Rev. W. Pari Huws Papers

A collection of diaries dating from 1875 to 1935. They cover the period when W. Pari Huws was a student at the Bala College when Michael D. Jones was Principal and also the time when he visited the Yale Seminary in the United States. There is also an address on the centenary of Dolwyddelan Congregational Chapel, Caernarfonshire by him,1917.

Four diaries belong to William Hughes (Gwilym Prysor) from 1867 - 1870.

One document is described by the cataloguer as the book of John Williams (Ioan Rhagfyr), poet and musician, 1740-1821. It contains poetry, hymns and carols by him, along with contributions in other hands. There are details of allotments under the common land laws in Dolgellau at the beginning of the 19th century and a few medical notes. The book is dated c. 1803 - 1825.

Rev. W. Pari Huws was a Congregationalist and a Liberal. He was a conscientious minister, full of enthusiasm towards the social aspects of religious life, in particular the temperance cause. His diaries reveal that he was very active in the community. He was also an author of articles and poems.

In the 1870's W. Pari Huws visited the United States, but he returned in 1880 and accepted the calling from Brynmair and Beulah Chapels in Cardiganshire in 1881. Later, he served as minister at Dolgellau and Islaw'r-dref, Merionethshire. He died on 10 February 1936.

W. Pari Huws was the son of William Hughes (Gwilym Prysor) of Dolwyddelan, Caernarfonshire, cobbler. It is known that W. Pari Huws had at least three children. A son, Dr Gwilym Pari Huws, and two daughters. Eluned died in 1903 after a long illness and Morfudd, who was a student at the University College of North Wales, died in 1925.

The collection has been incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts. The diaries are arranged chronologically.

Open to all users.

The diaries were deposited by Dr. Gwilym Pari Huws of Old Colwyn, Denbighshire in January 1943.

Description compiled by Elen Wyn Hughes, November 2001.

An item level typescript catalogue is available at the Archives Department of the University of Wales Bangor. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts 4787A-4851, 5896

Usual copyright conditions apply. Reprographics are made at the discretion of the Archivist.

Item 4851 most probably came to the possession of W. Pari Huws when he was a minister at Dolgellau and Islaw'r-dref. It is possible that the volume once belonged to Ioan Rhagfyr (1740-1821), and before that, it was probably the property of the Jones family of Brynrhyg, Dolgellau.

The Papers of Gwilym Prysor are also held at the Archives Department of the University of Wales Bangor.