Gwyn Thomas Papers,

Papers of Gwyn Thomas, comprising autobiographical material, [c. 1946]-[c. 1972]; drafts, typescripts, notebooks and photocopies of novels and stories, [c. 1935]-1974; plays, including reviews of plays, [1940s]-1978; essays, articles and lectures by or about GT, 1926-1985; scripts for radio and television, including tributes to GT 1948-1988; book reviews, 1961-1971; professional and personal correspondence of GT and occasionally other family members, 1931-1985; letters to and from his wife, Lyn Thomas, after his death, 1981-1984; cuttings, 1937-1986; photographs; miscellaneous personal and literary papers [post-1913]-1984; notebooks [c. 1935]-[1970s]; and material collected by GT's biographer, Michael Parnell, including drafts and notes for the biography, notes , articles and correspondence on GT and his works, [c. 1984]-1989. Further manuscripts comprise a notebook, typescripts of two plays and letters.

Gwyn Thomas (1913-1981) was one of the foremost Welsh writers of the 20th century. He wrote novels and short stories, plays for radio and stage, and was also a scriptwriter and presenter for television. He was born in Cwm Rhondda, Glamorgan, the son of Walter and Ziphorah, and was the youngest of their twelve children. He was educated at Cymer Elementary School and Porth County School, Glamorgan, and went to St Edmund Hall Oxford in 1931, to read Modern Languages. He spent part of his degree course at the University of Madrid, and visited parts of northern Spain on his trek homewards during the summer of 1933. He returned home to Cymer in 1934, and between 1936-1938 he contributed articles to the Rhondda Leader, and lectured for the WEA on international relations. He married Eiluned (Lyn) Thomas in 1938. In 1940, he became teacher of Modern Languages at Cardigan County School, and later at Barry County School, where he remained until 1962. During this period he published eight novels, a novella and three collections of stories, and produced over a dozen plays and feature programmes for radio. In the 1960s and 1970s, he contributed more to television and theatre, and wrote articles for periodicals including Punch. Gwyn Thomas died in April 1981. After his death, Michael Parnell (1934-1991) prepared a biography, and also oversaw new editions of some of his novels.

Arranged into the following: Gwyn Thomas papers comprising autobiographical material; novels and stories; plays; essays, articles and lectures; A Welsh Eye; radio and television; television reviews; book reviews; correspondence and miscellaneous notes; cuttings; oddments; Michael Parnell papers; notebooks. The further manuscripts have been listed as NLW MSS 20778B, 22003D and Misc. Vols 282-3.

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Purchased, 1981. Further papers purchased from Mrs Mary Parnell, Cardiff, 1998.

Gwyn Thomas (1913-1981) was one of the foremost Welsh writers of the 20th century. He wrote novels and short stories, plays for radio and stage, and was also a scriptwriter and presenter for television. He was born in Cwm Rhondda, Glamorgan, the son of Walter and Ziphorah, and was the youngest of their twelve children. He was educated at Cymer Elementary School and Porth County School, Glamorgan, and went to St Edmund Hall Oxford in 1931, to read Modern Languages. He spent part of his degree course at the University of Madrid, and visited parts of northern Spain on his trek homewards during the summer of 1933. He returned home to Cymer in 1934, and between 1936-1938 he contributed articles to the Rhondda Leader, and lectured for the WEA on international relations. He married Eiluned (Lyn) Thomas in 1938. In 1940, he became teacher of Modern Languages at Cardigan County School, and later at Barry County School, where he remained until 1962. During this period he published eight novels, a novella and three collections of stories, and produced over a dozen plays and feature programmes for radio. In the 1960s and 1970s, he contributed more to television and theatre, and wrote articles for periodicals including Punch. Gwyn Thomas died in April 1981. After his death, Michael Parnell (1934-1991) prepared a biography, and also oversaw new editions of some of his novels.

Title supplied from contents of fonds. Includes later material prepared by Michael Parnell, and letters to and by family members after Gwyn Thomas's death.

Hard copies of the catalogue and NLW Handlist are available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogues are available online.

March 2003.

Compiled by Richard Burman for the ANW Project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW Schedules, Gwyn Thomas Manuscripts and Papers; Gwyn Thomas Manuscripts and Papers II; Parnell, Michael, Laughter from the Dark: a life of Gwyn Thomas (London, 1988);

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records purchased by the National Library of Wales have been retained..

Some rearrangement of material was undertaken following deposit in the National Library of Wales. A draft catalogue was drawn up following the deposit, but has been superseded by a new schedule.

Accruals are not expected.

The papers have provided source material for the biography of Gwyn Thomas by Michael Parnell, Laughter from the Dark: a life of Gwyn Thomas (London, 1988).

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales