GRUFFYDD, OWEN (c. 1643 - 1730), poet and antiquary
Date of birth: c. 1643
Date of death: 1730
Gender: Male
Occupation: poet and antiquary
Area of activity: History and Culture; Poetry; Scholarship and Languages
Author: Griffith Milwyn Griffiths
Little is definitely known about his early life or subsequent career. He was born in the parish of Llanystumdwy, Caernarfonshire, and presumably spent most of his life in that and neighbouring parishes. By profession a weaver, he gained high repute as a poet and was also known as a genealogist.
He composed poems to the aristocracy of the surrounding countryside, in the old Welsh tradition, and also more popular verse such as carols for Christmastide. Selections from his works were published in Carolau a Dyriau Duwiol, 1696, in Blodeu Gerdd Cymry, 1759 and in Gwaith Owen Gruffydd, ed. by O. M. Edwards, 1904. A considerable amount of his work is to be found in manuscript in the British Museum and the National Library of Wales. In his old age he was afflicted with blindness and his verse was written down by his friends from his dictation.
He was buried at Llanystumdwy 6 December 1730. William Elias composed an elegy upon him.
Author
- Griffith Milwyn Griffiths
- T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
- Hanes llenyddiaeth Gymreig o 1651 O.C. hyd 1850 (1893)
- T. Parry, Hanes Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg hyd 1900 (1944)
- Edward Jones, Rhestr gyda nodiadau byrion, o Enwogion Cymreig o 1700 i 1900 (1908)
- Y Geninen, 1896, 177
- Y Traethodydd, 1845
- Cell Meudwy, sef Gweithiau Barddonol a Rhyddieithol Ellis Owen, F.A.S. Cefnymeusydd, yn nghyda bywgraphiad a darlun o'r awdwr (1877)
- Y Llenor, 1895, ii, 51-66
- The Records of the Diocese of Bangor in the National Library of Wales
Sources
- Wikipedia Article: Owen Gruffydd
Further Reading
- Wikidata: Q13130555
Additional Links
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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