Dictionary of Welsh Biography

DAVIES, ELLIS (1872 - 1962), priest and antiquarian canonry at St. Asaph, 1937-46, and was chancellor of the diocese, 1944-47. Although he composed several hymn-tunes and chants he became more widely known in the field of archaeology. In 1913 he became a member of the Cambrian Archaeological Society and the same year he won a prize at the national eisteddfod at Abergavenny for a handbook on British and Roman remains in Denbighshire which was published in
DAVIES, EVAN THOMAS (1878 - 1969), musician composer after winning the first prize for ' Ynys y Plant ' in the national eisteddfod held in London in 1909, and although he was not a very prolific composer, and tended to regard composing merely as a hobby, he had a beneficial influence upon Welsh music for more than half a century. Besides writing a few songs, he also composed part-songs, anthems and works for various musical instruments and
DAVIES, GRACE GWYNEDDON (1878 - 1944), singer and folk-song collector : Alawon Gwerin Môn (Folk-songs of Anglesey, 1914), Ail Gasgliad o Alawon Gwerin Môn (Second Collection of Folk-songs of Anglesey, 1923), and Chwech o Alawon Gwerin Cymreig (Six Welsh Folk-songs, 1933). For the two volumes of Anglesey folk-songs she relied heavily on the singing of Owen Parry of Dwyran, whose voice she recorded on the phonograph. Although she composed her own accompaniments to the songs
DAVIES, HUGH (Pencerdd Maelor; 1844 - 1907), musician and Calvinistic Methodist minister Born 1 September 1844 at Garth near Ruabon. He left school when he was 8 years of age and went to work in J. C. Edwards's brickfields, of which, in due course, he became deputy manager. He was taught music by Joseph Owen, schoolmaster of Rhos, who used to come over to hold a class at Acrefair. He worked hard to master the tonic sol-fa notation and obtained the degree of G.T.S.C. He composed some
DAVIES, JAMES KITCHENER (1902 - 1952), poet, dramatist and nationalist . Meini Gwagedd and the pryddestau 'Ing cenhedloedd' and 'Yr Arloeswr' present the theme which was definitively developed in ' Sŵn y gwynt sy'n chwythu '. This pryddest was commissioned, broadcast in 1952, and published posthumously in 1953. It was while he was in hospital, awaiting his second cancer operation, that he composed it, dictating its final form to his wife. It is a poem that shocks one, with
DAVIES, JOHN (Ossian Gwent; 1839 - 1892), poet competing in the eisteddfodau provided the stimulus for and was the principal expression of this literary activity, this striving for culture; yet, although Ossian lived surrounded by all this eisteddfodic enthusiasm and fervour, and although he was acquainted with the most eminent eisteddfod enthusiasts, he 'never framed an englyn, never composed an awdl, and never won a chair,' says Jeffreys. Indeed
DAVIES, JOHN (d. 1694) Nannau,, 'family bard' Parry, parson of Llanelian; he also composed an elegy on the death of king Charles II. Elegies were written after his death by Owen Gruffydd, Llanystumdwy (see O. M. Edwards, Gwaith Owen Gruffydd, 1904; this gives the year of the poet's death as 1694), and Lewis Owen (see Cwrtmawr MS 5B (i-ii)). He was uncle to David Jones (1708? - 1785) of Trefriw; see N.L.W. Jnl., vii, 73-4.
DAVIES, JOHN (1787 - 1855), stone-mason and composer near Swansea. At the age of 30 he began to study music and became a competent musician. He wrote many anthems and hymn-tunes. The tune which appears in Welsh hymnals under the name ' Gethsemane,' 9-8 (arranged by R. H. Pritchard of Bala in 8-beat), first appeared in Lleuad yr Oes, June 1827. Other tunes composed by him are found in Haleliwia Drachefn, Llwybrau Moliant, and Y Caniedydd Cynulleidfaol
DAVIES, MATTHEW WILLIAM (1882 - 1947), musician choir when the national eisteddfod was held at Neath in 1934. He was in constant demand as an adjudicator and conductor at singing festivals. He composed a large number of part-songs, anthems, and hymn-tunes for children, and for congregational singing. He composed the hymn-tune ' Bethlehem Green ' specifically for Y Caniedydd Cynulleidfaol Newydd, 1921. He died 23 November 1947, and was buried in
DAVIES, MOSES (1799 - 1866), musician treble parts - an innovation which provoked such opposition that he resigned his precentorship, but was induced to resume it in 1834, greatly to the benefit of the congregation; apart from an absence of six years (1842-8) in London, he remained in office thenceforth. He composed some twenty-four hymn-tunes, which can be seen in Telyn Seion (R. Beynon), Caniadau Seion (R. Mills), and Haleliwia (Griffith
DAVIES, OWEN HUMPHREY (Eos Llechid; 1828 - 1898), quarryman, musician, and cleric he conducted at the music festival of the archdeaconries of Carmarthen and Swansea in 1867. In 1869 he was licensed as a lay reader to Ysgoldy, Maes-y-groes, by bishop Campbell of Bangor. In 1870 he was appointed tutor in music at the North Wales Normal College, Caernarvon, an appointment which he continued to hold for eight years. He composed the cantata ' Gwarchae Harlech ' and a number of
DAVIES, ROBERT (Asaph Llechid; 1834 - 1858), musician composed several airs and anthems and had won prizes at the eisteddfodau. He composed about a dozen anthems in all. His anthem ' Dyn a aned o wraig ' was published and was frequently sung as a funeral dirge in the quarrying districts of North Wales until the beginning of the 20th century. He was killed by a fall of rock at Cae-braich-y-cafn quarry, 29 August 1858, and was buried in Llanllechid cemetery.

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