Papers of John Jones, Ty'n y Braich

The collection consists of the poetical and literary works of John Jones, some of which were entered for Eisteddfod competition, along with his diaries, 1879 - 1882 and letters written to him by family members, friends and fellow poets. Amongst his correspondents are Rev. R. Mawddwy Jones, Ieuan Meurig and Ioan Anwyl, and their letters mainly relate to poems and Eisteddfod competitions.

Amongst the papers there is a report on the sunday schools of the Montgomeryshire Union, 1825 along with a minute book of Mawddwy Sunday School Union, 1853-1870, for which John Jones was obviously secretary. There are essays and articles on such subjects as the Sunday school of Dinas Mawddwy and an ode by Gwalchmai which was successful in the 1855 Dinas Mawddwy Eisteddfod.

Amongst the miscellaneous items are two copy wills belonging to David Jones, Llwyn-y-grug and Robert Jones, Ty'n pwll of Mallwyd, Merionethshire, 1838 and 1852. Also, an account book of the servants at Llwyn-y-grug under John Jones between 1880-1894 and a diary belonging to E. Deulyn Jones, 1900, son of John Jones whilst at college at Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire.

John Jones of Ty'n y Braich, Dinas Mawddwy, Merionethshire was a poet who's work can be seen scattered throughout the pages of such newspapers as Y Genhinen. He was a farmer and a fervent Congregationalist with an interest in recording the beginnings of the cause and its history in Dyffryn Mawddwy. He lived for a while during the 1860's in Chester, where he was given the bardic name John Bright, and where he met Ioan (John) Anwyl, father of Sir Edward Anwyl, 1866-1914. John Jones was elected the first councillor for Mawddwy in 1889 and he is believed to have been a Justice of the Peace during his later years. He had at least two sons, E. Deulyn Jones and Baldwin Jones - the latter died at a young age.

There is no apparent system of arrangement, although letters are grouped into individual correspondents. The collection has been incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts

Open to all users.

Description compiled by Elen Wyn Hughes, September 2001

An item level catalogue is available at the Department of Manuscripts of the University of Wales Bangor. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts 3231-3243, 5371-5406

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