Dictionary of Welsh Biography

BOWEN, THOMAS (1756 - 1827), Independent minister church. His sphere of influence extended, and he was fined by the magistrates at Brecon for preaching in a house in Llansantffraid parish without a licence. He established new churches in the neighbourhood. In 1795 he moved to Maes-yr-haf chapel, Neath. While there he founded the churches at Melin-cwrt and Aberavon, as well as the first Sunday school in the district. In consequence of a doctrinal
SIMMONS, JOSEPH (1694? - 1774), Independent minister, and schoolmaster Llansamlet, the better to oversee the Independent cause at Neath (meeting at that time in Chwarelau-bach chapel) - he had charge also of the cause at Skewen. In 1772, Maes-yr-haf chapel at Neath was built, and at its opening, Simmons's son Noah (who had been at Abergavenny Academy, 1768-72) was ordained as his assistant. Joseph Simmons died suddenly, at Swansea, 12 May 1774. Noah Simmons succeeded him, and
OWEN, MARY (1796 - 1875), hymn-writer Born at Ynys-y-maerdy, Briton Ferry, Glamorganshire, daughter of David and Mary Rees. Her father was a deacon in Maes-yr-haf chapel, Neath. Religious meetings were held in her home and she began to write hymns. She was persuaded by William Williams (Caledfryn) to publish a selection Hymnau ar Amryw Destunau (1839), reprinted 1840, 1841, 1842. Among the hundred or more which she wrote are those
IEUAN ap HYWEL SWRDWAL (fl. 1430-1480), poet ladi our leding tw haf.' Elegies to him were written by Hywel ap Dafydd ap Ieuan ap Rhys, Llywelyn Goch y Dant and Gruffydd ap Dafydd Fychan. There is a tradition that he, like his father, wrote a history of Wales from the time of Cadwaladr to that of Henry VI, but the work is not extant.
SAUNDERS, WILLIAM (1806 - 1851), poet and writer ' Y Gwanwyn,' ' Yr Haf,' ' Yr Hydref,' ' Y Gaeaf,' ' Y Daran,' ' Y Môr,' as well as metrical translations. From 1830 until he died he worked in the printing and publishing office of William Rees (1808 - 1873), Llandovery. Poems and other work by him appear in journals printed by William Rees, e.g. Yr Haul, Y Cylchgrawn, and Yr Efangylydd, he was also responsible for editing part of Rice Rees's
PARRY, ROBERT WILLIAMS (1884 - 1956), poet, university lecturer received instruction from two Tal-y-sarn poets, Owen Edwards ('Anant'), a quarry man, and H.E. Jones ('Hywel Cefni'), a shopkeeper, both of whom competed regularly at local eisteddfodau and published their successful englynion in periodicals, especially Y Geninen. As early as 1906 Williams Parry wrote an awdl on ' Dechrau Haf ' for an eisteddfod at Ffestiniog. In 1907 he was a competitor for the chair at
HOWELLS, THOMAS (Hywel Cynon; 1839 - 1905), collier, printer, poet, preacher, and musician Cynon benefited by association with him and with the musicians who lived in the district. In 1866 he acquired the printing plant which had belonged to Tafalaw and thereafter he worked as a printer; he was also a local preacher. He published two collections of poems - Awelon yr Haf and Cerddi Hywel Cynon. He also composed some pieces of music, e.g. ' Gwnewch bopeth yn Gymraeg ' and a hymn-tune; the
EVANS, THOMAS (Telynog; 1840 - 1865), poet 'Blodeuyn bach wyf fi mewn gardd' and 'Yr Haf.' The latter is included in Blodeugerdd by W. J. Gruffydd. A collected edition of his work arranged by his friend Dafydd Morganwg (D. W. Jones) with a biographical sketch by Hywel Williams was published in 1866. He died 29 April 1865 and was buried in the Aberdare cemetery.
WILLIAMS, WILLIAM AUBREY (Gwilym Gwent; 1834 - 1891), musician with a ten pounds prize for a cantata, 'Y Mab Afradlon.' He was probably the most popular and possibly one of the most prolific composers in Wales in his time, producing part-songs, anthems, solos, etc. His part-songs called 'Yr Haf,' 'Cymru Gynt,' 'Y Gwanwyn,' 'Y Clychau,' 'Yr Afonig,' and 'Gwenau y Gwanwyn' were very popular during the second half of the 19th cent. His cantata, 'Plant y Tloty
HUGHES, DEWI ARWEL (1947 - 2017), Christian leader and theologian Dewi Arwel Hughes was born on 1 January 1947 at Bugeilfod, Llangwm, Denbighshire, the youngest of four children of Gruffudd Evans Hughes (1912-1975), agricultural merchant, and his wife Annie (née Edwards, 1908-1957), a seamstress. He had three sisters, Elen Haf, Lona Wyn and Gwenan Arwel. A year after his birth the family moved to Garth Isa, Frongoch, near Bala. His mother died in 1957, when
DAVIES, WILLIAM (1859 - 1907), musician y Wyddfa.' He won prizes at the national eisteddfod held in Liverpool for his songs 'Neges y Blodeuyn' and 'Y Gloch'; in London, 1887, for a chairing song with harp obligato; Wrexham, 1888, for 'O na byddai'n haf o hyd' and 'Myfanwy'; and Brecon, 1889, for four songs. In 1889, out of eighty-six candidates, he was appointed principal tenor at Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1891 he married Clara
STEPHEN, ROBERT (1878 - 1966), schoolmaster, historian and poet captain from Borth-y-Gest. They had three children, (2) in Caxton Hall, London, on 8 January 1942, to Mary Elizabeth Owen, widow of Captain Ralph D. Owen, army officer, and daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth Thomas, Gelli Haf, Maesycwmmer. The Gelli Haf family was very famous in Monmouthshire, and connected in some way with the family of William Thomas ('Islwyn'). After his second marriage, he began to

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