WILLIAMS, HUGH DOUGLAS ('Brithdir '; 1917 - 1969), teacher and artist

Born 7 June 1917 in 8 Albert Street, Upper Bangor, Caernarfonshire, son of David Thomas Williams and Mary Jane (née Williams) his wife, but was brought up in 4 Regent Street after the family moved there. He won a scholarship to Friars School when he was ten years old, and went from there to Manchester School of Art in 1936, where he gained a teaching diploma in art in 1941. He was president of the college Students Union, 1939-41. From college he went to Whitefield Grammar School as temporary teacher, and then to Birkenhead Secondary School in 1944 and King George V School, Southport, in 1945. He was appointed lecturer in art at Bangor Normal College in April 1948, eventually becoming principal lecturer and head of the Art department. He married Mair Eiluned Williams in Treharris 21 August 1945, and they had two sons. He was a member of the Gorsedd of Bards and served for many years on the arts and crafts committee of the National Eisteddfod Council. Possibly his most important contribution to the Eisteddfod was to advocate to the local committee in Llanrwst in 1951 that they should prepare a separate pavilion for exhibiting the arts and crafts. With a few exceptions, that pavilion was used in every National Eisteddfod until 1975. He also designed some of the chief trophies of the Eisteddfod and suggested that lectures on art and craft be held in the Literary Pavilion. He illustrated a number of children's books (e.g. Teulu'r cwpwrdd cornel by Alwyn Thomas) and designed dust jackets for several other books. He died 5 November 1969.

Author

• Elis Gwyn Jones, (1999)

Sources

• Personal acquaintance
• information from his widow
• A collection of his works is in N.L.W.

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q21454550

Published date: 2001

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