Richard Cyril Hughes (1932 – 1 April 2022) was a Welsh educator, writer and historian.

Biography

Hughes was born in Tara Street, Holyhead,

Isle of Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

in 1932. A graduate and Masters from University of Wales Aberystwyth, he started his teaching career of Welsh at Grove Park School in

Wrexham Wrexham ( ; ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in the North East Wales, north-east of Wales. It lies between the Cambrian Mountains, Welsh mountains and the lower River Dee, Wales, Dee Valley, near the England–Wales border, borde ...

and Rhiwabon before moving to

Bangor Normal College The Normal College, Bangor () was an independent teacher training college, founded in 1858. It was created through the efforts of the British and Foreign School Society and the educator Sir Hugh Owen, and was funded by £11,000 raised through s ...

to lecture in education. He became an early pioneer for the teaching of subjects through the medium of Welsh and worked as a Senior Education officer for Gwynedd Education Authority before taking early retirement 1998. He married Elizabeth Ann (Nan Evans) from Cynwil Elfed,

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, ; , 'Merlin's fort' or possibly 'Sea-town fort') is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community (Wales), community in Wales, lying on the River Towy north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. At the 2021 United Kingdom cen ...

in 1959. They were the parents of actor Huw Garmon and three older sons – Rhiryd Hughes, Rhys Hughes and Sion Hughes (television executive and novelist) – and have eleven grandchildren. Hughes authored a series of novels chronicling the life of Henry VII (Harri Tudur who descended from the Tudur family of

Penmynydd Penmynydd ( , ), meaning "top of the mountain" in Welsh, is a village and community on Anglesey, Wales. It is known for being the birthplace of the Tudors of Penmynydd, which became the House of Tudor. The population according to the United Ki ...

Isle of Anglesey) close relative, influential, and dynastic "Mother of Wales" Catrin o Ferain, Dinas Ddihenydd and his third Castell Cyfaddawd, won the Daniel Owen Prize at the

National Eisteddfod The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competito ...

in 1984. He also published a fictional account of a father and son's journey from Penmynydd to battle in "Maes Bosworth" in successful support of their kindred Harri. He lived in Penmynydd and

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll Llanfairpwllgwyngyll or Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll (), often shortened to Llanfairpwll and sometimes to Llanfair PG, is a village and community on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. It is located on the Menai Strait, next to the Britannia Bridge. At the ...

. Hughes died on 1 April 2022, at the age of 89.

Works

*''Catrin o Ferain'' (1975) *''Dinas Ddihenydd'' (1976) *''Castell Cyfaddawd'' (1984) *''Maes Bosworth'' (2005)

References

1932 births 2022 deaths Welsh Eisteddfod winners 20th-century Welsh historians People from Anglesey {{Wales-writer-stub