Tom Macdonald (22 November 1900 – 9 February 1980) was a Welsh journalist and novelist, whose most significant publication was his highly evocative account of growing up in the north of

Cardiganshire Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a county in the west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Ab ...

(now

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 ...

) in the years before the

Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, which was published in 1975 as ''The White Lanes of Summer''.

Biography

Thomas Macdonald was born on 22 November 1900 at Llanfihangel Genau'r Glyn in

, the son of John Macdonald (1860–1938), a tinker of Irish descent, and his second wife Ada Jones (1878–1946). He spent his early childhood in a small cottage in the village, before moving with his family first to Pen-y-garn and then going on to live in nearby

Bow Street Bow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, City of Westminster, Westminster, London. It connects Long Acre, Russell Street and Wellington Street, and is part of a route from St Giles, London, St Giles to Waterloo Bridge. The street was ...

. According to his father the family name was actually MacDonnell, but had been inadvertently changed to Macdonald by the local registrar of births and deaths. Although his background was Catholic, he was deeply influenced by the Welsh

Calvinistic Methodism Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyterian, ...

of the community in which he lived. Tom Macdonald was initially educated at Rhydypennau Board School and then at Ardwyn Grammar School 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 ...

, before going on to study 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 ...

., but, before he could graduate, his mentor died. He then embarked on a forty-year career as a newspaper journalist, first at the

Cambrian News The ''Cambrian News'' is a weekly newspaper distributed in Wales. It was founded in 1860 and is based in Cefn Llan Science Park, Aberystwyth. Cambrian News Ltd was bought by media entrepreneur Sir Ray Tindle in 1998. History The paper was f ...

, Aberystwyth, then the Western Mail and the

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...

. He later worked in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, before returning to Wales during the Great Depression. In 1939, he and wife, Eileen, travelled to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

where he eventually became chief reporter and news editor at

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...

in Johannesburg, South Africa because childhood illnesses prevented him from joining up to take part in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Tom Macdonald’s first book was entitled ''Henry and Songs of Nature'' (1920), and was written in memory of his younger brother who died aged seven in 1913. He later went on to publish six novels in English: ''Gareth the Ploughman'' (1939), ''The Peak'' (1941), ''Gate of Gold'' (1946), ''The Black Rabbit'' (1948), ''How Soon Hath Time'' (1950), and ''The Song of the Valley'' (1951) all set in Wales; together with two works dealing with South African current affairs and recent history: '' Ouma Smuts: The First Lady of South Africa'' (1946), ''Jan Hofmeyr: Heir to Smuts'' (1948), and ''The Transvaal Story'', the last a compilation of articles written about his travels around the province and characters he had met (1961). He also wrote a number of short stories, which were published in several English language magazines, especially in Argosy.‘Tom Macdonald’, ''The Tincer'', Rhif 26, Chwefror 1980, p. 1. His memoirs, written over a number of years whilst in South Africa, were first published in a Welsh translation with the title ''Y Tincer Tlawd'' (1971), before being finally published in English as ''The White Lanes of Summer'' (1975). He later claimed that this was “nearer to my heart than anything I have written”. He went on to publish two other non-fiction works, one in English: ''Where Silver Salmon Leap'' (1976), and the other translated into Welsh: ''Gwanwyn Serch'' (1982), which contained more memories of his childhood and was a sequel to ''Y Tincer Tlawd''. A further novel was published in Welsh with the title ''Y Nos Na Fu'' (1974), whilst his first English novel was also translated into Welsh as ''Croesi’r Bryniau'' (1980). In 1962, Tom Macdonald initially retired to the South Coast atal, South Africa but spurred by ill health and ''hiraeth'' (nostalgia - Welsh), finally returned to

Bow Street, Ceredigion Bow Street is a large village in the Tirymynach district of Ceredigion, Wales, approximately north-east of Aberystwyth. As well as Bow Street itself, it is now often considered to include the neighbouring smaller village of Pen-y-garn and the ...

in 1965, briefly living at Plas Cwmcynfelyn before settling at ‘Y Nyth’ in

Capel Bangor Capel Bangor () is a small village in Ceredigion, Wales, approximately east of Aberystwyth. The A44 road and the seasonal Vale of Rheidol Railway pass through. In the 2011 census, the population was 256, with 63% born in Wales. Church Th ...

. He died at his home on 9 February 1980 aged 79 years.

References

Bibliography

Macdonald, Tom (1975). ''The White Lanes of Summer''. Macmillan, London.

External links

Description of Tom Macdonald's papers held The National Library of Wales from the Archives Wales website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, Tom 1900 births 1980 deaths People from Ceredigion Welsh male journalists 20th-century Welsh journalists People educated at Ardwyn School, Aberystwyth