GRIFFITHS
,
GRIFFITH PENNAR
(
1860
-
1918
),
Congregational minister
;
b. at
Aberdare, Glam.
His early education he owed to
Sunday schools
, literary meetings, and eisteddfodau.
He started to
work in a local coal mine
when still young, devoting much of his leisure to self-improvement, particularly by
writing poems
and other forms of
literary work
. He began to
preach
at
Ebenezer
,
Trecynon
,
Aberdare
, in
1881
. He went to the
Hen Dŷ Cwrdd
(
Trecynon
) school kept by
Rees Jenkin
Jones
(q.v.)
with the intention of proceeding afterwards to one of the colleges of his denomination, but was unable to carry out his intention. He was ordairned at
Merthyr Vale, Glam.
, in
1884
and moved to
Pentre Esyllt
, near
Swansea
, in
1887
, there to spend the remainder of his days. He soon gained a reputation as an eloquent
preacher
. He had a clear voice and an easy delivery; as a
preacher
he was in the oratorical tradition. He
wrote some poetry
throughout the years but for the greater part preferred prose, producing
Cofiant Watcyn Wyn
,
Hanes y Cenhadon Cymreig
,
Blodau Cudd
, and a
Sunday school
handbook on
Acts
. He
adjudicated and conducted at eisteddfodau
and had perfect control over his audiences. He d.
29 Dec. 1918
and was buried in the
Mynydd-bach
burial-ground.
Bibliography:
-
Y Dysgedydd
,
Jan. 1919
;
-
Y Tyst
,
1 Jan. 1919
;
-
The Druid
,
1 Feb. 1919
.
Author:
Rev. John Dyfnallt Owen, M.A., (1873-1956), Aberystwyth
