OWEN, HUGH (1832-1897), musician;
b. 15 Jan. 1832 at Botwnnog, Caerns., the son of Richard and Mary Owen. After a period spent in Botwnnog grammar school he became a tailor and settled at Tal-y-sarn in the Nantlle valley. After marriage he lived in a house called Pen-yr-yrfa and afterwards in one called Bryn-y-coed. He was precentor at the Tal-y-sarn C.M. chapel for over forty years; he started the Tal-y-sarn Glee Society, and he was one of the founders of the Eryri music festival (‘Gwyl Gerddorol Eryri’), 1866. He was a noted vocalist and his services were much in demand as conductor and adjudicator. He composed many hymn-tunes. His song, ‘Deigryn ar fedd Mam,’ which took the prize at an eisteddfod held at Portmadoc in 1871, was popular for many years. He d. 4 June 1897, and was buried in Salem burial ground, Llanllyfni.
Author:
Robert David Griffith, M.A., (1877-1958), Old Colwyn
