Dictionary of Welsh Biography

THOMAS, FRANCIS (Crythwr Dall o Geredigion; 1726 - 1796) Born at Llanwenog, Cardiganshire. When 5 years old he lost his sight, but despite this handicap he became a proficient violinist and used to earn his living by playing at parties and other functions. He was also a good poet and was taught the poetic art by David Lloyd, Brynllefrith (1724 - 1779); Siôn Llwyd, grandfather of D. Lloyd Isaac, acted as his scribe. He wrote in both English and Welsh
THOMAS, HELEN WYN (1966 - 1989), peace activist to her memory, by the town clock in her home town of Newcastle Emlyn. The folk singer Dafydd Iwan wrote a song, entitled 'Cân i Helen', in her memory. In 2019, she was one of five women short-listed for commemoration by the first statue of a named woman in Wales.
THOMAS, IFOR (1877 - 1918), geologist and inspector of schools Born at Commercial Place, Glanaman, Carmarthenshire, on 24 November 1877, son of Dafydd Thomas ('Trumor '; 1844 - 1916) and his wife Margaret. His father, who was a miner at Gelliceidrim colliery in the Aman Valley, was a poet, a local historian and a regular contributor to Welsh-language newspapers. His prize-winning essay Hen Gymeriadau Plwyf y Betws was published in 1894 (reprinted 1912). Ifor
THOMAS, JENKIN (Siencyn Pen-hydd; 1746 - 1807), Methodist exhorter Born 16 September 1746, son of Thomas Rees of Pen-hydd Fawr, Margam, Glamorganshire. His spiritual conviction took place under the ministry of Evan Dafydd Evan of Tŷ'r-clai, and he came under the influence of William Davies (1729? - 1787), Methodist curate of Neath. He joined the congregation at Gyfylchi chapel and began to preach to the local societies. He married Catherine, daughter of John
THOMAS, JOHN (1730 - 1804?), Congregational minister, and hymnist Born in 1730 in the parish of Myddfai, Carmarthenshire (christened 25 March). He came from a thriftless family but was nurtured by relatives. He received short periods of schooling in the neighbourhood of his home and learnt to read Welsh. He worked on farms, reading the Bible, Cannwyll y Cymry, and Taith y Pererin in his leisure hours. He heard Howel Harris preach in the house of Sieffre Dafydd
THOMAS, JOHN (1821 - 1892), Independent minister, politician, and historian Williams. In 1831 he lost his father and, as he had to earn a living, became an assistant in a grocer's shop. This attempt lasted nine months and he was then apprenticed to a cobbler, one Dafydd Llwyd. He then left home and tramped over parts of Merionethshire looking unsuccessfully for work. Later, he went to Liverpool where he was employed for a few months and where he was admitted to full membership
THOMAS, JOHN (Siôn Wyn o Eifion; 1786 - 1859), poet Born at Chwilog, in the parish of Llanarmon, Caernarfonshire. His father was Thomas Roberts, brother of Siôn Lleyn (John Roberts, 1749 - 1817), poet. When Siôn Wyn was 9 years of age he met with an accident, being crushed between a cart and a wall near his home. After recovering from this mishap he went to a school kept by Isaac Morris of Pentyrch Isaf who had taught Eben Fardd and Dewi Wyn
THOMAS, RACHEL (1905 - 1995), actress regularly on the small screen in both Welsh and English productions, such as the plays Y Dieithryn (author D. T. Davies, prod. Dafydd Gruffydd, BBC, 1957), After the Funeral (author Alun Owen, dir. Ted Kotcheff, ITV, 1960) and Y Darn Arian (John Eilian's translation of a play by Arthur O. Roberts, 1961). Her first opportunity to perform in a television play had been when she appeared alongside Stanley
THOMAS, RHYS (1720? - 1790), printer Printer at Carmarthen, Llandovery, and Cowbridge. Rhys Thomas is included in this work as being one of the best Welsh printers of the 18th century, and because of the connection of his press (at Cowbridge) with the publication of the English-Welsh dictionary of John Walters. He was established at Carmarthen in 1760; two small books of hymns by Morgan Rhys (Cascljad o Hymnau) and Dafydd William
THOMAS, ROBERT (d. 1774), poet, and sexton of Llanfair Talhaearn Denbighshire NLW MS 6146B, which is chiefly in his hand, contains one of his poems in free verse entitled 'Cywydd y Dylluan' (193-8), and a translation by him of a piece of Latin prose 'Am y flwyddyn a'i rhannau' concerning the Gregorian calendar (187 et seq.). The parish register of Llanfair Talhaearn for the years 1740-74 is also in his neat hand. Among his more notable friends were Siôn Powel, Dafydd Siôn
THOMAS, ROBERT (Ap Vychan; 1809 - 1880), Independent minister and tutor, poet and man of letters Born at Tŷ Coch, Pennantlliw-bach, Llanuwchllyn, 11 August 1809, the third of ten children, his father, DAFYDD THOMAS (Dewi ap Didymus; 1782 - 1863) being from the parish of Llangower and his mother having been born at Tŷ Coch. Dafydd Thomas was a man of culture and had educated himself far above the average; hymns written by him will be found in the Independent Caniedydd; some of his work
THOMAS, THOMAS JACOB (Sarnicol; 1873 - 1945), schoolmaster, writer and poet and characters on his native heath around Banc Siôn Cwilt.

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