ROBERTS
,
ROBERT (SILYN)
(
Rhosyr
;
1871
-
1930
),
Calvinistic Methodist minister, poet, social reformer, tutor
;
b. at
Bryn Llidiart
,
Llanllyfni
,
28 March 1871
. Starting as a
slate
quarryman
, he was educated at
Bangor University College
(
B.A.
1899
,
M.A.
1901
) and at
Bala Theological College
. He became
minister
of
Lewisham (Welsh) Calvinistic Methodist church
,
1901-5
, and
Tanygrisiau
,
Blaenau Ffestiniog
,
1905-12
. He was
crown bard
at the national eisteddfod,
1902
, for a poem on ‘
Trystan and Esyllt
.’ He published, with
W. J.
Gruffydd
, in
1900
,
Telynegion
, which marks the beginning of a new lyrical period in
Welsh
poetry. He published
Trystan ac Esyllt a Chaniadau Eraill
in
1904
. Other poems were published later, some under the pseudonym ‘
Rhosyr
,’ but they have not been collected with the exception of a short memorial selection,
Cofarwydd
,
1930
. He published a pamphlet on the
I.L.P.
:
Y Blaid Lafur Anibynnol, ei Hanes a'i Hamcan
,
1908
, and was elected
Labour member
on the
Merioneth county council
. He
lectured
in the
United States
and
Canada
on the
Welsh
campaign against
tuberculosis
. In
1912
he was appointed first
secretary
of the
Welsh Appointments Board of the University of Wales
. On the outbreak of the war in
1914
, he was
active and energetic in seeking commissions for Welshmen in the armed forces
, and was appointed by the
Government
,
1918-22
,
commissioner for Wales to organise training for disabled ex-service men
. From
1922
he was
tutor of extra-mural classes
under the
University College of North Wales
, and in
1925
he established the
North Wales District of the Workers’ Educational Association
. He travelled extensively in
Europe
and
America
, and wrote much for
Y Glorian
,
Y Dinesydd Cymreig
,
The Welsh Outlook
, etc. He published
Gwyntoedd Croesion
,
1924
(a translation of
J. O.
Francis
's drama,
Cross Currents
),
Bugail Geifr Lorraine
,
1925
(a translation of
Souvestre
's novel), and in
1945
, a romance,
Llio Plas y Nos
. He m., in
1905
,
Mary
Parry
, of
London
, and had two sons and one daughter. He d. at
Bangor
15 Aug. 1930
.
Bibliography:
-
Y Traethodydd
,
April 1942
;
-
The Liverpool Daily Post
,
18 Aug. 1930
;
-
Y Goleuad
,
3 and 17 Sept. 1930
;
-
Cambria
,
Winter 1930
;
-
Papur Pawb
, Caernarfon, 1893-1916
,
2 April 1904
;
-
Yr Ymwelydd Misol
, Wrexham,
1903-14
,
Aug. 1912
;
- and his own works.
-
[Authorised biography,
Silyn (Robert Silyn Roberts)
1871-1930)
, Liverpool, 1956
, by
David Thomas
(
Liverpool, 1956).]
Author:
David Thomas, O.B.E., M.A., (1880-1967), Bangor
