Papers, 1827-1914, of or relating to John Ceiriog Hughes (Ceiriog) containing material largely of literary and eisteddfodic interest. They include correspondence, [1852x1855]-1914, to and from Ceiriog, and also letters of his wife Annie Hughes and his daughter Delia Ceiriog Evans; autograph poetry, 1857-1887; press cuttings, [1853x1911], which include poetry by Ceiriog and obituaries and tributes to him; and a copy of Oriau'r Hwyr (Ruthin, [1860]), with press cuttings of reviews.
Ceiriog manuscripts
This material is held atNational Library of Wales / Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru
- Reference
- GB 210 MSCEIRIOG
- Alternative Id.(alternative) vtls004544566
- Dates of Creation
- 1827-1918
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English Welsh Welsh, English.
- Physical Description
- 42 volumes.
- Location
- ARCH/MSS (GB0210)
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
John Ceiriog Hughes, poet, was born John Hughes at Llanarmon in 1832. At a very young age he had already published poems in the periodical Baner Cymru and edited a poetry column in Y Greal. His first poetical mentor was Robert Ellis (Cynddelw). In 1849 Hughes moved to Manchester, obtaining a job as goods station clerk in London Road. The young man soon entered the circle of influential Welsh literary figures living at that time in Manchester, a circle which included William Williams (Creuddynfab), Robert Jones Derfel and John Jones (Idris Fychan). It was R. J. Derfel who taught Hughes the value of Wales, the Welsh language and its poetical tradition and it was under Derfel's influence that Hughes added 'Ceiriog' to his name. Idris Fychan passed on to Hughes his love of collecting Welsh airs and melodies, a practice which Hughes kept up thereafter throughout his life. Around 1863, Hughes published Cant o Ganeuon, a collection of Welsh airs to which he had added words of his own composition, effectively rendering the airs into songs. The composer Brinley Richards included Hughes's words to music in his Songs of Wales (London, 1873). In 1865 Hughes returned to Wales and took up the post of station-master at Llanidloes, transferring in 1870 to Tywyn. In 1871 he was appointed railway inspector on the newly-opened line between Caersws and the Van lead mines near Llanidloes. He died in 1887 and was buried at Llanwnog. A collection of Hughes's last poems, Yr Oriau Olaf, were published by Isaac Foulkes (Llyfrbryf) in 1888.
Arrangement
Arranged according to NLW MSS reference numbers: NLW MSS 4551-4553, 5400A, 5559B, 10165-10195, 15599-15601, 17527B, 21620B, 24172D.
Access Information
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions set out in information provided when applying for their Readers' Tickets, whereby the reader shall become responsible for compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 in relation to any processing by them of personal data obtained from modern records held at the Library.
Disgwylir i ddarllenwyr sydd am ddefnyddio papurau modern yn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru gydymffurfio â Deddf Warchod Data 2018 a Rheoliadau Diogelu Data Cyffredinol 2018 yng nghyd-destun unrhyw brosesu ganddynt o ddata personol a gasglwyd o gofnodion modern sydd ar gadw yn y Llyfrgell. Nodir y manylion yn yr wybodaeth a roddir wrth wneud cais am Docyn Darllen.
Acquisition Information
NLW MSS 4551-4553: David Jones, JP; Liverpool; Donation; October 1920.
NLW MS 5400A: Mrs Delia Ceiriog Evans, daughter of Ceiriog; Donation; October 1927.
NLW MS 5559B: Mr R. Barrow Griffith; Barmouth; Donation; May 1927.
NLW MSS 10165-10195: Mrs Delia Ceiriog Evans; London; Purchase; 1935.
NLW MSS 15599-15601: Mrs D. Ceiriog Evans; Aberystwyth; Purchase; December 1947.
NLW MS 17527B: Mrs Victoria Decima Evans, daughter-in-law of Mrs D. Ceiriog Evans (per Mr Ffransis G. Payne, MA, FSA, St. Fagans); Penarth; Donation; December 1960.
NLW MS 21620B: Mrs Phyllida Lindsay, great-grand-daughter of Ceiriog; London; Donation; April 1979.
NLW MS 24172D: Mr Gareth Vaughan Williams; Wrexham; Donation; April 2021; 991110928602419.
Note
John Ceiriog Hughes, poet, was born John Hughes at Llanarmon in 1832. At a very young age he had already published poems in the periodical Baner Cymru and edited a poetry column in Y Greal. His first poetical mentor was Robert Ellis (Cynddelw). In 1849 Hughes moved to Manchester, obtaining a job as goods station clerk in London Road. The young man soon entered the circle of influential Welsh literary figures living at that time in Manchester, a circle which included William Williams (Creuddynfab), Robert Jones Derfel and John Jones (Idris Fychan). It was R. J. Derfel who taught Hughes the value of Wales, the Welsh language and its poetical tradition and it was under Derfel's influence that Hughes added 'Ceiriog' to his name. Idris Fychan passed on to Hughes his love of collecting Welsh airs and melodies, a practice which Hughes kept up thereafter throughout his life. Around 1863, Hughes published Cant o Ganeuon, a collection of Welsh airs to which he had added words of his own composition, effectively rendering the airs into songs. The composer Brinley Richards included Hughes's words to music in his Songs of Wales (London, 1873). In 1865 Hughes returned to Wales and took up the post of station-master at Llanidloes, transferring in 1870 to Tywyn. In 1871 he was appointed railway inspector on the newly-opened line between Caersws and the Van lead mines near Llanidloes. He died in 1887 and was buried at Llanwnog. A collection of Hughes's last poems, Yr Oriau Olaf, were published by Isaac Foulkes (Llyfrbryf) in 1888.
The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume III (Aberystwyth, 1961); Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig hyd 1940 (Llundain, 1953); Oxford Dictionary of National Biography on-line
Title based on contents of fonds.
NLW MSS 10165-10195 formerly Ceiriog MSS 1-31.
In a letter, dated 12 November 1947, to the Librarian at NLW, Delia Ceiriog Hughes confirms that her Father 'did have a disastrous fire in the little room where he kept his precious papers', accounting for the condition of NLW MS 15601E and possibly suggesting the loss of other papers.
Other Finding Aids
NLW MSS 10165-10195: Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume III (Aberystwyth, 1961), pp. 193-198.
Archivist's Note
August 2008 and May 2011.
Description compiled by Bethan Ifan for the retrospective conversion project of NLW MSS, and revised by Bethan Ifan.
Conditions Governing Use
Usual copyright laws apply.
Custodial History
NLW MSS 15599-15601 purchased by Delia Ceiriog Evans from an unidentified seller (cf. NLW MS 17527B, ff. 57-70).
Additional Information
Published
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales