Taliesin o Eifion Manuscripts,

Papers, [1801x1876], of Thomas Jones ('Taliesin o Eifion') which include autograph poetry; the manuscript of Gweithiau Taliesin o Eifion (Bardd y Gadair Ddu) (ed. William Evans ('Wil Ifan')) (Wrecsam, 1922); correspondence, 1890-1922, relating to the publication of 'Taliesin o Eifion's works; material, [1876x1935], relating to the National Eisteddfod held at Wrexham, 1876; and transcripts of 'Taliesin o Eifion's poetry by his son, J. Llewelyn Jones, and others.

Thomas Jones ('Taliesin o Eifion'), poet, was born in Llanystumdwy in 1820. In 1826 he and his family moved to Llangollen, where, following a period of schooling, Jones took up his father's profession of plumber and decorator. He showed an early aptitude for the measures of cynghanedd and became a prominent 'eisteddfodwr'. He submitted the winning awdl for the competition of the chair at Wrexham National Eisteddfod, 1876, but died before claiming his prize; the bardic chair was draped in black, and Thomas Jones consequently became known as 'Bardd y Gadair Ddu', the 'Poet of the Black Chair'. Jones's work 'Brwydr Crogen' is one of the earliest examples of metrical drama in the Welsh language.

Arranged according to NLW reference numbers: NLW MSS 9615-9627.

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Mrs Joseph Morgan ('Mair Taliesin'), daughter of Thomas Jones; Caerphilly; Presentation; 1935

Thomas Jones ('Taliesin o Eifion'), poet, was born in Llanystumdwy in 1820. In 1826 he and his family moved to Llangollen, where, following a period of schooling, Jones took up his father's profession of plumber and decorator. He showed an early aptitude for the measures of cynghanedd and became a prominent 'eisteddfodwr'. He submitted the winning awdl for the competition of the chair at Wrexham National Eisteddfod, 1876, but died before claiming his prize; the bardic chair was draped in black, and Thomas Jones consequently became known as 'Bardd y Gadair Ddu', the 'Poet of the Black Chair'. Jones's work 'Brwydr Crogen' is one of the earliest examples of metrical drama in the Welsh language.

Title based on contents.

Formerly 'Taliesin o Eifion' MSS 1-13.

Preferred citation: NLW MSS 9615-9627.

Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume III (Aberystwyth, 1961), pp. 155-6.

May 2008 & May 2011.

Description compiled by Bethan Ifan for the retrospective conversion project of NLW MSS and revised by Bethan Ifan. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume III (Aberystwyth, 1961); Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig hyd 1940 (Llundain, 1953);

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Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales