OWEN, EDWARD HUMPHREY (1850-1904), of Tŷ Coch , Caernarvon , book-collector and local historian;
b. 20 Dec. 1850, son of John Owen, timber merchant, etc., and Elizabeth his wife. E. H. Owen's interest in local and family history led him to accumulate a large library, mainly (but not entirely) of Welsh interest; that library was acquired by the National Library of Wales in 1910 and is kept intact as a ‘foundation collection.’ A short description of the printed works appears in the Annual Report of the National Library for the years 1909-10. The manuscripts, now N.L.W. MSS. 815-68, are described in N.L.W. Handlist of MSS., i, 61-7; they include several volumes containing pedigrees and poems, seven volumes from the library of Sir Richard Colt Hoare (q.v.); two volumes compiled by William Williams, Llandygài (q.v.); and volumes which had belonged previously to Jonathan Jones, surveyor of taxes, Caernarvon. He d. 22 April 1904, and was buried in the family vault at Llanfair-is-gaer church.
Bibliography:
- C. and D. Herald, 29 April 1904;
- J. Jones (‘Myrddin Fardd’), Enw. Sir Gaern.;
- Bye–Gones, 27 April 1904;
- Llais Rhyddid, xix, 42-4;
- N.L.W. MS. 13701.
Author:
Sir William Llewelyn Davies, M.A., LL.D., F.S.A. (1887-1952), Aberystwyth
