DAVIES, OWEN PICTON (1882 - 1970), journalist

Born 6 June 1882 at Waunffynhonnau, Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire, son of Stephen and Anna Davies of Tre-lech. The family moved to Morlogws Uchaf, in the parish of Cilrhedyn in 1884. He was educated at Pen-y-waun school from 1886 to 1894 and spent the following two years at home on the farm, as he was too young to go to the Old College School in Carmarthen, which he entered in 1896. From there he went as an apprentice on the Carmarthen Journal, 1898, and in 1901 to the Rhondda Valley, as correspondent for the Western Mail. He moved to Cardiff in 1903 to become a sub-editor of that paper, and from there to Caernarfon in 1907 as editor of Yr Herald Cymraeg and the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald, where he succeeded Daniel Rees.

At the outbreak of war in 1914, he accepted the post of sub-editor on the Western Mail, and later, that of editor of the Weekly Mail. He remained in this post until 1949, with the exception of a few years as sub-editor of the Western Mail once more. He was appointed Director of Studies for the Western Mail in 1949, training young journalists until his retirement in 1952. He spent in all 54 years in journalism, and received the medal of the National Union of Journalists. In the early years of radio, he wrote many technical articles on the subject to the press. Later he wrote about 50 feature programmes in Welsh, on topics relating to Welsh history and literature, which were broadcast from Cardiff. In 1962 he published his reminiscences in Atgofion Dyn Papur Newydd.

In 1909 he married Jane Jones, eldest daughter of Captain and Mrs. David Jones, Caernarfon, and they had one daughter. He died on 10 October 1970.

Author

• Enid Parry, (1912 - 1998)

Sources

• Personal knowledge

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Owen Picton Davies

Additional Links

• VIAF: 144147663089460551955
• Wikidata: Q20804743

Published date: 2001

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