ROBERTS, EDWARD STANTON 1878 - 1938), schoolteacher and scholar

Born 11 March. 1878, in 'Edeyrnion', Cynwyd, near Corwen, Merionethshire, son of Robert and Martha Roberts. His father, a shoemaker, ensured the recording of local events and traditions, according to Hugh Evans (1854 - 1934) in Cwm Eithin, who called him cofiadur pennaf yr ardaloedd (chief recorder of the areas).

Stanton Roberts was educated at Cynwyd Board School where he became a pupil-teacher from 1892 to 1896. He was awarded a Queen's Scholarship to the Normal College, Bangor, where he studied from 1896 to 1898, gaining a first-class certificate. For two months of 1898 he taught at the Victoria senior school in Harrington, Cumberland, before moving to Ponciau school, Rhosllannerchrugog, where he stayed from 1898 to 1905. He taught at Longmoor Lane Council School Liverpool, in 1905-06 and then became assistant headmaster at Glanadda school, Bangor, in 1907. In October of the same year he enrolled as a student to U.C.W., Aberystwyth, where he won a number of prizes and was awarded an honours degree in Welsh in 1911. As a student he lodged in the same house as T.H. Parry-Williams . In 1917 he gained an M.A. degree for his work on William Salesbury's 'Herbal'. From 1912 to 1915 he worked as a transcriber of manuscripts and editor for the Guild of Graduates at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, before World War I interrupted his work there. He returned to teaching and became headmaster of schools at Pentrellyncymer 1916-1920, Cyffylliog 1920-31 and Gellifor from 1931 to his death in a bicycle accident on 26 August 1938, on a road near Birmingham. He was buried at Cynwyd Cemetery. In 1919 he married Annie, daughter of Robert and Alice Roberts, Cefn Post, Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr. They had three children.

Stanton Roberts was a good scholar and, according to some, one of the best palaeographers in Wales at the time. He was also a poet and writer of englynion (strict-metre quatrains). A very close friend of his, from Aberystwyth days, was poet Thomas Gwynn Jones who bore witness to Stanton Roberts' mildness and bravery as well as to his wide culture. During World War I, Stanton Roberts had to face several Military Service Tribunals as a conscientious objector which later had a detrimental effect on his career. After being an elder (CM) for several years, he joined the Quakers in 1930 mainly because of his disappointment at the major denominations' attitude towards war. Nevertheless, he carried on as a Sunday school teacher in Gellifor (CM) chapel. He greatly influenced the children who came under his care and worked extensively with Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

He published an essay on T.H. Parry-Williams in Yr Ymwelydd Misol, November 1912, and the preface to the Corwen National Eisteddfod List of subjects. In 1916 his M.A. dissertation Y Llysieulyfr meddyginiaethol a briodolir i William Salesbury was published. He copied and edited editions of Llanstephan MS 6 , (1916), Peniarth MS 67 (1918), Peniarth MS 57: Barddoniaeth (1921). Peniarth MS 53 and Peniarth MS 76 , which he copied, were published in 1927.

Author

• Dylan Iorwerth

Sources

• Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions, 20, 1971
• personal letters and papers and information from the family
• Y Brython, 1 and 8 September 1938

Additional Links

• VIAF: 59455512
• Wikidata: Q20732975

Published date: 2001

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