Emrys Ap Iwan Manuscripts

The fonds consists of sermons and homilies written by Emrys ap Iwan. Some have been published in Homiliau (Denbigh, 1909).

R. Ambrose Jones was a minister with the Calvinist Methodists as well as a writer and literary adjudicator. Born in 1851 near Abergele, Denbighshire he left school at the age of 14 to become a shop delivery boy in Liverpool. He soon returned home and became a gardener for a while at Bodelwyddan. At the age of 18, he attended the Bala C.M. College in Merionethshire.

He taught English at Lausanne, France and travelled, but returned to Wales. He became a minister at Rhuthun and Trefnant, Denbighshire before moving to Rhewl, Flintshire. He was a prolific writer, contributing to various journals, having his letters printed in the newspapers of the day and his sermons published. He wanted Wales to regain its confidence and self-respect and was supportive of home-rule. He died in 1906.

The sermons and homilies are divided into three sections. Welsh sermons, English sermons and incomplete sermons. Within these sections there is no apparent system of arrangement. The manuscripts have been incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts.

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Description compiled by Elen Wyn Hughes, August 2001

An item level list is available at the Department of Manuscripts of the University of Wales Bangor. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts 8437-8463.

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

It appears that the Emrys ap Iwan Manuscripts were in the possession of T. Gwynn Jones (1871-1949) whilst he was preparing his biography on Emrys ap Iwan. Also, Rev. E. Tegla Davies (1880-1967) must have consulted the manuscripts with the intention of publishing a third volume of Homiliau, since his comments in red ink appear on some items.

Also held at the Department of Manuscripts of the University of Wales are other items relating to Emrys ap Iwan, mainly letters written by him to other Welsh notables. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts 2969, 10240(10), 22211, 26899.

Jones, Thomas GwynnEmrys ap Iwan : dysgadwr, llenor, cenedlgarwr. Cofiant (Caernarfon, 1912)