JONES
,
ANEURIN
(
Aneurin Fardd
;
1822
-
1904
),
man of letters
;
b.
27 Oct. 1822
at the
Church House
,
Bedwas, Mon.
, son of
John
Jones
(
Shôn Fardd
), who was subsequently a
miller
at
Gelli-groes
,
Pontllan-fraith
. He
received a good education and served his apprenticeship as an
architect
and
civil engineer
. He followed his profession at
Gelligroes
, and after the death of his father
took over the mill
as well, in addition to
cultivating a little land
. He soon became a recognized
authority on the Welsh classical metres
and was
preceptor
and friend of
Islwyn
(q.v.)
. He
organized eisteddfodau
at
Gelli-groes
, in one of which (
1850
)
Ioan Tegid
awarded the prize to
Robert
Ellis
(
Cynddelw
) (q.v.)
for an essay on
Tafol y Beirdd
;
Aneurin
, however, made it a condition of its publication in book form (
1852
) that he should be allowed to write the introduction. He
adjudicated frequently at the eisteddfodau
; and it was he who, at the
Aberdare national eisteddfod
(
1861
), awarded the prize to
Ceiriog
for his pastoral ‘
Alun Mabon
.’ In
1861
he
started a printing-press
for the purpose of printing a periodical,
Y Bedyddiwr
, and continued at this work for two and a half years. Then his circumstances became involved and he emigrated (
1864
) to
America
, first to
Scranton
, then to
Wilkesbarre
, and later to
New York
. He was for years
superintendent of the New York and Brooklyn public parks and gardens
, but lost this appointment owing to political changes. Throughout this period he was industriously writing both in
English
and
Welsh
, and was also
adjudicating at eisteddfodau
— he became very unpopular when he withheld the chair at the
Chicago eisteddfod
(
New Year's Day, 1890
). He reverted to his original profession but does not appear to have found his feet in this, and moved to
Los Angeles
on the promise (which was not fulfilled) of being made
superintendent of the park
in that city. He d.
5 Sept. 1904
, and was buried at
Los Angeles
.
Bibliography:
-
Personal research (see
Gen.
, 1883–1928. The March special number is noted as ‘ (Gwyl
Dewi)’ or ‘ (D.).’
,
Spring 1952
).
Author:
Edgar Phillips, (1889-1962), Blackwood, Monmouthshire.
