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JONES, JOHN ISLAN (1874 - 1968), minister (U) and author

Name: John Islan Jones
Date of birth: 1874
Date of death: 1968
Parent: Mary Jones
Parent: Evan Jones
Gender: Male
Occupation: minister (U) and author
Area of activity: Literature and Writing; Religion
Author: Mary Auronwy James

Born 17 February 1874, son of Evan and Mary Jones, Tynewydd (later of Cornant and Melin Llys-faen), Cribyn, Cardiganshire. He went to schools in Cribyn and Llanwnnen (under David Thomas, ' Dewi Hefin') until he was about ten years old. After being a farm servant and a stonemason with his father he attended the school of David Evans, minister (U) at Cribyn, (1896-98). He won a scholarship to Jesus College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1901 before proceeding to Manchester College, Oxford to prepare for the ministry. He won a Hibbert Scholarship which enabled him to go to the Universities of Marburg and Jena in Germany in 1904, but ill health caused him to return home before completing a Ph.D. degree course; he gained an M.A. degree in 1909. He spent the prime of his life as a minister (U) in England : Accrington (1906-09), Bolton (1909-17) and Hindley (1917-39), before retiring to his native district. He was at an advanced age when he was invited to be principal of Carmarthen Presbyterian College in 1945; he remained there for 3 years, ministering to Parcyfelfed (U) church at the same time. He was a man of strong convictions, proficient in the cynganeddion and a choirmaster. He published A brief history of the Unitarian Church, Accrington (1909), Egwyddorion yr Undodiaid (1948), and his reminiscences, Yr hen amser gynt (1958), which won him a prize offered by Ceredigion Education Committee. There are articles written by him in the Ymofynydd (1905-59), Cymru, and Trans. Unitarian Historical Society (see Glyn Lewis Jones, A Bibliography of Cardiganshire, 1600-1964). He died a bachelor, 28 May 1968.

Author

Published date: 2001

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

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