Dafydd Roberts (18 August 1892 – 11 October 1965) was an activist and chairman of the

Capel Celyn Capel Celyn was a rural community to the northwest of Bala in Gwynedd, Wales, in the Afon Tryweryn valley. The village and other parts of the valley were flooded in the Tryweryn flooding of 1965 to create a reservoir, Llyn Celyn Llyn ...

Defence Committee during the movement to save the village of Capel Celyn, which was flooded to create the Treweryn Reservoir.

Life

Roberts was born in Weirglodd-ddu,

Merionethshire Merionethshire, or Merioneth ( or '), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the North West Wales, north-west of Wales. Name 'Merioneth' is a ...

, the youngest son of John and Margaret Roberts. He resided in the village for the greater part of his life before moving down the valley to a farm called Cae Fadog. In addition to farming, Roberts worked as a postman for over 40 years. He became an Elder at the local chapel. In 1960, a private bill sponsored by Liverpool City Council was brought before Parliament to develop a water reservoir in the Tryweryn Valley. The development would include the flooding of Capel Celyn. The residents were initially reserved and shy, but they were encouraged by

Elizabeth May Watkin Jones Elizabeth May Watkin Mrowiec (née Jones; 10 May 1907 – 21 June 1965) was a Welsh teacher and campaigner. She was a leading figure in the protests over the flooding of the Tryweryn Valley. Life Jones was born on 10 May 1907, in Capel Celyn, wh ...

who was a local teacher. They became angry and protested, and Roberts was chosen as the executive of the Capel Celyn Defence Committee, with Elizabeth Jones as the secretary. Jones coordinated the many letters they received with support, and appeared in television interviews with her harp. Roberts went with Elizabeth Jones,

Gwynfor Evans Gwynfor Richard Evans (1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician, lawyer and author. He was President of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru for thirty-six years and was the first member of Parliament to represent it at West ...

and Dr. Tudur Jones to London and Liverpool to protest against the forced evacuation of the village. The story of Capel Celyn was widely reported in the press, but ultimately the cause was lost and construction began on the dam. Like many others from Capel Celyn, Roberts moved to Bala, where he died on 11 October 1965, aged 73, shortly before the official opening of the reservoir.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Dafydd 1892 births 1965 deaths Welsh activists