WILLIAMS, WILLIAM (Myfyr Wyn; 1849 - 1900), blacksmith, poet and local historian

A regular contributor of articles to the Welsh press, especially to Tarian y Gweithiwr in the 'nineties.' He was born on Twyn Star, Tredegar, and was the son of John and Hannah Williams. His father, a coalminer, was a native of the Cardigan district, who died following an accident in the Bryn Bach mine, Tredegar, when Myfyr Wyn was a boy, one of four children. His mother was born at Nant-y-bwch in 1819, her parents having moved there from the Neath Valley. She was a sister to William Hopkin, coalminer, who wrote several of the articles in Mathetes's theological dictionary. The family were Baptists, and Myfyr Wyn was brought up in Carmel church, Sirhowy. Robert Ellis (Cynddelw), was a minister there during his boyhood, and had a life-long influence over him. Myfyr Wyn learnt his trade as a blacksmith in the smithy of the Sirhowy iron-works, where he also moved among several local poets, such as Joseph Bevan (Gwentydd), and Ezechiel Davies (Gwentwyson); but his chief teacher in the art of poetry was Evan Powell (Ap Hywel). Towards the middle of his life he moved to Glamorgan, and pursued his trade at Porth, and elsewhere, and finally at Aberdare. His health weakened, and in his latter years he kept a newsagent's shop at Aberaman, where he died, 5 June 1900, and was buried on the 9th at Aberdare. He left a widow and a son.

Myfyr Wyn competed in various eisteddfodau in strict and free metre, but excelled in short pieces in a light vein. He published two volumes of popular verse, Gwreichion yr Eingion (Tredegar, 1887), and Y Trwmpyn neu Bartnar Piwr i Fechgyn a Merched gan 'Y Bachan Ifanc' (Aberdare, 1896, 2nd ed. 1906). His ' Llythyra Bachan Ifanc ' in Y Darian were very popular articles written in Gwentian dialect, and the editor compared them in their effect on the circulation of the paper to ' Llythyrau Hen Ffarmwr ' by Hiraethog in Yr Amserau. His brother, D. Williams (Myfyr Ddu), made a selection of his articles and poems, which he published in 1908, as a volume entitled Cân, Llên, a Gwerin. This book contains his valuable reminiscences of Sirhowy and district, a selection of which was published in 1951 by the University of Wales Press.

Author

• David Myrddin Lloyd, (1909 - 1981)

Sources

• William Williams, Cân, Llên, a Gwerin sef cynhyrchion y diweddar Myfyr Wyn (Aberdâr 1908)
• Tarian y Gweithiwr, 14 June and 5 July 1900
• Ben Morus, Enwogion Aberdâr (1910)
• a letter by Mr. W. W. Price, Aberdare, Aberdare

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q28361729

Published date: 1959

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