Gwredog Manuscripts

A collection of 808 items which includes, a Gwredog account book, 1784-1804; account and commonplace books of Samuel Judd, joiner and undertaker of Amlwch, 1837-1849; eleven account books (1827-1867) and nineteen diaries (1825-1868) of William Jones of Brynymor, Penmaenmawr; records of Gwredog, comprising farm and account books (1842-1922) and diaries (1857 and 1871-1922) of William Jones's son Elias Jones (d.1892), his grandson Owen Lloyd Jones (d.1898) and grand-daughter Mary Jane Jones.

The additional group of 464 items deposited in 1959 comprises of family correspondence and miscellaneous papers covering the period 1829-1924.

The further additional group of 233 papers deposited in 1967 comprise of letters to and from various members of the family, 1807-1910; miscellaneous letters, 1829-1913; letter books, 1861-1923; rentals, etc., 1862-1921; diaries and journals, 1870-1924; accounts, 1818-1930; deeds, wills and other legal documents, 1786-c.1939; and miscellaneous papers, 1822-ca.1915.

The founders of the family fortunes of Gwredog were John Owen of Gwredog, Amlwch and William Jones of Dwygyfylchi. The former benefited from the prosperity of Mynydd Parys at the end of the eighteenth century. The latter took advantage of the hard stone, which was to be found in great quantity on his land. John Owen's granddaughter married the son of William Jones of Dwygyfylchi, Elias Jones and he is the outstanding personality in the family tree. He had great possessions at Penmaen-mawr and managed one of the largest farms in Anglesey. When he married Mary Jones he went to live at Gwredog. He was a Justice of the Peace, and for forty years he was a Guardian of the Anglesey Union and a deputy chairman for twenty-six years. He was also a provisional chairman of the first meeting of the county council and was one of the foremost laymen in the Methodist denomination and a supporter of all good causes in Church and Chapel. In politics, he was a stout liberal. The son of Elias Jones, Owen Lloyd Jones, worthily carried on the Gwredog traditions of benefice and hospitality. He applied to Gwredog many of the new ideas in agricultural science and farming practice. He deepened and extended his father's interest in black cattle, and won many prizes in shows, both national and local. He was also a Methodist deacon, a JP and a County Councillor. When he died he was treasurer to the Anglesey 'Cwrdd Misol'. For the next quarter of a century the wide domain of Gwredog fell to the government of a lady, daughter of Elias Jones and sister of O. Lloyd Jones.

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Presented by Sir Wynne Cemlyn Jones of Trewen, Penmaen-mawr, a great-grandson of William Jones of Brynymor, Penmaen-mawr, and a descendant also of Owen Prichard (d.1760), of Gwredog, Amlwch. Miss Gaynor Cemlyn Jones of Menai Bridge (daughter of Sir Wynne Cemlyn Jones) presented an additional group of items in April 1959. She also deposited further additional manuscripts in January 1967.