DAVIES, JOHN (Gwyneddon ; 1832-1904), printer and journalist;
b. at Bangor in 1832. He was apprenticed as printer in the North Wales Chronicle office and afterwards became a reporter on the staff. When Cronicl Cymru, a weekly paper, was published in 1866, he was appointed editor. In 1868 he established himself as a printer in Caernarvon; on 30 Oct. 1869 the first number of Y Goleuad was published from his office, and for a time he was the editor as well as the printer and publisher. After some years he sold the printing business and became manager of the Caernarvon branch of Pugh and Jones's Bank. He took an active part in municipal matters and was once mayor of Caernarvon. For a period he wrote leading articles for Y Genedl Gymreig. He was a capable journalist; his editorial notes in Y Goleuad were notably good. He will be remembered as the author of a popular harvest thanksgiving hymn which begins ‘Anfeidrol Dduw rhagluniaeth.’ He d. at Caernarvon 30 Jan. 1904.
His son, ROBERT GWYNEDDON DAVIES, solicitor, who d. 17 April 1928, aged 58, was the author of an English translation of Y Bardd Cwsc (1st ed. 1897, 2nd ed. 1909). Many of the manuscripts which he collected are now in the library of the University College of North Wales, Bangor.
Bibliography:
- Gen. (Gŵyl Dewi), 1905;
- Canmlwyddiant Eglwys Engedi, Caernarfon, 1942;
- Drys., Jan. 1903, 1904.
Author:
Edward Morgan Humphreys, O.B.E., M.A., (1882-1955), Caernarfon
