HUGHES, ROBERT (Robin Ddu yr Ail o Fôn; 1744 - 1785), poet

Name: Robert Hughes
Pseudonym: Robin Ddu Yr Ail O Fôn
Date of birth: 1744
Date of death: 1785
Gender: Male
Occupation: poet
Area of activity: Poetry
Author: Griffith Thomas Roberts

Born at Ceint Bach, Penmynydd, Anglesey. He was taught by Ellis Thomas, curate of Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf and was trained as a lawyer's clerk in Emrys Lewis of Trysglwyn's office at Beaumaris. He was a schoolmaster successively at Penmynydd, Heneglwys, Cerrig-ceinwen, Bodedern, and Amlwch; from 1763 to 1783 he was clerk to Ratcliffe Sidebottom, barrister-at-law, of Essex Court, Temple, London. As a poet he modelled himself on Goronwy Owen. He published his cywydd 'Molawd Môn' in Diddanwch teuluaidd , 1763, and his cywydd 'Y Byd' in Y Cylchgrawn Cymraeg, 1793. His best work is his cywydd 'Myfyrdod y Bardd am ei Gariad,' published in the North Wales Gazette, 15 September 1808. While in London he was a prominent member of the Welsh societies; in 1777 he was joint librarian with Richard Fenton to the Society of Cymmrodorion; he had helped to found the Society of Gwyneddigion, was its secretary and treasurer for three years, and was its president in 1778. He helped Owain Myfyr to get together the works of the poets for publication. His health broke down in London and he came to Caernarvon where he opened a school in 1783. He died 27 February 1785, and was buried in Hen-eglwys churchyard near Llangefni. The cost of erecting his tombstone was borne by the Society of Gwyneddigion.

Author

Published date: 1959

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