JONES, WILLIAM (1896 - 1961), poet and minister
Date of birth: 1896
Date of death: 1961
Spouse: Jane Gertrude Jones (née Williams)
Parent: Margaret Jones (née Jones)
Parent: Henry Jones
Gender: Male
Occupation: poet and minister
Area of activity: Eisteddfod; Poetry; Religion
Author: Brynley Francis Roberts
Born 24 September 1896 at Trefriw, Caernarfonshire, son of Henry Jones, Congregationalist minister, and his wife Margaret (Madgie), daughter of William Jones, Presbyterian minister of Trawsfynydd. He was educated at Llanrwst county school (1908) and he entered University College of North Wales Bangor in 1914 and Bala-Bangor College 1914-16. He graduated in Welsh and Hebrew in 1917. He was ordained minister of Tabernacl church (Congl.), Betws-y-coed that year but returned to college to continue his studies during 1919-20 and 1923-24 but without taking a higher degree. He was minister of the English Congl. churches at Rednol and West Felton, Shrops. (1920) and Llanfair Caereinion. He resigned in 1937 and moved to his father's home in Tremadog where he had charge of Bethel (Presb.) church for a time though he was never formally its minister. He also assisted in the local branch of the County Library. He came to prominence as a poet during his college days. One of his best-known poems, the ballad ' Y llanc ifanc o Lyn ' appeared in A Book of Bangor Verse (1924). He was friendly with many well known literary figures such as R. Williams Parry and J.T. Jones, Porthmadog, and he won several prizes at national eisteddfodau. He published two collections of well produced lyric poems, Adar Rhiannon (1947) and Sonedau a Thelynegion (1950). He married Jane (Jennie) Gertrude Williams of Coed-poeth in 1924. He died at his home 14 Church St., Tremadog, 18 January 1961 and he was buried in Bethel cemetery.
Author
- Dr Brynley Francis Roberts
- Blwyddlyfr y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, 1962, 260-1
- Y Goleuad, 8 February 1961
- Y Cymro, 20 January 1961
- Barddoniaeth Bangor 1927-31
- his papers at University of Wales Bangor library, MSS. 16581-89
- Y Genhinen, 1961
- Ifor Rees, Ar glawr (Llandybie 1983)(1983), 109-17
- T. Arfon Williams in Barddas, 231-2 (1966), 24-34, 235 (1966), 8-17
- Bedwyr L. JonesRhyddiaith R. Williams Parry detholiad (Denbigh 1974), (1974), 123-6
- Taliesin, 60 (1987), 49-54
- information from Tomos Roberts and Derwyn Jones, Bangor
Sources
Published date: 2001
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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