WILLIAMS, THOMAS (Brynfab; 1848 - 1927), littérateur and farmer

Born 8 September 1848 at Fforch Aman, a farm in Cwmaman, Aberdare, son of Thomas and Gwenllian Williams. When he was very young, the family moved to Fforch, Treorchy, where he received what little education he ever had. At the age of 25 he settled at Hendre, in the parish of Eglwysilan, and was a farmer there for more than fifty years. On his retirement he went to live at Hendre Wen, S. Athan. He died 18 January 1927, and was buried in the parish churchyard, Eglwysilan. For a long period Brynfab edited the poetry column in Y Darian, and contributed frequently to various periodicals on literary matters. He was a keen eisteddfodwr and a well-known poet. His novel Pan oedd Rhondda'n bur, 1912, gives a valuable description of the early life of the Rhondda Valley. For his services to Welsh literature he was granted a Civil List pension. He was a prominent member of 'Clic y Bont,' an interesting literary coterie at Pontypridd that included Carnelian, Glanffrwd, and Dewi Alaw. In his lively and original personality, Brynfab was a noteworthy example of the popular culture of Wales.

Author

• Thomas Harris Lewis, (1972)

Sources

• The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1945, 50-70
• Y Darian, January 1927
• The Pontypridd Observer, January 1927
• and family papers

Works

• Thomas Williams, Pryddest goffadwriaethol i'r diweddar Rosser Beynon, (Asaph Glan Taf) a'r Parch. D. T. Williams (Tydfylyn)... buddugol yn Eisteddfod Cymrodorion dirwestol Merthyr, Nadolig, 1876 (Merthyr Tydfil 1877)

Additional Links

• VIAF: 39151978
• Wikidata: Q13131864

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/