DAWKINS
,
MORGAN GAMAGE
(
1864
-
1939
),
Congregational minister, poet, and hymnist
;
b.
16 Dec. 1864
at
Bryncethin
, near
Bridgend
, his father,
Thomas
, being
farmer
of the smallholding of
Cae-helyg Bach
, a
collier
at
Park Slip
, and a
lay preacher
, and his mother,
Mary
, a member of the
David
family of
Pencoed.
On his father's side, he was descended from the illustrious families of
Gamage
and
Dawkins
. His mother d. in
1877
, his father was
killed in the colliery
,
14 Aug. 1879
, and they were both
buried in a
Gamage
sepulchre at
S. Bride's Minor
. The family worshipped at the
Betharan Congregational church
,
Brynmenyn.
He began
preaching
at the age of 16 at
Peniel
,
Bryncethin.
As his brothers and sisters had dispersed, he gave up the smallholding and entered the
Pontypridd Academy
under
E. Dunmor
Edwards.
In
1887
he was admitted to
Brecon Memorial College
, and spent the next two years in the
University College
at
Cardiff
, and the two following years at
Brecon
. In
Feb. 1891
he accepted a call to
Saron Congregational church
,
Birchgrove
, where he was ordained,
5 and 6 July 1891
. In the following year the young church at
Carmel
,
Morriston
, invited him to be their
minister
on his free Sunday, once every month. In
1904
he confined his ministry entirely to the church at
Carmel
, and remained there until his retirement in
1929
. In
1938
he m.
Mrs.
Kate
Evans
,
Morriston.
He d.
10 Aug. 1939
and was buried at
Horeb
,
Morriston
. His ministry was devoted to his own church, and he did not seek the limelight of assemblies and conferences. He was an excellent
pastor
, and during his ministry the membership of
Carmel
increased sixfold. He was a
poet
by nature and an easy
writer of prose
. He won the
‘Tir Iarll’ eisteddfod
chair
in
1913
, his lyrics were awarded the prize at the
Port Talbot national eisteddfod
,
1932
, and his lyrics and
cywydd
at
Neath
,
1934
. He contributed much to
Y Tyst
and
Y Darian
, and to local newspapers. One of his hymns is included in
Y Caniedydd Cynulleidfaol Newydd
(no. 1049). In
1914
he issued a second edition of
Lloffyn Addfed
(
John
Davies
,
Mynydd-bach
, 1850), and a bilingual autobiography,
Hogyn o Lannau Ogwr
, in
1934
.
Bibliography:
-
Hogyn o Lannau Ogwr / A lad from Ogmore
Banks
, Morriston, 1934
;
-
Y Dysgedydd
,
1939
;
-
The Congregational Year Book
, 1846
ff
,
1940
.
Author:
Evan David Jones, F.S.A., (1903-87), Aberystwyth
