GRIFFITHS, WILLIAM (1898 - 1962), bookseller
Date of birth: 1898
Date of death: 1962
Spouse: Winifred Irene Griffiths (née Kent)
Parent: Margaret Ann Griffiths (née Williams)
Parent: Joseph Griffiths
Gender: Male
Occupation: bookseller
Area of activity: Business and Industry; Literature and Writing; Printing and Publishing
Author: Griffith Milwyn Griffiths
Born 6 June 1898 at Evanstown, Gilfach-goch, Glamorganshire, son of Joseph Griffiths and his wife Margaret Ann (née Williams). He received his early education at Abercerdin elementary school, Evanstown, 1903-11. He worked for some years as a collier and then went to live in London. He took an interest in music and became a student at the Guildhall School of Music, receiving tuition on the violin from teachers such as Jeffrey Pulver and Harold Fairhurst. He was a skilful violinist and played professionally until about 1931. He then joined Foyles, the booksellers in Charing Cross Road, where he was responsible for its Welsh department for about fourteen years. In 1946 he opened his own shop in Cecil Court (Leicester Square) where he established a Welsh bookshop with his three brothers. This was a successful business and he made the shop a popular meeting place for London-Welsh people and it was well known to Celtic scholars and other visitors from various parts of the world. He was prominent in London-Welsh life. He served as the chairman of the Council of the London-Welsh Society and as chairman of the Literary Circle of that society. He edited Y Ddinas from November 1956 to February 1959. He was a member of the Council of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion for many years and he was elected a member of the Bardic Gorsedd under the name of ' Gwilym Cerdin '. He married Winifred Irene, daughter of John Kent and his wife Sara (née Rogers) in the parish church of Mentmore, Buckinghamshire 23 September 1933 and they had one daughter. He died in a London hospital on 8 October 1962.
Author
- Griffith Milwyn Griffiths
- Information from his brother Arthur
- Y Cymro, 23 July 1948
- Western Mail, 9 October 1962,
- The London Welshman, November 1962
- The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1963, 146-7
- Y Ddinas, Cylchgrawn Cymry Llundain, passim, during his editorship
- The Biographical Index of W. W. Price, Aberdâr
Sources
- Wikidata: Q20804828
Additional Links
Published date: 2001
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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