Robin Ddu Eryri Manuscripts

Manuscripts consisting of :

• A bound volume of letters, poems and miscellaneous items such as tickets and notices of lectures by Robin Ddu Eryri.
• A manuscript in the format of a diary recording Robin Ddu Eryri's trial and tribulations living amongst the Mormons in Wales, 1853-1854.
• An essay on John Elias.
• A form of Welsh dictionary, providing quick and witty definitions to common terms and names, beginning with adroddwr cofus and finishing with uniondeb.

Robin Ddu Eryri, as described by Thomas Richards, former librarian of the University of Wales Bangor, was a lecturer, a bard, a preacher, a teetotaller, a drunkard and a bounder !

He was born in Caernarfon in 1804 as Robert Parry the son of a tailor and bone doctor. He had several professions. He was an itinerant bard, a teacher, lecturer, preacher and a clerk in a solicitor's office. Robin Ddu Eryri also spoke on behalf of the Mormons and was editor of Y Wawr between 1850-1852. He died in 1892.

He composed hundreds of elegies and poems for weddings and a volume of his poetry was published in 1857 under the title, Teithiau Barddoniaeth Robyn Ddu, which also included his autobiography.

Manuscripts incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts

Open to all users.

Items received in 1931.

Description compiled by Elen Wyn Hughes, June 2002.

An item level typescript catalogue is available at the Archives Department of the University of Wales Bangor. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts 752-755

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

Further material relating to Robin Ddu Eryri is held at the Archives Department of the University of Wales. Consult the card index at the Department for further details.