Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1962-1966. (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
1 folder ; 1 cm.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Aneirin Talfan Davies, OBE, MA (1909-80), was a writer and broadcaster. He was born in 1909 in Felindre, Henllan, Carmarthenshire, the son of the Rev. William Talfan Davies (1873-1938); his younger brother was Alun Talfan Davies, QC (1913-2000). He attended Gowerton Grammar School, but left aged 14 to become a pharmacist's apprentice. While working in London he became interested in literature and theology. He ran a pharmacy in Swansea from 1938 until 1941, when it was destroyed during an air raid. He began a new career with the BBC, reading and editing the Welsh-language news on radio. After the War he joined BBC Wales in Cardiff, becoming Head of Programmes,1966-1970, until his retirement. He was active in the Church in Wales as a writer and lay preacher and was involved with a number of cultural and literary bodies within Wales. His literary output included radio scripts, free metre poetry, literary criticism, mainly on English literature and theology, and lyrics and libretti with Arwel Hughes (1909-1988). He edited the magazines Heddiw and Barn, and contributed columns to Barn and the Western Mail. With his brother Alun, he co-founded Llyfrau'r Dryw, Llandybie (now Christopher Davies (Publishers) Ltd.). He wrote and edited many books including Eliot, Pwshcin, Poe (Llandybie, 1942), Yr Alltud (London, 1944), Gwyr Llên (London, 1948), Munudau Gyda'r Beirdd (Llandybie, 1954), Crwydro Sir Gâr (Llandybie, 1955), Dylan: Druid of a Broken Body (Denbigh, 1964), Gyda Gwawr a Bore (Llandybie, 1970) and two anthologies of his poetry, Y Ddau Lais (London, 1937) and Diannerch Erchwyn (Swansea: C. Davies, 1975). He married in 1936 and had two sons, Owen and Geraint. He died in 1980.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers, 1962-1966, relating to the publication of The colour of saying, ed. Ralph Maud and Aneirin Talfan Davies (London, 1963), mostly consisting of correspondence, including two letters from Aneirin Talfan Davies; together with related notes; a list of poems for inclusion in the volume; a memorandum of agreement, 1964, between the authors and publisher; and an agreement, 1966, between Ralph Maud and the University of Pittsburgh Press regarding a work entitled 'Entrances to Dylan Thomas' Poetry'.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions set out in information provided when applying for their Readers' Tickets, whereby the reader shall become responsible for compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to any processing by them of personal data obtained from modern records held at the Library.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Preferred citation: B4/1.