Welsh Journals

AN ESSAY ON LLANIDLOES 1861— (Celynog 7 Add. MSS 533A. N.L.W.) INTRODUCTION David Davies the writer of this brief and unfinished essay was the son of David Davies and Ann (nee Morgan) who were married at Llanidloes Church I October 1769. David Davies the father was the second son of Oliver Davies and Martha (nee Lloyd) who were married at Llanidloes I November 1741. David Davies senior was baptised 23 January 1749 and died in 1823. Oliver Davies, who is mentioned in the essay, owned considerable property in the town. He was buried 4 August 1796 aged 101 (will, Bangor Probate N.L.W.). David Davies was baptised 4 June 1781. In his biography of the Rev. Humphrey Gwalchmai entitled ‘Gwalchmai’­the Rev. Mordaf Pierce1 refers to David Davies and his father. The family were staunch Calvinistic Metho- dists and both father and son were elders in the old Bethel Chapel (later, in 1872, China Street Welsh Calvinistic Chapel replaced it). Pierce refers to David Davies the writer of this essay, as a man of ability and of considerable influence in chapel and everyday matters. His family were well to do and he had had a careful upbringing and a good education. He was regarded as an excellent Welsh scholar and had been chosen by the Rev. Thomas Charles to help him with the orthography of his Welsh Bible. Davies wrote for various publications on topics of local nonconformist interest and provided the author of'Methodistiaeth Cymru' with most of the material relating to Upper Mont- gomeryshire. His sister Ann married the Rev. Humphrey Gwalchmai at Llanidloes Church on 3 August 1813. Humphrey Gwalchmai (1778-1847 see Dictionary of Welsh Biography) was the first minister of the Calvinistic Methodist cause in Llanidloes. He was a druggist with business premises in Great Oak Street. He edited 'Yr Athraw' 1836-42. At that time Llanidloes was a noted centre of Nonconformity and of music and literary activities and the town had many printing firms. At the same time it was a centre of Chartism of which Gwlachmai and the Methodists disapproved. In Welsh literary circles Llanidloes was termed 'Llan Llenorion' and this was the period of Y Millsiaid and others. Gwalchmai was a powerful and influential figure in the town and district. The essay deals with the older 1 Thomas Mordaf Pierce (1867-1919). Calvinistic Methodist minister and writer. Minister, Llanidloes, 1895-1910. He married Cissie, daughter of William George, Glanclywedog, flannel manufacturer, and granddaughter of Richard Mills (1809-1896), one of the noted Mills family and mayor of Llanidloes 1869-70.