Arthur ap Gwynn (1902–1987) was the third librarian at the

University College of Wales Aberystwyth University () is a Public university, public Research university, research university in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding member institution of the former federal University of Wales. The university has over 8,000 stude ...

and an editor.

Early life and education

Born 4 November 1902 in

Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a List of place names with royal patronage in the United Kingdom, royal town, Community (Wales), community and port in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the easter ...

, Arthur ap Gwynn was the son of Margaret Jane Jones and poet T. Gwynn Jones, whilst his father worked for the newspapers ''Yr Herald Cymraeg'', ''Papur Pawb'' and the ''Carnarvon & Denbigh Herald.'' He was a middle child, between Eluned and Llywelyn. His family moved several times before settling in 1909 in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

, where he attended Ardwyn County School. He graduated in 1923 with first class honours from

University College of Wales, Aberystwyth Aberystwyth University () is a Public university, public Research university, research university in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding member institution of the former federal University of Wales. The university has over 8,000 stude ...

. Three or four years later, he received his M.A. degree.

Career

He worked at the

National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales (, ) in Aberystwyth is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million books and periodicals, and the l ...

from 1923 to 1925. He was employed at the

Cardiff Free Library Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

until 1932 as the Welsh department head. In Aberystwyth, he was the librarian of the University College of Wales until 1967, except for a three-year period (1942–1945), when he completed his National Service with the Swansea Fire Service. He was editor of the Welsh Periodicals Subject Index. In 1950, Gwynn and his father published a dual English/Welsh and Welsh/English dictionary. He also worked on having revised editions of his father's works published following his death.

Personal life

In 1933, he married Catherine Eluned Isaac, a Welsh language student at the University of Cardiff. Their three children were Nonn, Rhys, and Ceredig. In 1943, Rhys died at the age of four. Except for brief periods where his occupational changes took him to Cardiff and Swansea, Gwynn lived primarily in the Aberystwyth area. He lived in Waun-fawr area of Aberystwyth beginning in 1945 and then retired to Eglwys-fach,

Ceredigion Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...

. Catherine died in April 1975. He provided an endowment for archaeology books in memory of his deceased son and wife for Aberystwyth University's Hugh Owen Library, which opened 1 September 1976. Gwynn died 10 December 1987, and his cremated remains were scattered in mid-Wales. His papers are archived at the Hugh Owen Library.

Publications

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References

External links

Arthur ap Gwynn
Welsh Journals, National Library of Wales {{DEFAULTSORT:Ap Gwynn, Arthur Welsh librarians 20th-century Welsh writers 1902 births 1987 deaths Alumni of Aberystwyth University Academics of Aberystwyth University