The National Library of Wales :: Dictionary of Welsh Biography

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WILLIAMS , DANIEL ( 1878 - 1968 ), minister (Meth.) and author ; b. 17 June 1878 , son of Richard Williams , a worker in the Penmaen Quarries , and his wife Anne , at Bodnant , Llanfairfechan, Caerns. He was educated at the village National School and spent two years at the Cynffig Davies School in Menai Bridge , before being accepted in 1901 as a ministerial candidate in the Methodist church . He served a pre-college year at Llanbedr, Mer. , before starting his studies at Headingly , Leeds . After completing a successful period there, he was sent to Penisa'r-waun in the Caernarfon circuit , where he stayed for three years. Apart from two years, 1907-08 , in the Manchester circuit , he spent all his time ministering to districts in north Wales , including Aberffraw , Corwen , Dolgellau , Llanfyllin , Llangollen , Penmachno , Rhydyfoel and Mold , where he stayed seven years. He retired from full-time work and became a supernumerary in 1943 , making his home at Prestatyn , but returned to the regular ministry in 1948 , and was superintendent of the Llangollen circuit for a year, retiring again and living there until he moved to Old Colwyn in 1952 .

He was a gifted and popular preacher and in 1934 published Gwerslyfr ar Efengyl Marc . In addition to his considerable contribution to the religious life in Wales , Daniel Williams was well known as a writer and a historian of standing. He published five children's books, Cario'r post a storïau eraill ( 1932 ), Dyrnaid o ŷd ( 1924 ), Llwyn y brain ( 1930 ), Pant y gloch ( 1932 ), and Plant y pentre ( 1925 ); he regularly contributed to antiquarian journals . He was a keen eisteddfod supporter and in 1927 won a chair for a poem at the Whitsun eisteddfod in Penybont-fawr, Monts. He also won the first prize on the principal essay , ‘ Teithi meddwl Ann Griffiths ’ at the 1932 Powys Regional Eisteddfod . He had considerable literary success at the National Eisteddfod and between 1939-47 won seven prizes for essays or articles on a wide variety of subjects. In 1952 he was invited to deliver the annual lecture at the Methodist Assembly held in Llandeilo .

In 1909 he m. Annie Bartley Griffith , granddaughter of the Archdruid ‘ Clwydfardd ’ ( David Griffith , 1800 - 1894 ; DWB , 291) , at Ebenezer chapel , Llandudno and they had three sons and a daughter. He d. 17 Mar. 1968 at his home, Bronygarth , Wynn Avenue , Old Colwyn , and following a private service at Bethesda Chapel , Old Colwyn , his remains were cremated at Colwyn Bay Crematorium .

Bibliography:

Dyddiadur yr Eglwys Fethodistaidd , 1969 , 29-30;
Y Gwyliedydd Newydd , 4 April 1968 ;
The Liverpool Daily Post , 19-20 March 1968 ;
The Minutes of the Annual Conference Methodist Church (1968) , 194-5;
J. Henry Martin and J. Bernard Sheldon , Ministers and Probationers of the Methodist Church, formerly Wesleyan, Primitive and United Methodist, with the Appointments…revised to Sept. 1st 1963 , London, 1964 (1964) , 331;
Daniel Williams , ‘Fy ngalwad i'r weinidogaeth’, Y Winllan , 107 (1954) 201-5;
[ Mairwen and Gwynn Jones , Dewiniaid Difyr llenorion plant Cymru hyd tua 1950 , Llandysul, 1983 (1983) ];
information from Alun W. Francis, Caernarfon .

Author:

Richard E. Huws, MLib FLA, Aberystwyth