Ben Davies (1864 - 1937) was a 19th-century Welsh poet, and an Independent minister. He grew up in Dolgam, a farm where he received some early education at the local school. At the age of 13 however he entered employment as a miner in a local coal mine. He began writing poetry at quite a young age, and was awarded prizes at various local literary competitions and Eisteddfodau. At 21 he won the bardic chair at the Tredegar Eisteddfod for his awdl on "Virtue" (Rhinwedd). He was also competent at the art of composing

cynghanedd In Welsh-language poetry, ''cynghanedd'' (, literally "harmony") is the basic concept of sound-arrangement within one line, using stress, alliteration and rhyme. The various forms of ''cynghanedd'' show up in the definitions of all formal Welsh ...

. From 1886-8 he studied at

Bala Bala may refer to: Places India * Bala, India, a village in Allahabad, India * Bala, Ahor, a village in the Jalore district of Rajasthan * Bala, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India Romania * Bala, Mehedinți, a commune in Mehedin� ...

Independent College, before becoming minister of

Bwlchgwyn Bwlchgwyn is a village in Wrexham County Borough, Wales, on the A525 road, west of the city of Wrexham and south-east of the town of Ruthin. Bwlchgwyn is part of the community of Brymbo. In the 2011 Census the population of the village was 85 ...

and Llandegla (1888–91), and then Pant Teg, Ystalyfera (1891-1926). One of his congregation at Ystalyfera was Mary Jane Evans, of whom he later edited a memoir. He continued his Eisteddfod successes, often winning the chief prizes. In 1896 he published a volume of lyrics, 'Caneuon Bywyd'. He also frequently gave lectures on Welsh literary personalities. He spent his later years living in London with his children and died in January 1937.

References

Welsh poets 19th-century Welsh clergy 1864 births 1937 deaths {{UK-Christian-clergy-stub