Elias Family Papers

This collection consists of material accumulated by the Elias family of Llanrwst, Denbighshire and Penmaenmawr, Caernarfonshire (now in Gwynedd) in particular by Thomas Elias, genealogist and antiquary and his great grandfather, the poet and genealogist William Elias.

Material mainly relates to the genealogy of certain well-known families in north Wales and the archaeology of the area. It includes a bound volume on Welsh genealogies from the collection by Owen Gruffydd of Llanystumdwy, poet and antiquary, which was inscribed and presented to his pupil William Elias. Also includes a volume containing pedigrees of well-known Welsh families and details on Caernarfon sheriffs compiled by Thomas Elias. Also includes Elias family pedigrees and miscellaneous deeds and other documents accumulated by Thomas Elias.

Thomas Elias (1833-1901) of Llanrwst, Denbighshire, was well known as a local genealogist and antiquary. He was knowledgeable about Welsh archaeology and regularly contributed articles to newspapers; when the British Archaeological Society held their conference at Conwy in 1897, he contributed a paper on the abbeys and monasteries of the Conwy Valley. He was interested in local politics, and was a member of the Llanrwst Urban District Council, the Llanrwst Parish Council and was a governor of the Llanrwst County School. An obituary in the Welsh Coast Pioneer describes him as a staunch Conservative and Churchman. He operated a successful brewing business at Llanrwst, which was taken over after his death by his son, Arthur E. Elias, who was a painter.

Thomas Elias' father, William Elias, was land agent to Lord Newborough of the Glynllifon Estate, Caernarfon. His great grandfather, also William Elias (1708-1787), the eminent Anglesey poet and genealogist, was a contemporary and friend of poet and cleric Goronwy Owen (1723-1769), and of the well-known Methodist preacher Lewis Morris (1760-1855), and a pupil of the poet and antiquary, Owen Gruffydd (ca. 1643-1730) of Llanystumdwy, Caernarfonshire, to which some of the material in this collection relates.

Material is arranged in chronological order, according to type and incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts .

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Papers deposited by P.G. Elias and Miss Elias of Penmaenmawr, children of Thomas Elias of Llanrwst.

Description compiled by Anne Lenaghan, September 2001

Item level word-processed list is available at the Archives Department at the University of Wales, Bangor. Reference numbers: General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts: 10268-10313

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