EVANS, ROBERT ('Cybi '; 1871 - 1956) poet, writer, and bookseller

Born 27 November 1871 in Elusendy, Llangybi, Caernarfonshire, one of the seven children of Thomas Evans, farmworker, and Mary (née Roberts). He was educated at the council school, Llangybi and after serving for a time on Eifionydd farms he was the local postman there for the greater part of his life. William Hugh Williams, ' Cae'r go ', was his fellow postman. He also sold 'books of every sort, both scarce and valuable, old and new, and had a stall in the Market Hall at Pwllheli every Wednesday. He wrote a very considerable amount of poetry, particularly awdlau, marwnadau and commemorative englynion. There is not a graveyard in Eifionydd that does not contain an example of his work. He published several books of his own poetry including Odlau Eifion (1908), Awdl 'Bwlch Aberglaslyn' (1910) and Gwaith Barddonol Cybi (1912). He was a regular competitor at local as well as provincial and national eisteddfodau, and he won many prizes including both chairs and crowns. His special interest lay in the poets of Eifionydd and he did useful service in publishing their works, particularly in Lloffion yr ardd (1911), the unpublished poetry of Robert ap Gwilym Ddu (Robert Williams, 1766 - 1850, and Beirdd Gwerin Eifionydd (1914), a selection of the poems of local poets from the end of the 17th century onwards. He was also a local historian, publishing Ardal y cewri (1907) dealing with the Llangybi district, and several other books on local characters. He lived at Bryn Eithin, Llangybi and died 16 October 1956. He was buried in the graveyard at Capel Helyg, Llangybi.

Author

• Colin Alistair Gresham, (1913 - 1989)

Sources

• Information from Emrys Jones, Cricieth and personal knowledge

Additional Links

• VIAF: 44070319
• Wikidata: Q18535612

Published date: 2001

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