Dictionary of Welsh Biography

ABEL, JOHN (1770 - 1819), Welsh Independent minister Born in Llanybri, Carmarthenshire, 1770, son of William Abel, one of the founders of Capel Newydd in that village. It is said that he attended the Carmarthen Academy but this establishment was in Swansea at that time. In 1794 he succeeded David Davies (died 1807) as minister of the small congregation at Capel Sul, Kidwelly and he also kept a school. John Abel was not orthodox, according to the
ABEL, SIÔN (fl. 18th century), Montgomeryshire ballad-writer Humphrey Jones of Castle Caereinion (born 1719), which contains, together with other matter, a number of songs by poets of the Meifod and Caereinion districts. The song already mentioned bears the title ' A Christmas Carol, 1783, o waith fy hen feistr,' and it is followed by the note: 'Yr hen Siôn Abel a'i canodd' ('by old Siôn Abel'). It may be presumed that Siôn Abel, the master, did not dwell far from
ABRAHAM, WILLIAM (Mabon; 1842 - 1922), M.P. and first president of the South Wales Miners' Federation attracted enormous crowds. He would often sing to the audiences, as he was endowed with a good tenor voice. In 1860 he married Sarah, daughter of David Williams; she died in 1900, having borne him three sons and three daughters. Mabon was made a Privy Councillor in 1911. He died at Pentre, Rhondda, 14 May 1922.
ADAM (d. 1181), bishop of St Asaph part of Powys, and the death of bishop David of S. Davids in May 1176 seemed to provide an opportunity to recover it for the northern bishopric. He resolved to make a beginning with the border church of Kerry and engaged the assistance of the local authorities, both lay and clerical. But this was to ignore the recently appointed archdeacon of Brecknock, none other than the formidable Gerald. The two
ADAMS, DAVID (1845 - 1922), Congregationalist divine Born 28 August 1845 at Tal-y-bont, Cardiganshire, the son of John and Margaret Adams. His father, who was a bootmaker by trade, was prominent in all the cultural activities of the countryside and was also a lay preacher. David went to the grammar school at Llanfihangel, where he learned the elements of Latin and Greek, but when attendance at the Church of England was made a condition of
ADAMS, ROGER (d. 1741), bookseller and printer at Chester and Display of Herauldry. His widow, ELIZABETH ADAMS, who printed D. Jones, Cydymaith Diddan, in 1766, also printed a large number of ballads, particularly in 1752 and 1753.
ADDA FRAS (1240? - 1320?), poet and writer of prophecies According to John Davies and Thomas Stephens, he flourished about 1240. He is referred to in Peniarth MS 94 (26) and Llanstephan MS. 119 (82), as living about 1038, and contemporary with Goronwy Ddu o Fôn. But in G. P. Jones, Anglesey Court Rolls, 1346, 37, 39, mention is made of 'the son of Adda Fras ' and 'the suit of Goronwy Ddu, attorney for the community of the township of Porthgir.' In
ADDA JONES - see EVANS, JOHN
AIDAN (fl. 6th century), saint Known also as Aidus, Maidoc, and Madoc. His 'Life,' as preserved in Cotton. Vesp. MS. A. xiv at the British Museum and as printed in Colgan's Acta Sanctorum, reveals Aidan as a saint connected chiefly with Ireland. His youth was, however, spent in south-west Wales, where he was a pupil of S. David, and where his name has been preserved in church appellations and place-names. Traditionally close
ALBAN DAVIES, DAVID (1873 - 1951), business man and philanthropist years old. On 28 November 1899 he married Rachel Williams of Brynglas, Moria, Penuwch, in Holy Trinity Church, Aberystwyth; they had 4 sons and a daughter. Davies and his wife went to London to work with Rachel's brother Evan who had a successful dairy business. David Alban Davies eventually bought Hitchman's Dairies, Ltd., which grew into a flourishing business under his direction. In 1933 he built
ALBAN DAVIES, JENKIN (1901 - 1968), business man and philanthropist Born 24 June 1901, in Walthamstow, London, the eldest son of David Alban Davies and Rachel (née Williams) his wife, both of Cardiganshire. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, and gained a scholarship to St. John's College, Oxford, but could not afford to go there. He went to Cornell University, U.S.A., for two years to study agriculture and dairying and worked for a short while in
ALBAN, Sir FREDERICK JOHN (1882 - 1965), chartered accountant and administrator Born 11 January 1882, at ? Abergavenny, Monmouth, son of David Alban and his wife Hannah. The mother died at Abergavenny, 28 September 1884. The father was a journeyman tailor and he died at Hereford, 2 January 1891. Consequently, the family was scattered. Two elder sons became shoemakers near Fleetwood. Frederick John was brought up by a Miss Williams at Lower Monk Street in Abergavenny until he

Search results

1 - 12 of 2462 for "david Bevan Jones"