Llawysgrifau R.M. Williamson (Bardd Du Môn) a'i fab Owen Williamson

This material is held atArchifdy Prifysgol Bangor / Bangor University Archives

  • Reference
    • GB 222 BMSS/1756-1807
  • Dates of Creation
    • c. 1813 - 1910

Scope and Content

Casgliad o gyfansoddiadau barddol y Bardd Du o Fôn yn ei law ei hun. Marwnadau yn bennaf sydd yma ond hefyd cyfansoddiadau ar gyfer cystadleuthau Eisteddfodol gan gynnwys ei awdl i Eisteddfod dadleuol Aberffraw yn 1849. Mae yma hefyd bapurau amrywiol sy'n cynnwys llythyrau gan Robert Williamson sy'n ymwneud â barddoniaeth a chystadlaethau.

Yn arbennig ceir traethodau a chwedlau gan Owen Williamson sydd â chysylltiad cryf â Môn a hanes Niwbwrch.

A collection of the poetical compositions of Bardd Du Mn in his own hand. Elegies mainly, but also compositions for Eisteddfod competitions, including his ode for the controversial Aberffraw Eisteddfod in 1849. Also, miscellaneous papers which include letters by Robert Williamson which relate mainly to poetry and competitions.

Historical essays and fictional tales by Owen Williamson all of which have a strong Anglesey connection. In particular, there are works on the history of Newborough and the surrounding area e.g. Llanddwyn, Tal-y-Foel.

Administrative / Biographical History

Ganed Robert Williamson yn 1807 yn Helygain, y Fflint. Pan yn ddeunaw mlwydd oed daeth yn ysgolfeistr yn Niwbwrch, Ynys Môn ac fe arhosodd yno tan i'r ysgol gau yn 1843. Priododd Jane Roberts yn 1830 ac mae'n debyg iddynt gael tua 12 o blant, gyda rhai yn marw'n ifanc. Mabwysiadodd Robert Williams yr enw canol, "Mona" ar ôl symud i fyw i'r ynys.

Disgrifiwyd Robert Williamson gan Glenda Carr yn ei herthygl "Robert (Mona) Williamson, 1807-1852 Bardd Du Môn" yn Nhrafodion Cymdeithas Hanes Môn yn 1982 fel bardd toreithiog ond diawen. Roedd yn un o'r cystadleuwyr aflwyddiannus am y gadair yn Eisteddfod Aberffraw yn 1849 ac fe arweiniodd y gystadleuaeth hon at sgandal fawr.

Roedd ei ddiddordebau yn amrywiol ac yn ei amser hamdden byddai'n astudio ieithoedd, hanes, achyddiaeth, seryddiaeth a garddio. Cyhoeddodd ei gyfansoddiadau barddonol mewn pamffledi.

Ganed Owen Williamson, mab Robert, yn 1840. Mae'n ymddangos iddo ef, fel ei dad, ddioddef o iselder a gwendid corfforol. Mynychodd y Coleg Hyfforddi yng Nghaernarfon gyda'i frawd a daeth yn ysgolfeistr yn yr ysgol eglwys yn Llangeinwen ac yna yn yr ysgol fwrdd yn Nwyran, Ynys Môn. Roedd yn hynafiaethwr da ac yn lythyrwr mawr ac roedd yn mwynhau ysgrifennu chwedlau dychmygol ac yn cymeryd diddordeb yn hanes Ynys Môn. Ymysg ei gyhoeddiadau mae "Hanes Niwbwrch" (1895) a'r rhamant hanesyddol "Ceris y Pwll" (1908). Bu fawr Owen Williamson yn 1910.

Robert Williamson was born in 1807 in Halkyn, Flintshire. At the age of eighteen he became a schoolmaster at Newborough, Anglesey where he stayed until the closure of the school in 1843. He married Jane Roberts in 1830 and they are believed to have had about twelve children, some of which died at an early age. He adopted the middle name Mona after moving to Anglesey.

Robert has been described by Glenda Carr as A prolific if uninspired poet, he was one of the unsuccessful competitors for the chair at the Aberffraw eisteddfod of 1849; the competition led to a major scandal. His interests were varied and in his spare time he studied languages, history, genealogy, astronomy and gardening. He also published a number of his poetical compositions in the form of pamphlets.

Owen Williamson, son of Robert Williamson was born in 1840. He, like his father, appears to have suffered from depression and a physical weakness. He attended the North Wales Training College in Caernarfon with his brother, and became a schoolmaster at the church school in Llangeinwen and then at the board school in Dwyran, Anglesey. He was a good antiquarian and a man of letters who enjoyed writing fictional tales and took an interest in the history of the island of Anglesey. Amongst his publications are Hanes Niwbwrch (1895) and the historical romance Ceris y Pwll (1908). Owen Williamson died in 1910.

Other Finding Aids

Another catalogue description can be found here https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb222-bmsswil