Bodfan Anwyl Papers,

Papers of Bodfan, 1893-1935, comprising letters received by him, 1899-1935, mainly from friends discussing current literary trends and etymological and lexicographical matters; sermons, 1895-1901; miscellaneous poems, notes and printed matter, 1905-1933; and papers, mainly notebooks, relating to his brother Sir Edward Anwyl, 1893-1918.

'Bodfan', John Bodvan Anwyl (1875-1949), was a Congregational minister, lexicographer and author. He was born in Chester, the younger brother of Sir Edward Anwyl (1866-1914). In 1899 he became minister of Elim Welsh Independent Church, Ffynnonddrain, Carmarthen, but resigned due to deafness in 1904 and became a missioner at Glamorgan Mission to the Deaf and Dumb in Pontypridd. He edited Spurrell's Welsh-English Dictionary, 6th edition (Carmarthen, 1914), and the English-Welsh Dictionary, 7th edition (Carmarthen, 1916). After a period working in the National Library of Wales, 1919-1921, he was appointed Secretary of the University of Wales Board of Celtic Studies Welsh Dictionary, 1921-1935. During this period he also wrote several books: Englynion (Wrexham, 1933), Fy Hanes I Fy Hunan (Carmarthen, 1933) and Yr Arian Mawr (Carmarthen, 1934) and edited Ellis Wynne's Gweledigaethau y Bardd Cwsc (Carmarthen, 1927) and Theophilus Evans' Drych y Prif Oesoedd (Carmarthen, 1932). He spent his final years in Llangwnnadl, Caernarfonshire, his mother's family home, and died there by drowning on 23 July 1949.

Arranged into the following: correspondence; sermons; miscellaneous papers; Sir Edward Anwyl material.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Source of the main group is not recorded. The sermons were donated by his niece Miss E.C. Anwyl, Gainsborough, and Mr J. Emrys Anwyl, Bala, 1976.

'Bodfan', John Bodvan Anwyl (1875-1949), was a Congregational minister, lexicographer and author. He was born in Chester, the younger brother of Sir Edward Anwyl (1866-1914). In 1899 he became minister of Elim Welsh Independent Church, Ffynnonddrain, Carmarthen, but resigned due to deafness in 1904 and became a missioner at Glamorgan Mission to the Deaf and Dumb in Pontypridd. He edited Spurrell's Welsh-English Dictionary, 6th edition (Carmarthen, 1914), and the English-Welsh Dictionary, 7th edition (Carmarthen, 1916). After a period working in the National Library of Wales, 1919-1921, he was appointed Secretary of the University of Wales Board of Celtic Studies Welsh Dictionary, 1921-1935. During this period he also wrote several books: Englynion (Wrexham, 1933), Fy Hanes I Fy Hunan (Carmarthen, 1933) and Yr Arian Mawr (Carmarthen, 1934) and edited Ellis Wynne's Gweledigaethau y Bardd Cwsc (Carmarthen, 1927) and Theophilus Evans' Drych y Prif Oesoedd (Carmarthen, 1932). He spent his final years in Llangwnnadl, Caernarfonshire, his mother's family home, and died there by drowning on 23 July 1949.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can be accessed on-line.

September 2003

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of Bodfan Anwyl Papers; Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940 (London, 1959); Dictionary of Welsh Biography, 1941-1970 (London, 2001).

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.

Further family papers are National Library of Wales, Anwyl Family Papers. Further papers of Edward Anwyl are National Library of Wales MSS 2421-2505, and in National Library of Wales, J. Glyn Davies Correspondence.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales