FISHER
,
JOHN
(
1862
-
1930
),
Welsh scholar
,
was b. on
5 Jan. 1862
, at
Cilcoll
,
Llandebïe
, being the eldest son of
Edward
and
Mary
Fisher
. He was educated at the national school,
Llandeilo-Talybont
(
Pontardulais
),
Llandovery school
, and
S. David's College
,
Lampeter
, where he graduated
B.A.
, in
1884
, and
B.D.
in
1891
, having been scholar and prizeman. Ordained
deacon
in
1885
, and
priest
in
1886
, he held
curacies
at
Pontbleiddyn
,
Llanllwchaearn
, and
Ruthin
, in the
diocese of S. Asaph
. His only incumbency was the rectory of
Cefn
, near
S. Asaph
, which he accepted in
1901
. In the same year he became
librarian of the cathedral library
, a manuscript catalogue of which he compiled. In
1916
he was made
canon of the cathedral
, and in
1927
chancellor
. He was appointed
Welsh examining chaplain
to
archbishop
Edwards
in
1921
; he had been
Welsh examiner
at
S. David's College
,
Lampeter
, in
1905-9
. From
1917
he was a
member of the governing body
of the
Church in Wales
. Joining the
Cambrian Archaeological Association
in
1899
, he succeeded
canon
R. Trevor
Owens
as
general secretary
in
1914
. For a time, during the
1914-19
war, he was
editor
as well. Relinquishing the
secretaryship
in
1917
, he retained the
editorship
till
1925
, when he was elected
vice-president
. His principal literary work, of which he was
joint-author
with
S.
Baring Gould
, was
The Lives of the British Saints
(4 vols.) published by the
Hon. Society of Cymmrodorion
,
1907-13
. He had previously edited the
Cefn Coch MSS.
,
1899
. Later he edited
Fenton
's
Tours in Wales
for the
Cambrian Archaeological Association
,
1917
,
Allwydd Paradwys
(by
John
Hughes
,
1615
-
1686
, q.v.
),
1930
, and
Kynniver Llith a Ban
(by
William
Salesbury
, q.v.
),
1931
. Among his contributions to
Archaeologia Cambrensis
were the following articles: ‘
The Religious and Social Life of former days in the Vale of Clwyd
,’
1906
; ‘
Some Place-names in the locality of St. Asaph
,’
1914
; ‘
Wales in the time of Queen Elizabeth
’; ‘
The Wonders of Wales
,’
1915
; ‘
The Welsh Wills
,’
1919
; ‘
The Welsh Celtic Bells
’; ‘
Bardsey Island and its Saints
,’
1926
. He was elected
F.S.A.
in
1918
, and received the honorary degree of
D.Litt.
from the
University of Wales
in
1920
. He was also appointed a member of the
commission on Ancient Monuments (Wales)
. He served as representative of the
Cambrian Archaeological Association
on the
court of governors of the University of Wales
and on its
Board of Celtic Studies
, and was a member of
the court and council of the
National Library of Wales
. He d.
9 May 1930
, and was buried in
S. Asaph cathedral
graveyard.
Bibliography:
-
Archaeologia Cambrensis
,
1930
, 255-6;
-
Yr Haul
,
1930
, 172-4.
Author:
Canon Ellis Davies, M.A., F.S.A., (1872-1962), Caerwys
