Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1310]-[1958] / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.19 cubic metres (8 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Misses Davies of Gregynog were Gwendoline Elizabeth Davies (1882-1951) and Margaret Davies (1884-1963) of Gregynog who were art collectors and benefactresses. They were the granddaughters of David Davies of Llandinam, Montgomeryshire, whose fortune was derived from contracting, coal, railways and docks. The sisters had a Calvinist background, and acquired Gregynog mansion near Newtown, Montgomeryshire, after the First World War. Their original intention was to build an art centre there. They established the Gregynog Press which became one of the foremost private presses of the inter-war era, producing fine examples of book craft, containing excellent illustrations. From 1908, the Davies sisters began to collect the work of the French Impressionists, and bought paintings by Cezanne ('Still life with teapot'), van Gogh ('Rain at Auvers'), Monet, Renoir and others, as well as Rodin, JMW Turner and Augustus John (many can be seen at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff). The sisters funded the National Council of Music for Wales. At Gregynog, they hosted conferences about contemporary issues.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The Davies deeds were deposited by the Misses Davies, Gregynog, in 1947, and the Gregynog Collection was donated to the NLW in 1962.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Collection of deeds and other papers, [1310]-[1958], of Gwendoline Elizabeth Davies and Margaret Davies, including printed books, 1478-1844, papers concerning the Gregynog Press, 1922-1960, copies of books, 1923-1940, ephemera, 1927-1962, designs and drawings, n.d.; and deeds relating to properties in Montgomeryshire, 1597-1832.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records have been retained.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged in chronolgical order.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright regulations apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Middle English, East Anglian, English, Welsh, Spanish, Latin, French, Greek, German.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the the National Library of Wales.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds. The dates of the papers in the collection and the dates of the deeds pre-date the lives of Gwendoline Elisabeth Davies and Margaret Davies.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Gregynog Press -- Records and correspondence (Subject)
- Gregynog Press. (Subject)
- Davies, Margaret Sidney, 1884-1963 (Subject)
- Davies, Gwendoline Elizabeth, ca. 1882-1951 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
January 2003
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of Davies (Gregynog) Collection of Deeds; Dictionary of Welsh biography, 1941-1970 (2001), John: Hanes Cymru (1990).