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Only top-level descriptions Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales With digital objects
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David Jones letters to Tom Burns

  • NLW MS 21797E.
  • File
  • 1940-1971

Twenty-three letters, 1940-1971, from David Jones, artist and writer, to his friend T. F. (Tom) Burns, nineteen of which date from the period 1940-1944 and form a valuable source for the life and work of the writer during the war years. The principal subjects discussed in the others are the history of Wales, the early history of the compass, Malory's Morte Arthur and the writer's experiences in the First World War. Twelve of these letters were printed, wholly or in part, by René Hague in Dai Greatcoat: A self-portrait of David Jones in his Letters (London, 1980).

Jones, David, 1895-1974

David Lloyd George notebook

  • NLW MS 24179A.
  • File
  • [1910]

A notebook, [1910], belonging to David Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, containing rough notes in pencil for speeches given by him in late November and early December, on the campaign trail for the December 1910 General Election (ff. 1-41, 94 verso).
The volume contains material which can be found in Lloyd George's speeches in Edinburgh, 26 November (ff. 1 verso, 3-4 verso, 6-7, 8 recto-verso), Cardiff, 29 November (ff. 9 verso, 11 verso-13, 14, 15 verso-16), Ipswich, 2 December (ff. 18, 22, 23 verso), Glasgow, 5 December (f. 31 recto-verso), North Wales, 7-9 December (f. 36 recto-verso), and East Ham, 15 December (f. 39, 40 verso). Lloyd George also critiques at length Lord Rosebery's speeches of 30 November and 3 December 1910 (ff. 16 verso-33 passim). The notes relate mainly to the Parliament Bill to reform the House of Lords (passed as the Parliament Act 1911), the issue on which the election was called, but also tariff reform, Home Rule, land tax, etc. The volume is entirely in English except for two sentences in Welsh (ff. 30 verso, 35 verso).

Lloyd George, David, 1863-1945

Day book of Thomas Jones, Pencerrig

  • NLW MS 23811E [RESTRICTED ACCESS].
  • File
  • 1758-1797

Day book, 1788-1797, of the artist Thomas Jones, Pencerrig, relating to the Pencerrig estate in the parish of Llanelwedd, Radnorshire, recording details of payments received for rents, tithes and farm produce, and of payments made to servants and craftsmen, together with particulars of land tax payments and poor rates (ff. 17 verso-94).
Also included, in a different hand, are a barrister's accounts, 1758-1761, detailing the charges made for services rendered to individuals in London and Wales (ff. 1-17). Memoranda relating to tree planting are on ff. 63 verso, 65 verso and 84 verso; details of payments made to the artist Guiseppe Marchi are on f. 24. Extracts from the volume were published in R. C. B. Oliver, The Family History of Thomas Jones the Artist, of Pencerrig, Radnorshire (2nd ed., Llandrindod Wells, 1987).

Jones, Thomas, 1742-1803.

Diary of a nurse

  • NLW MS 22152A.
  • File
  • 1915-1916

Diary, 1915-1916, of Ethel Dora Heins (1886-1933) of Brecon, recording her service as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse in Alexandria.
A photograph of Heins is on f. 26.

Heins, Ethel Dora, 1886-1933

Diary of Thomas Davenport Twist,

  • NLW ex 2694.
  • File
  • 1911-1963, [2011].

The diary of soldier Thomas Davenport Twist (Tommy Twist), 1915, who served with the Welsh Regiment during the First World War until he was wounded, and documents relating to his military career and other papers. He was born and brought up in Lancashire, England, and moved to Ammanford. A brief typescript biography and transcriptions of his diary and documents have been included with the items.

Twist, Thomas.

Diary, etc., of John Davies, Ystrad

  • NLW MS 12350A.
  • File
  • 1796-1799

A diary and commonplace book of John Davies (David) ('Siôn Dafydd y Crydd'), bookbinder and cobbler, of Llanfihangel Ystrad, co. Cardigan. The diary covers the period from 1 January 1796 to 19 December 1799 (new style) and refers mainly to 'booking ', e.g., the binding of local Church Bibles, the making of a letter case for William Lewes, Llysnewydd, the purchase of pasteboard and glue, etc. Other entries consist of copious observations on the weather and on the health of the writer and of members of his family; records of other activities of the scribe and of his wife, such as the making up of club accounts and attendance at club feasts, the making up of churchwardens' and vestry accounts, the writing of documents (leases, wills, marriage settlements, letters, bidding letters, and club articles), estreating, attendance at religious services, the death and burial of local residents, visits to fairs, gardening, the raising of turf, the making of candles, watch repairing, the spinning of flax and hemp, grinding at the mill, etc.); and references to unusual or interesting contemporary incidents, e.g., the beginning of Bedlwyn bridge, 9 August 1796, 'great noise about the French landing in Pembrokshire', 1 March 1797, 'great alarm about mad dogs ', 17 March 1797, the eclipse of the sun, 24 June 1797, '2000 Irish emigrants in Pembrokshire', 15 June 1798, 'Terrible Rebellion in Ireland', 18 June 1798, '. . . the Buck wheat plowed with a new plow English fashion with foure Horses', 31 August 1798, etc. In the left hand margin of each page are two columns indicating each date in both the new and the old styles. The remainder of the volume contains miscellaneous poetry, including stanzas and 'englynion' by D. Davies, lines 'On Czar Peter of Russia', 1797, stanzas beginning 'God save the Rights of Man', 1795, 'Englynion I Lys Ifor Hael . . .' by Evan Evans ('Bardd ac Offeiriad'), 1779, with an English translation, 'Can, yr hon a genir gan filwyr Ffraingc wrth fyned it frwydr', 1797, stanzas entitled 'God Save the King' (beginning 'Fame let thy Trumpet sound') (extracted 5 January 1763 from The Gentleman's Magazine, December 1745), stanzas extracted in 1772 from William Lithgow's 'Book of . . . Travels', 'cywydd' couplets by Edmund Prys and Hug[h] Arwystl, stanzas entitled 'The Brittish Muse, The Banks of the Wye' (from the Hereford Journal, 18 June 1778), stanzas entitled 'Tweed's Side' (from The Gentleman's Magazine, May 1767), 'Chwanegiad at gân Rhydddid' (in a later hand), 'Can o Sen I Ficcar Coch Cayo' by Dafydd Manuel, 'General Thanksgiving. The following lines were found in St. Peters Church Yard in Colchester on Tuesday the 19 of Decr. 1797 being the Day appointed for a general thanksgiving . . .', 'On the Day of general thanksgiving on the 29th Day of November 1798 were the following lines stuck up on . . . the Church Door of Ystrad Church', 'An Epitaph on a Blacksmith', 'Lines written out of Temper, on a Pannel in one of the Pews of C . . .m Church' (from the Hereford Journal, 26 October 1791), 'Littani' by 'J[ohn] J[ones] Glangors', 1797, etc.; the score of a song entitled 'The Recess', 1794, and of 'A Gavot' by Correlli; a list of floruits of 'Brittish Poets' (from Myrddyn Emrys to Dafydd William o'r Nant); 'Coppi o Lythur Gruffudd ap Ieuan at Saer Pren o Lan Sain Sion Allan o Almanac am y Flwyddyn 1720'; notes on Nonconformist Sects, extracted from W[illiam] Mather: The Young Man's Companion (London, 1737); a pedigree of King George III; the Greek alphabet; recipes for sealing wafers and sealing wax; a table of cities, towns, and villages from Lampeter to London; memoranda of local births and deaths, e.g., the death of the Reverend David Lloyd, Castle Howel, 1779, and of the Reverend Richard Lloyd, Llwynrhydowen, 1797; the allocation of seats and pews newly erected in the body of the church of Ystrad, 1716; etc.

Davies, John, 1722-1799

Edward Thomas letters to O. M. Edwards

  • NLW MS 23222B.
  • File
  • 1900-1902

Twelve letters, 1900-1902, from Edward Thomas to Sir Owen M. Edwards, his erstwhile tutor at Lincoln College, Oxford, written shortly after Thomas had left university, their main purpose being to ask for guidance in seeking employment; they also reflect his attachment to Wales and his interest in the Welsh language.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Ellis Humphrey Evans (Hedd Wyn): Barddoniaeth

  • NLW MS 4628C
  • File
  • 20 cent.

Autograph poetry by Ellis Humphrey Evans (Hedd Wyn) (1887-1917), Trawsfynydd, including Yr Arwr, the awdl which was awarded the chair at the National Eisteddfod at Birkenhead, 1917, after the death of the author in France; a collection of other poetry by Hedd Wyn transcribed by J. R. Jones, Trawsfynydd.

Hedd Wyn, 1887-1917

First World War diary

  • NLW MS 23059A.
  • File
  • 1916-1917

The diary, 1916-1917, of Edmund Davies, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Merionethshire, containing an account of his service with the 17th Royal Welch Fusiliers during the First World War.
The diary, which begins in April 1916, records postings in France including action in the trenches and ends in February 1917 when the diarist was injured at the Ypres Salient in Belgium. Papers connected with the diary have been filed separately (NLW MS 23060C).

Davies, Edmund, 1891-1979

First World War papers,

  • NLW MS 23060C.
  • File
  • 1916-1918, 1937 /

Papers, 1916-1918, 1937, of Edmund Davies of Dyffryn Ardudwy, Merionethshire, relating to his service with the 17th Royal Welch Fusiliers during the First World War.
They include a notebook containing maps of places in France and Belgium connected with the fighting; correspondence with Edmund Davies's parents, informing them of the injuries sustained at the Ypres Salient in Belgium in February 1917 and including permits to allow them to visit him in hospital at Fermoy, Ireland; and a letter from the American Consul in Liverpool, 1937, advising Edmund Davies on possible American citizenship as he was born in Kansas City.

Davies, Edmund, 1891-1979

History of the Gwydir family,

  • NLW MS 23289B [RESTRICTED ACCESS].
  • File
  • 1669, [18 cent., first ¼] /

A volume containing a copy, 1669, in the hand of Thomas Rowlands, clerk, of 'History of the Gwydir Family' by Sir John Wynn (1553-1627), Gwydir, Caernarvonshire (ff. 2-84 verso). It is the earliest known dated copy of a recension of the work represented by thirteen other copies (see below). It is probably the manuscript belonging in 1674 to Morris Parry, rector of Llaneilian-yn-Rhos, Denbighshire, from which the copy in NLW MS 3075D was made, and the manuscript described by Angharad Llwyd as 'a quarto volume of Syr John Wynn's History of Gwydyr, Ancient, and in good preservation' which in 1828 was in the possession of Richard Lloyd Williams of Hafodwryd, Penmachno, Caernarvonshire, then residing at Llwyn, Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Denbighshire (see Transactions of the Cymmrodorion or Metropolitan Cambrian Institution, 2 (London, 1828), 44). Bound together are pedigrees and memoranda in several early-eighteenth century hands, including notes copied 'out of Penbedw MS' (NLW MS 3075D, p. 90), being transcripts of marginalia from 'Dr Humphreys's Copy' (Brogyntyn I.13, ff. 62 verso-3, 76) (ff. 85-6); a note on Meredith Wynn ap Evan ap Robert and his descendants (see also NLW MSS 27B, pp. 111-114, 16969B, pp. 128-132 and 21253D, ff. 27 verso-28 verso, where 'H. Bangor 1700' is given as the source) (ff. 89-91); pedigrees of the Wynn family of Gwydir and its collateral branches (ff. 86 verso-91, 95-98 verso); and 'Arfau pump brenhinllwyth Cymru' (f. 121 verso, inverted text).

Rowlands, Thomas, fl. 1669.

Horae

  • NLW MS 15537C [RESTRICTED ACCESS].
  • File
  • [mid-15 cent.]

The 'De Grey' Book of Hours, [mid-15 cent.].

Letter,

  • NLW MS 22151iiE.
  • File
  • 1917 /

A letter, 1917, in Welsh written by H. Iorwerth Hughes to his parents from Salonika, whilst serving in the First World War.

Hughes, H. Iorwerth, Liverpool.

Letters to Abraham Ortelius,

  • NLW MS 13187E.
  • File
  • 1568-1571 /

Three letters, 1568-1571, written in Latin to Abraham Ortelius, the Flemish cartographer, the first, 3 August 1568, from Humphrey Llwyd (Lhuyd), physician and antiquary, at Denbigh when he was mortally ill (a contemporary note, possibly by Ortelius, at the foot of the letter states that he died 31 August ('prid. Cal. Sept.') [1568]), the second, 2 November 1570, from Robert Owen in haste at Douai, and the third, 2 January 1570[/1], from Hu: Owen, brother of Robert Owen, at the earl of Arundel's house in London, all three letters connected with each other and with the work of Humphrey Llwyd. In the top left hand corner they are numbered in pencil 27, 31 and 34: these are the numbers which were given to them when they were published in chronological order by J. H. Hessels in Ecclesiae Londino- Batavae Archivum, Tom. 1, Abrahami Ortelii . . . epistulae (Cantabrigiae, 1887). The pagination in ink (421-4, 829-30, and 425-6) and other numbers in pencil (? 131, 211 and 210) appear to belong to earlier arrangements of the letters, one in order of Christian names, the other in order of surnames (Hessels, op. cit., pp. x-xi). The Humphrey Llwyd letter has been reproduced as a frontispiece to the Annual Report of the National Library of Wales, 1967-1968. In his letter Llwyd acknowledges receipt of Ortelius's description of Asia, refers to his own serious illness, and sends Ortelius his (Llwyd's) map of Wales, two maps of England, and what he describes as some fragments of a description of Britain written in his own hand. Only the conclusion of the letter (after 'vale'), one or two insertions and corrections, the address and an endorsement are in the handwriting of Humphrey Llwyd. The endorsement reads 'Mr Owen [i.e. Hugh Owen] fold vp these saff & delyuer theym at on EMANVEL house at Somers kay beneth bylyngesgate to be sent to Antwerp: vale' (see also Trans. Cymmr., 1937, plate facing p. 136). Hugh Owen and Robert Owen were Roman Catholics and of the Owen family of Plas-du, Llanarmon, co. Caernarvon (see D.W.B. under Owen family of Plas-du, Caerns., and the references given there). Robert Owen in his letter enquires on behalf of his brother whether the description of England and the chorography of Wales by the late Humphrey Llwyd, together with a letter written in Latin, have reached Ortelius. He asks him not to write to Douai as he will be going to England for the sake of his health following a serious illness, but rather to direct his letter to his brother or him at the earl of Arundel's house in London. Hugh Owen acknowledges receipt of a letter from Ortelius from which he learned that Humphrey Llwyd's brief commentary of Britain with the map of Wales has reached him safely and thanks him for so readily embracing the last, but immature and imperfect, works of their common friend. He is sorry knowledge of Ortelius's doubts about certain words did not reach him before his brother left the Netherlands but he will do his utmost to fill the gap if Ortelius will send him notes and lists both of the words in the commentary and of the matters and places in the map. He has kept a copy of the book lest any harm should befall it in transit and so that it need not be sent back if Ortelius is in doubt on any point [It was published under the title Commentarioli Britannicae descriptionis fragmentum. Auctore Hum/redo Lhuyd, Denbyghiense, Cambro Britanno (Coloniae Agrippinae: Apud Ioannem Birckmannum, 1572)].

Humphrey Llwyd, Robert Owen and Hugh Owen.

Lewis Morris' De Historia Piscium

  • NLW MS 24052E.
  • File
  • 1740-[1747]

The second edition (or reissue), [1740], of Francis Willughby's De Historia Piscium Libri Quatuor (Oxford, 1686) [ESTC N51867, where it is dated c. 1743]. The work is made up of the De Historia Piscium Libri Quatuor (ff. 2-177), together with 'Appendix ad historiam naturalem piscium' (London, 1740) (ff. 178-205) and a sequence of some 187 engraved plates from the first edition (on the rectos of ff. 206-392). The plates have been extensively annotated (with English and Welsh names, and eyewitness accounts), and sometimes further illustrated (on ff. 215, 224, 244, 248, 281 verso, 283, 295, 341 verso, 347), by Welsh polymath Lewis Morris.
Morris' marginal notes glossing the printed text appear on ff. 4 recto-verso, 85, 88 verso-90, 92, 97-104 verso, 115 verso-116, 118, 137, 146, 165 recto-verso, 175 verso-176, 178, 188 verso-189, 191, 192, 194 verso-195 verso, 197, 198 verso-199, 200, 202-204; his Welsh translations of fish names on ff. 16 verso-18; and extensive notes on fish on ff. 206-391 passim. These last set of notes reflect Morris' retrospective interest in fish seen on the coast of Anglesey (ff. 189, 213, 215, 227, 240, 242, 250, 251 verso, 280 verso, 281 verso, 283, 284, 285, 286, 341 verso, 347) and elsewhere (ff. 224, 248, 295 verso) before his departure to Cardiganshire in 1742. Further accounts of fish seen in Cardigan Bay are on ff. 241, 243 verso, 295 (dated 1747) and 311 (dated 1745). It is possible that these notes form the basis of Lewis Morris' projected, but unpublished, Natural History of Anglesey (see Dafydd Wyn Wiliam, Lewis Morris: Deugain Mlynedd Cyntaf ei Oes 1700/1-42 ([Bodedern], 1997), p. 150). See also Maredudd ap Huw, 'Pysgod Lewis Morris', Tlysau'r Hen Oesoedd, 37 (Ebrill 2015), 3-10.

Morris, Lewis, 1701-1765.

Llanrhystyd Soldiers Fund papers,

  • NLW MS 16201C.
  • File
  • 1915-1917.

Papers, 1915-1917, of the Llanrhystyd Soldiers Fund, set up to provide comforts for men from Llanrhystud, Cardiganshire, serving in the War. They comprise fifty-nine letters and cards, December 1915-July 1917 (mostly in English, with ten in Welsh), from servicemen expressing gratitude for supplies of food, clothing and cigarettes (NLW MS 16201C (i), ff. 1-14, 16-24, 28-47, 49-79); together with five notebooks of minutes and accounts (NLW MS 16201C (ii-vi)), and other administrative papers (NLW MS 16201C (i), ff. 15, 15a, 25-27, 48, 80-90), 1915-1916.

Llanrhystyd Soldiers Fund.

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