Dictionary of Welsh Biography



A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z



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) .