Trefriw - Famous Inhabitants

Famous Inhabitants

• Thomas Wiliems (1545 or 1546 – 1620?). Referred to above in connection with the Gunpowder Plot.

• Evan Evans ("Ieuan Glan Geirionydd") was born in Trefriw in 1795, the son of a former shipwright. He was of Nonconformist parentage, and his parents are credited with founding the Calvinistic Methodist movement in the area. He started life as a schoolmaster, but attracted attention by his successes in poetry at various Eisteddfodau, his early imagination being charmed by the picturesque surroundings of his home area. He subsequently decided to move into the church, and was ordained in 1826. He was a hymn writer, but suffered from bad health — possibly a reason why his hymns, most in the form of prayers, are considered rather sad and deep. He held successively the curacies of Christleton and Ince, in Cheshire. Ill-health compelled him to leave Ince, and he spent some time in retirement among his beloved hills in Trefriw. When he had partially recovered, he was appointed to the curacy of Rhyl. He died on 21 January 1855, and is buried in the village cemetery. His poetical works were published under the title of Geirionydd.

• Dafydd Jones (1703–85) was a poet who wrote most of his works between 1750 and 1780. He lived at Tan yr yw in the village, as referred to above, and sometimes wrote under the name of Dewi Fardd. He progressed from publishing his own work to setting up on his own as a printer — some say that this was the first printing press in Wales. Some sources refer to Dafydd Jones as the Anglicised form "David Jones". The very first Welsh language publication of a purely political nature was a translation by him of a pamphlet on the American dispute.

• Gwilym Cowlyd, a native of Trefriw, was one of the most colourful figures in Welsh culture, and one who was very fond of the Cerdd Dant Festival. William John Roberts (1828–1904) was his real name, and the one he used in his day job as a printer and bookseller. However, he had a bee in his bonnet when it came to the National Eisteddfod and he would assume the bardic name of Gwilym Cowlyd when levelling severe criticism at the Gorsedd for being too Anglicised. Eventually, in 1865, he founded a separate festival to rival the big National Eisteddfod. He called it Arwest Glan Geirionydd (‘Music Festival on the Banks of the Lake Geirionydd’), and the meeting point was the Taliesin Memorial which now overlooks the lake.

• Mary Owen was born in Trefriw in 1803, and lived to the age of 108. She moved away to live at Fron Olew, Mynydd Llwydiarth, Pentraeth, overlooking Red Wharf Bay on Anglesey. By May 1911 she broke the record to become the oldest person to live in Wales, indeed in Britain. She died in 1911 and was buried in the graveyard at Pentraeth.

• In 1831 James Hughes was born in the village. Proficient on the harp, violin and flute, he became a harp-maker of renown. He died in Manchester in 1878 and is buried in the village churchyard.

• T.R. Williams y Ffatri was famous throughout the land as a festival conductor. He composed tunes and anthems, and four of them are in the Independent Hymnbook. He was organist in the Ebenezer Church and a deacon for 15 years. He died in 1922 and there is a stained-glass window there to commemorate him.

• William Jones, poet, was born in Trefriw in 1896. He studied at the University College of North Wales and became a Congregational minister before changing denomination and joining the Calvinistic Methodists. He lived and worked in Tremadog. He published two collections of poetry, Adar Rhiannon a Cherddi Eraill in 1947 and Sonedau a Thelynegion in 1950. As a poet and a person, he has been compared to R. Williams-Parry, who was a great friend of his. He died in 1961.

• Pierino Algieri, the renowned local photographer, was born in Trefriw in 1955.

• Dafydd Parri, author of the Welsh children's series Cyfres y Llewod, lived here. His children, which include Eisteddfod-winning poet Myrddin ap Dafydd and broadcaster/journalist Iolo ap Dafydd also lived in the village.

• Kate Roberts, the authoress, was first cousin to Hugh Griffith Roberts, who came from Trefriw.

• Richard Owen Roberts, the father of Gwilym Roberts the story-teller, was born in Llanrhychwyn.

• Dylan Cernyw, Welsh harpist and three-time Eisteddfod winner (1989, 1991 & 1994), was a former tenant of the Fairy Falls pub.

• Although not a resident, Alfred Bestall, author and illustrator of the Rupert Bear stories, holidayed in Trefriw in 1912 and 1913. It was at this time that he first visited Beddgelert, where he subsequently bought a house, and which provided much of the inspiration for his illustrations.