Fonds GB 0210 GWYAMS - Prof. Gwyn Williams papers

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0210 GWYAMS

Title

Prof. Gwyn Williams papers

Date(s)

  • [1950]-[1981] (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

0.086 cubic metres (3 boxes); 5 large boxes (July 2018).

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Professor David Gwyn Williams (1904-1990) was a poet, novelist and translator. He was born at Port Talbot, Glamorgan, and attended the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and Jesus College, Oxford. He lectured at the Universities of Cairo, Alexandria, Benghazi, and Istanbul, 1935-1969, becoming Professor of English Language and Literature. He then lived in his grandfather's house in Trefenter, Cardiganshire, until 1983, when he moved to Aberystwyth. He was married with five children, and died in 1990. He wrote a variety of works, including translations of Welsh poetry into English, collected as To Look For a Word (Llandysul, 1976); novels including This Way to Lethe (London, 1962) and The Avocet (Swansea, 1970); poetry, Inns of Love (Swansea, 1970), Foundation Stock (Llandysul, 1974), Choose Your Stranger (Port Talbot, 1979) and Y Ddefod Goll (Port Talbot, 1980); an adaptation of Troelus a Chresyd (Llandysul, 1976); Person and Persona (Cardiff, 1978), a collection of Shakespearean studies; An Introduction to Welsh Literature (Cardiff, 1978); The Land Remembers (London, 1977), based on scripts for a BBC TV series; an autobiography, ABC of (D.) G. W. (Llandysul, 1981); and four travel books.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Professor D. Gwyn Williams; Trefenter, Dyfed; Donation; 1982, 1983.
Mr Gwydion Williams (son); Aboyne; Donation; July 2018; 99126394602419.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Literary papers of Professor Gwyn Williams including typescript texts of This Way to Lethe with notes and correspondence, [c. 1962]; notes for The Avocet, [c. 1970]; material relating to his poetry collections including manuscript and typescript drafts, [1970]-[1980]; typescript and manuscript texts for Troelus a Chresyd, 1954-[1976]; papers relating to Person and Persona, [c. 1981], An Introduction to Welsh Literature, [c. 1978], and ABC of (D.) G. W., [c. 1981]; material relating to translations of Welsh poetry, [1950]-[1976]; material relating to The Land Remembers book and series, [c. 1977]; radio scripts, 1954; texts, drafts, notes, correspondence, maps and photographs relating to his travel writing, [1963]-[1975]; and correspondence with publishers and the BBC, 1951-1978.

Additional literary papers including manuscript works and notes, typescript poems, plays, articles and reviews were received in July 2018; a list and bibliography compiled by the family are inserted in the first box.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained.

Accruals

Accruals are not expected.

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 sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Conditions governing reproduction

Usual copyright laws apply.

Language of material

  • English
  • Welsh

Script of material

Language and script notes

English, Welsh.

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

A hard copy of the catalogue is available in Minor Lists and Summaries, 1983, pp. 64-66, at the National Library of Wales.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Title based on contents of fonds.

Alternative identifier(s)

Virtua system control number

vtls003844545

Project identifier

ANW

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales

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

December 2003

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

The following sources were used to compile this description: National Library of Wales, Minor Lists and Summaries 1983; Stephens, Meic, Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales (Oxford, 1986); Daily Telegraph, 2 January 1991.

Archivist's note

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project.

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related genres

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Physical storage

  • Text: Prof. Gwyn Williams Papers.