b. at
Hirnant
,
Pont Erwyd, Cards.
,
24 April 1754
, son of
Richard
Thomas
and
Jane
his wife. At the age of 19 he went to
Ystradmeurig
, where he met
Thomas
Jones
(of
Creaton
) (
1752
-
1845
) (q.v.)
. The two men formed an intimate friendship which lasted all their days.
Richards
kept school
at
Tal-y-bont, Cards.
, for three years, and in
1779
he m.
Jane
, daughter of
David
Lloyd
of
Cymerau
, in the parish of
Llanbadarn Fawr
. In Sept. of the same year he was ordained
deacon
by
bishop
Warren
of
S. Davids
and licensed, in succession to
Thomas
Jones
(above), to the curacies of
Llangynfelyn
and
Eglwys-fach
. He received
priest's orders
in
1780
. While he held this curacy he often went to
Llangeitho
to hear
Daniel
Rowland
(q.v.)
preaching. In
1784
he went as
curate
to
Llan-ym-Mawddwy
, succeeding
Thomas
Charles
(q.v.)
, and he served there for fifteen years at a stipend of £30 per annum. He augmented this pittance by
keeping a school
. After representations made by his friend
Thomas
Jones
and others, he was appointed
vicar
of
Darowen
, near
Machynlleth
, by
bishop
Bagot
of
S. Asaph
, and instituted to the living in
Aug. 1800
. He laboured there devotedly till his death on
2 Dec. 1837
; he is buried at
Darowen
, and there is a memorial there to him and his wife (
1756
-
1841
).
Thomas
and
Jane
Richards
had five sons, each of whom was brought up to the
priesthood
, and three daughters.
The eldest,
RICHARD
RICHARDS
(
1780
-
1860
), b.
21 Nov. 1780
, was educated at
Ystradmeurig
. He was ordained
deacon
by
bishop
Burgess
of
S. Davids
in
Sept. 1808
, and licensed to the curacies of
Llanddeiniol
and
Nantcwnlle
in
Cardiganshire
; he also
kept school
at
Nantcwnlle
. He received
priest's orders
in
1809
, and in
1811
he went to
Llanbryn-mair
as
curate
and
schoolmaster
. In
Dec. 1816
he moved to
Caerwys
in
Flintshire
, and after ten years as
curate
there he was appointed
rector
and stayed there till
1849
. In that year he went as
vicar
to
Meifod, Mont.
, and d. there,
3 April 1860
. He was buried at
Llangynyw
. In addition to his work as
parish priest
and
preacher
he gave
great support to cultural and missionary movements
and
published sermons, tracts, and translations
.
The second son,
DAVID
RICHARDS
(
Dewi Silin
;
1783
-
1826
), was b.
12 April 1783
, and educated at
Dolgelley grammar school
and
Ystradmeurig
. He was ordained
deacon
by
bishop
Burgess
in
1809
and licensed to
Pembrey
, near
Llanelly
. Ordained
priest
in
1810
, he served as
curate
at
Newtown
,
Nantglyn
,
Llys Meirchion
(?), and
Llansilin
, becoming
vicar
of
Llansilin
in
Aug. 1819
. He m.
Eleanor
Williams
at
Shrewsbury
,
19 June 1823
, and they had a son and a daughter. He d.
4 Dec. 1826
, and was buried at
Llansilin
. He was known as
Dewi Silin
and
took an active part in the resurgence of the eisteddfod in the eighteen-twenties
; he was also
secretary
of
Cymreigyddion Powys
, and
kept greyhounds
.
The third son,
THOMAS
RICHARDS
(
1785
-
1855
), was b.
3 June 1785
, ordained
deacon
in
Sept. 1810
by
bishop
Cleaver
of
S. Asaph
and licensed to the curacy of
Llan-ym-Mawddwy
. He received
priest's orders
in
July 1811
, and matriculated in the
University of Oxford
from
Jesus College
,
Dec. 1812
, but did not proceed to a degree. He began to
keep school
at
Berriw, Mont.
,
March 1813
, and also served as
curate
of
Montgomery
. He was in touch with many literary
Welshmen
of his age, and
John
Blackwell
(
Alun
) (q.v.)
and
Evan
Evans
(
Ieuan Glan Geirionydd
) (q.v.)
were pupils of his. He was local
secretary
of the
Bible Society
and a
promoter of the publication of Welsh magazines
. When his father declined the benefice of
Llangynyw
, owing to his age, the son accepted it, and was instituted in
April 1826
. He remained there till his death on
27 Nov. 1855
, and was buried there.
The fourth son,
JOHN
RICHARDS
(
1790
-
1854
), went to
S. Bees College
, and was ordained
deacon
by
bishop
Law
of
Chester
,
Oct. 1833
, to serve the curacy of
Nun Monkton
, near
York
. He received
priest's orders
in
Dec. 1824
, and, in
April 1825
, was appointed
vicar
of
Llanwddyn, Mont.
He served there till his death on
28 March 1854
, and was buried at
Llangynyw
. He
took a great interest in agriculture
.
The fifth son,
LEWIS
RICHARDS
(
1799
-
1860
), was b.
31 Dec. 1799
. He went to
Jesus College
,
Oxford
, and took his
B.A.
in
June 1824
. He was ordained
deacon
the same month by
bishop
Pelham
of
Lincoln
, and
priest
in
Jan. 1825
by
bishop
Luxmoore
of
S. Asaph
. He became
curate
of
Rhuddlan
,
Flints.
, in
May 1826
; in
July 1837
he was instituted as
vicar
of
Llanerfyl, Mont.
, and remained there till his death on
20 July 1860
. He, too, was buried at
Llangynyw
.
Of the three daughters,
MARY
(
1787
-
1877
),
Jane
(
1794
-
1876
), and
Elizabeth
(
1797
-
1840
), the eldest was a noteworthy personality. In
1821
she was made an honorary member of the
Society of Cymmrodorion
‘
as an acknowledgement of her zeal in the cause of
Welsh
literature
.’ She corresponded with a number of prominent literary
Welshmen
, she
copied much poetry and many letters
, and she was
interested in music
. She was buried at
Darowen
.
