GRIFFITHS
,
ANN
(
1776
-
1805
),
hymn-writer
;
b.
April 1776
at
Dolwar Fach
,
Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa, Mont.
, daughter of
John
and
Jane
Thomas
. Her parents were church-goers. As a girl she was fond of a gay life but sobered down after hearing
Benjamin
Jones
(
1756
-
1823
) (q.v.)
of
Pwllheli
preach. She joined the
Methodist society
at
Pont Robert
in
1797
and came into contact with
John
Hughes
(
1775
-
1854
) (q.v.)
, the
teacher
and
preacher
, with whom she corresponded extensively. In
1804
she m.
Thomas
Griffiths
, a
Meifod
farmer
, and d. in
Aug. 1805
after the birth of her child; she was buried at
Llanfihangel
,
12 Aug
. She used to recite her hymns to her
maid
,
Ruth
Evans
, who treasured them in her memory; when
Ruth
m.
John
Hughes
, the latter wrote them down in two note-books. It was he, doubtless, who gave them to
Thomas
Charles
of
Bala
, but it is thought that
Robert
Jones
(
1745
-
1829
) (q.v.)
of
Rhos-lan
prepared them for publication. They were published in the
1805
ed. of
Grawn-Syppiau Canaan
and later (
1806
) in
Casgliad o Hymnau gan mwyaf heb erioed eu hargraffu o'r blaen
(
Bala
,
R.
Saunderson
). Another impression under the same title was published in
1807
by
J.
Evans
of
Carmarthen
's press; and yet another in
1808
under the title
Hymnau o Fawl i Dduw a'r Oen
(
Bala
,
Saunderson
). The contents of
John
Hughes
's note-books were published by
Sir
Owen M.
Edwards
in
Gwaith Ann Griffiths
(‘
Cyfres y Fil
’),
1905
; here at last the original version of the hymns is to be found. They are characterized by a wealth of scriptural allusion, by deep religious and mystical feeling, and by bold metaphors. They are written, for the most part, in an anacrustic 8-7 metre — a form which has given considerable trouble to
composers of hymn-tunes
.
Bibliography:
-
,
1846
, 420-33;
-
,
Jan. 1906
;
-
, iii, 110-29, 172-87;
-
, vi, 2-7;
-
Morris Davies
,
;
-
E. Griffiths
,
;
-
J. Thickens
,
, 14-18;
-
682, 694, 4756;
-
, N.L.W. 5863-4;
-
Elfed
,
.
Author:
Corrections and additions:
GRIFFITHS
,
ANN
(
DWB
, 303).
Baptised
21 Apr. 1776
; m.
10 Oct. 1804
,
Thomas
Griffiths
(
1779
-
1808
), and he d.
8 Apr. 1808
. Her father d.
c.
Feb. 1804
, and her mother in
1794
; they had five children: (1)
Jane
,
1767
, (2)
John
,
1770
, (3)
Elizabeth
,
1772
, (4)
Ann
, and (5)
Edward
,
1779
. An extensive study of the children (and their descendants) has been made by
David
Thomas
,
Ann Griffiths a'i theulu
(
1963
);
Jane
m. in
1794
Thomas
Jones
,
Tŷ Cornel shop
,
Llanfyllin
, and her grandson
John
Jones
's daughter
Margaret Jane
Jones
was the wife of the
minister
and
writer
Owen
Jones
(
1833
-
1899
;
DWB
, 500-1)
; she d. in
Jan. 1909
. See further the biography,
Cofio Ann Griffiths
(
Caernarfon
,
1955
), and
John
Ryan
,
The hymns of Ann Griffiths
(1980)
,
Siân
Megan
,
Gwaith Ann Griffiths
(
1982
),
E. Wyn
James
,
Rhyfeddaf Fyth …
(1998)
.
