William Thomas Edwards
William Thomas Edwards, better known by his bardic name, Gwilym Deudraeth, was born in Caernarfon in 1863. His family moved south to Penrhyndeudraeth whilst he was still quite young. Their first house was in Castle Street, then Church Place, finally they moved to what became their family home at 3 Cambrian View. Although born into a seafaring family, an early voyage to Le Havre proved too much, and he subsequently went to work at the Oakeley Quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog and later for the Festiniog Railway Company. His great uncle on his father's side (grandmothers brother) was Robert Williams, the first stationmaster at Tanygrisiau in the 1860s.
He worked as station master at Dduallt and Tan y Bwlch. In 1881 he was still a quarryman, living in Church Place, Penrhyndeudraeth with his parents and siblings. He was stationed at Dduallt in 1883 and 1887 and on the station staff until at least November 1890 (but gone by May 1891).
By 1892 his first daughter was born in Liverpool and he appears on the census there in 1901 and 1911.
He was a poet, composing numerous englynion, and his work was published in 1926, 'Ychydig ar gof a chadw' and in 1943, 'Yr Awen Barod'.
Bangor University has a collection of his papers[1]
He died in 1940, at Merton, Bootle.[2]
Census Entry for 1881[edit]
| An entry has been found for this person at Church Place, Penrhyndeudraeth |
| where the age is recorded as: 19 |
References[edit]
- ^ Papers held at Bangor Uni
- ^ John Winton "Article", Festiniog Railway Heritage Group Journal, Issue 022, page(s): 010