Y Cymro, 29 October 1959, 18 May 1961 and 31 October 1963
- Yr Eurgrawn Wesleyaidd, August 1961
Sources
- Wikidata: Q20821219
Additional Links
Published date: 2001
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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