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ROBERTS, ELLIS (Elis Wyn o Wyrfai ; 1827-1895); his father, MORRIS ROBERTS (Eos Llyfnwy ); and his grandfather, ROBERT MORRIS (Robin Ddu Eifionydd ).

ROBERT MORRIS (Robin Ddu Eifionydd ; fl. 1767-1816) was the son of Morris Roberts and his wife Elin Williams, Pen-carth (Tŷ Popty?), Llanystumdwy; he was christened in the parish church, 16 April 1769. He became a flax-worker; afterwards he appears to have been a miller. He wrote poems in the strict and free metres and published a book, Ffurf yr Athrawiaeth Iachus … (Caernarfon, 1816), in which he defended his faith as a Baptist. Spinther (Hanes y Bed., iii, 342-3) gives the titles of some of his poems (among them ‘Cerdd i Mr. Madog a'i Dref’ — see Madocks, W. A.); there is a copy in Corph y Gaingc, 1810 (ed. D. Thomas, Dafydd Ddu Eryri) of ‘Emyn ar Ddydd Ympryd gan Robert Morys, Bryn-y-gro, yn agos i Lanllyfni.’ John Jones (Myrddin Fardd) in Gen., 1883, 238, gives the titles of three odes written by Robin Ddu, viz. ‘Llesoldeb Gwybodaeth,’ 1799, ‘Dedwyddwch,’ 1802, and ‘Rhagluniaeth,’ 1803. The date of his death is unknown, but he published a book (above) in 1816. He was buried in the Particular Baptists’ burial ground at Garn Dolbenmaen. Besides Eos >Llyfnwy (below) he had another son, ROBERT MORRIS, a preacher who was responsible in part for the starting of the Welsh Baptist cause in Birmingham (Spinther, iv, 397).

MORRIS ROBERTS (Eos Llyfnwy ; c. 1797-1876), was a miller. John Jones (Myrddin Fardd) says in Enwogion Sir Gaernarfon that little of his poetical work has been published; it is known that his Awdl Marwnad y Parch. Edward Jones, A.C., Curad Parhaus Llandegai … yr hwn a fu farw Rhagfyr 15 fed 1845 was printed. He d. 25 July 1876, aged 79, and was buried in Mellteyrn churchyard.

ELLIS ROBERTS (Elis Wyn o Wyrfai ; 1827-1895), cleric and writer; b. 13 Feb. 1827 at Llwyn Gwalch, Llandwrog, Caerns., third son of Morris Roberts (Eos Llyfnwy) and Margaret his wife. He worked in his father's mill from the time he was about 11 until he was 23. He then went, for about six months, to the school kept at Clynnog by Ebenezer Thomas (Eben Fardd) (q.v.), who wrote a ‘Cywydd Brud i Ellis Roberts, bardd ieuanc, ac un o ysgolorion Eben Vardd yn 1850.’ From this school at Clynnog he went to the Caernarvon training college for intending teachers; he afterwards taught at Waun-fawr, Caerns., and at Llwyn-y-gell, Ffestiniog. When he was at the latter place he prepared for ordination. He was ordained deacon (at S. Asaph) in 1862 and became curate at Rhosymedre, Denbs.; he was priested in 1863. He became rector of Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr in 1866 and left that living in 1872 for the neighbouring vicariate of Llangwm, Denbs., where he d. 23 April 1895.

Elis Wyn became well known as a poet and a literary adjudicator; he also edited Yr Haul from 1885 until 1895. He won prizes for poems at eisteddfodau held at Rhuddlan 1850, Ffestiniog 1854, Llanelly 1856, Ruthin 1857, Rhymney 1859, Caernarvon 1877, Llangurig 1882, but lost to his old schoolmaster, Eben Fardd, on the subject of the ‘Battle of Bosworth Field’ at the Llangollen eisteddfod of 1858. He adjudicated at the national eisteddfod from c. 1874 onwards. He published Hanes y Cymry, 1853; Awdl y Sabboth, c. 1856; Awdl Maes Bosworth, 1858; Awdl Farwnad Ab Ithel, c. 1878; Buddugoliaeth y Groes, 1880; Wreck of the London, 1865; Massacre of the Monks of Bangor Iscoed, 1876; Ordination Sermon, 1893, etc. He translated bishop How's commentary on the Four Gospels into Welsh and was responsible for two editions of Hymnau yr Eglwys.

He m., 26 Dec. 1854, at Llanbeblig, Esther May Roberts, schoolmistress at Llwyn-y-gell, Ffestiniog. Besides a daughter, he and his wife had three sons who entered the Church.

Bibliography:

To the references quoted in the text add Yr Haul, June 1895 and Sept. 1942;
Clergy List, 1884;
Gen., 1896, 1897, 1899;
Y Brython (Tremadog), iii, 67;
Asaph (Em. W.);
N.L.W. MSS. 2126, 8856, 13701.

Author:

Sir William Llewelyn Davies, M.A., LL.D., F.S.A. (1887-1952), Aberystwyth