FRANCIS, GRIFFITH (1876-1936) and OWEN (1879-1936), known as ‘Y Brodyr Francis ’ (‘The Francis Brothers ’), musicians,
b. at Bryn-y-wern, Cwm Pennant, Caerns. Griffith in Dec. 1876 and Owen on 15 June 1879, the sons of William and Mary Francis. Their father, who was a good musician, was an official in Moelfre quarry; their mother ‘Mair Alaw,’ singer, was a native of Nantlle. The brothers became quarrymen. Griffith, who was a poet, published Telyn Eryri, containing poems dealing with the lives of quarrymen and smallholders; he collected material for another book but that was not published. Owen was a musician who wrote some songs. Much work by the brothers appeared in the columns of Y Genedl Gymreig and periodicals. In the early days of radio they took part in the first Welsh concert broadcast from Dublin; they took part in some hundreds of concerts. The two always sang together and both died in the same year — Owen on 6 April 1936 (he was buried in Salem chapel burial ground, Llanllyfni) and Griffith on 15 June 1936 (he was buried in Macpela chapel burial ground, Pen-y-groes).
Bibliography:
- Y Cerddor, Aug. 1936;
- notices in issues of Y Genedl Gymreig and Baner, 1936.
Author:
Robert David Griffith, M.A., (1877-1958), Old Colwyn
