WILLIAMS, ALUN OGWEN (1904 - 1970), eisteddfod administrator and supporter

Born 2 October 1904 in Well Street, Gerlan, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire, son of John Samuel Williams and Catherine (née Thomas) his wife. He was educated in Gerlan elementary school, Bethesda County School and Bangor Normal College (1922-24), from where he went to Llanfairfechan (1924-26) and Pwllheli (1926-36) as a teacher before being appointed headmaster of Pentre Uchaf (1936-42), Penmachno (1942-52) and Leeswood (1952-63) schools. Although he retired to Rhyl (Glan Ogwen, Grange Road) in 1963, he continued to teach Welsh in Offa's Dyke Comprehensive School, Prestatyn until 1965, He married (1) Lil Evans (died 2 August 1968) in Llanbedr, Meironnydd in 1932 and they had one son, Euryn Ogwen Williams. He married (2) Gwladys Spencer Jones in Colwyn Bay, June 1970 and moved to Noddfa, Erw-wen Road, Colwyn Bay, but died barely two months later on 4 August, in Ammanford where the national eisteddfod was held that year. He was cremated at Swansea 7 August 1970.

He became well known as a young reciter and he was a reciter, actor and adjudicator of recitation all his life. He formed Parti Penmachno, a concert party which travelled through Wales and England during World War II and later. He was the party's compere and reciter. A member of the Gorsedd for 40 years, he served as chief marshal, its secretary for ten years and as membership secretary of the Eisteddfod Court for a similar period.

Author

• Euryn Ogwen Williams

Sources

• Personal knowledge

Further reading

• Wikipedia Article: Alun Ogwen Williams

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20746755

Published date: 2001

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