HUMPHREYS
,
EDWARD MORGAN
(
1882
-
1955
),
journalist, writer and broadcaster
;
b.
14 May 1882
in
Dyffryn Ardudwy, Mer.
, eldest son of
John
and
Elizabeth
Humphreys
. His brothers were
Humphrey Llewelyn
and
John Gwilym
. His mother was the niece of
Edward
Morgan
(
DWB
, 642-3)
,
Dyffryn
,
preacher
and
writer
, and a cousin of
R.H.
Morgan
(
DWB
, 650)
,
Menai Bridge
,
pioneer of short-hand in Welsh
. His great-grandfather was
Richard
Humphreys
(
DWB
, 396-7)
, a
preacher
noted for his wit, a teetotaller and a
pioneer in education
.
E.M.
H.
was educated at
Barmouth
and
Porthmadog county schools
. He began his career as a
solicitor
at
Porthmadog
but abandoned it because of his poor health and returned home to
Maeldref
,
Dyffryn Ardudwy
, where his father
farmed
. The family moved to
Liverpool
where he began to
write
and take an interest in
journalism
. He became a
correspondent
for the
Barmouth Advertiser
in
1904
. After a short period on the staff of a
Runcorn
newspaper he had the experience of following the revival meetings of
Evan
Roberts
(see below)
as
correspondent
for the
Liverpool Courier
. His impressions also appeared in
Y Genedl Gymreig
. He became friendly with the
evangelist
but was not moved in the heat of the revival. He was also correspondent for the
North Wales Observer
under the editorship of
William
Eames
(see above)
. When
Eames
joined the sub-editorial staff of the
Manchester Guardian
E.M.
H.
accepted an invitation to be
editor
of
Y Genedl Gymreig
and the
English
newspaper at the
Caernarfon
office, and in this period he became friendly with
T. Gwynn
Jones
(see below)
who worked at the time in the same office. He wrote
English
verse (including sonnets) and an occasional
Welsh
poem. In
Jan. 1908
he was elected
president
of the
Caernarfon Fabian Society
. He was
editor
of
Cymru
for a short period and of
Y Goleuad
on two occasions. In
1918
he returned to
Y Genedl
, maintaining his connection with the paper until
1930
when he resigned to be a
freelance writer
. From
1919
he regularly contributed articles to the
Liverpool Daily Post
under the pen name ‘
Celt
’ and in
1927
he became special correspondent to the
Manchester Guardian
, contributing an uninterrupted series of reports from the
national
eisteddfod
and other matters relating to
Wales
. He was a keen
eisteddfod
supporter
and never missed the national event
between 1919 and 1953
. His eloquence and sonorous voice soon won him a place as a
broadcaster
. Despite his frail health he was a diligent and methodical worker and contributed a number of articles to the
DWB
. It was he who discovered the story-telling gift of
W.J.
Griffith
,
Henllys Fawr
(
DWB
, 302)
. He served the
Caernarfonshire Agricultural Committee
as
assistant executive officer
,
1939-49
, and continued to
write
and
lecture
in his spare time. He was a
tutor
with the
Workers’ Educational Association
. He received an hon.
M.A. (Wales)
in
1927
, and
O.B.E.
in
1953
. He was a
vice-president
of the
Hon. Soc. of Cymm.
, a member of the
Welsh panel of the British Council
and the
Royal Cambrian Academy of Art
. He was not prominent in the
Presbyterian Church of Wales
but he attached great importance to the dignity of the pulpit and he disliked untidiness. He was a member of
Engedi church
,
Caernarfon
, and was a well-known figure in the town because of his dignified appearance. He was diverting company and read widely. He m.
Annie
Evans
, daughter of
E.J.
Evans
, former
minister
of
Walton Park Welsh Presbyterian church
,
Liverpool
, but they had no children. He won the friendship of some of the leaders of the nation and
D. Lloyd
George
(see below)
thought highly of his opinion.
R.T.
Jenkins
(see below)
‘enjoyed a quarter century of pure friendship’ with him.
He was
one of the pioneers of the detective novel in Welsh
and had the gift of
composing acute biographical articles
. He published
Dirgelwch yr anialwch
(
1911
);
Rhwng rhyfeloedd
(
n.d.
);
Yr etifedd coll
(
n.d.
);
Y llaw gudd
(
1924
);
Cymru a'r wasg
(
1924
);
Dirgelwch Gallt y Ffrwd
(
1938
);
Detholiad o lythyrau'r hen ffarmwr
(
1939
);
D. Lloyd George
(
1943
);
Ceulan y llyn du
(
1944
);
Y wasg yng Nghymru
(
1945
);
Gwŷr enwog gynt
, (
1950
), 2 (
1953
);
Profiadau golygydd
(
1950
); and
Gorse glen
(trans. of
Hugh
Evans
'
Cwm Eithin
;
1948
). He was an independent person and his life was a constant struggle against ill health. He wrote swiftly and concisely in
Welsh
and
English
. As
John Eilian
commented, ‘
having a sincere warm love towards the old country which his senses could comprehend — the excitement of
Snowdonia
, the peace of
Merioneth
and the sound of the western sea
’, that was patriotism to him. He d.
11 Jun. 1955
at
Caernarfon
.
D. Tecwyn
Evans
(see above)
another of his friends, officiated at his funeral. His remains were buried in the town cemetery.
Bibliography:
-
Y Genedl
,
23 May 1905
,
21 Jan. 1908
,
19 Jan. and 9 Feb. 1925
;
-
Baner ac Amserau Cymru
,
15 Jun. 1955
;
-
Y Cymro
,
16 Jun. 1955
;
-
Yr Herald Cymraeg (a'r Genedl)
,
13 Jun. 1955
;
-
Y Traethodydd
,
Oct. 1955
;
-
Y Genhinen
,
1954-55
,
1962-63
;
-
Y Llenor
, 10,
1931
;
-
The Times
,
Manchester Guardian
,
The Liverpool Daily Post
;
-
E. Morgan Humphreys Manuscripts at the
University College of North Wales
at the University College,
Bangor, nos. 15747-65;
-
information from
R. Maldwyn Thomas
.
Author:
Gwilym Arthur Jones, (1925-98), Bangor
