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Idris Llewelyn Foster (1911-1984), Celtic scholar, was born in Carneddi, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. After attending Bethesda County School he went to the University College of North Wales, Bangor, graduating in Latin and Welsh, and was awarded a MA in 1935. He spent time in Dublin and Bonn before being appointed Head of the Department of Celtic at the University of Liverpool in 1936. After serving in Naval Intelligence during World War Two he became Jesus Professor of Celtic at Oxford and a Fellow of Jesus College, where he stayed from 1947 until his retirement in 1978. He was noted as a scholar and teacher in the fields of Medieval Welsh and Irish. He wrote on early Welsh poetry and was pre-eminent in the study of Medieval Welsh prose, his most important research being into the tale of Culhwch ac Olwen. He wrote numerous articles and essays and co-edited the volumes Culture and Environment (1963) and Prehistoric and Early Wales (1965). His edition of Culhwch ac Olwen was published posthumously by the University of Wales Press (1992), edited by Rachel Bromwich and D. Simon Evans. He also edited the Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1954-1977. He was involved with many organisations and committees, including the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries and Cyngor yr Iaith Gymraeg. He was Chairman of the Council and President of the Court of the National Eisteddfod, Treasurer and Vice-President of the National Library of Wales, President of the Cambrian Archaeological Association and a member of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales. He was knighted in 1977. Following his retirement he lived in Carneddi and died there in 1984.
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Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales
Papers of Sir Idris Foster comprising correspondence; personal papers, 1953-1978; papers, 1963-1978, relating to the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries; radio and television scripts, [1949x1984]; notes and correspondence relating to his work on `Culhwch ac Olwen', including copies of his MA thesis, 1935-1961; scholarly and academic notes; papers relating to the National Eisteddfod, 1960-1985; material on Ireland and the Irish language, 1958-1982; copies of university dissertations, 1924-[1980]; drafts and typescript versions of articles, lectures and broadcasts received by Foster, 1949-1983; and index slips of Old and Middle Irish and Middle Welsh words; papers relating to the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1947-1978, the University of Wales, 1936-1984, including the Board of Celtic Studies,1955-1975; Jesus College and Oxford University, 1960-1984, the Church in Wales, 1957-1983, archaeological bodies, the Ancient Monuments Board for England and Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, 1960-1985, the National Eisteddfod, 1960-1985, Cyngor yr Iaith Gymraeg, 1973-1977, and other councils, committees and societies, 1951-1984.
Arranged by date of deposit, with original order retained. The correspondence is mainly arranged alphabetically.
Action: All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained..
Deposited by Idris Foster, 1978. Converted into a donation by his nephew and niece, the Rev. Gareth Foster and Mrs. Sian Thomas, who donated further papers in 1984.
Accruals are not expected.
Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used to compile this description: NLW, Rhestr Gryno o Bapurau Idris Foster (Summary List of Idris Foster Papers); Stephens, Meic, Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales (Oxford, 1986); Evans, D. Ellis, 'Sir Idris Foster' in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (1985), pp. 331-336.
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Usual copyright regulations apply.
A hard copy of a box list is available at the National Library of Wales.
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Papers of Cyngor yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol / National Eisteddfod Council, 1970-1972; Papers of Professor T. Hudson Williams; and Reports of meetings of 'Cy1ch yr Hengerdd', held in Jesus College, Oxford, 1972-1977.
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Unarranged correspondence. Included is an inscribed card sent by the poet and artist David Jones, 1950, to Gervase Mathew, who later presented it to Idris Foster.
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Personal papers including letters and telegrams, 1977-1978, congratulating Idris Foster on receiving his knighthood; letters and cards, 1978, on the death of Idris Foster's mother; items relating to the burglary at Cae'ronnen, Bethesda, 1973, plans of Cae'ronnen, Bethesda, 1953, unarranged correspondence, and press cuttings.
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Notes, correspondence, etc., relating to Idris Foster's work on Culhwch ac Olwen, including two copies of his thesis, "Astudiaeth o Chwedl Culhwch ac Olwen", accepted for the degree of M.A. by the University of Wales in 1935, and letters from the University of Wales Press, 1960-1961, concerning the proposed publication of the text.
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Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. Correspondence, 1947-1977, notices of meetings and programmes, 1954-1978, and drafts of articles for the Transactions of the Society.
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Papers relating to the University of Wales and its constituent colleges, 1936-1984, and the Board of Celtic Studies of the University of Wales, 1955-1975.
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Papers relating to Oxford University and in particular to Jesus College, 1960-1984, and Idris Foster's position as Professor of Celtic. The group includes a minute book, 1927-1929, of the Oxford University Cambrian Society.
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Minutes and reports relating to Cyngor yr Iaith Gymraeg / Council for the Welsh Language, 1973-7,and several government reports, 1963-70, relating to Wales and the Welsh Language.
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Papers relating to the Church in Wales, including minutes of the Standing Liturgical Commission of the Church in Wales, 1957-1968; St. Michael's Theological College, Llandaff, 1961-83; Leaflets on Orthodoxy, 1961-1966, and other religious items.
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Files of minutes of the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries, 1978-84, including a letter, 1982, from Margaret Thatcher, and other items relating to various museums.
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Files of minutes and correspondence relating to the following archaeological bodies: The National Committee for Rescue Archaeology for Wales, 1975-82; Council for British Archaeology, 1963-82; Industrial Archaeology in Wales, 1968-78; The Dyfed Archaeological Trust Ltd., 1979-85; The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Ltd., 1974-85; The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, 1979; The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd., 1979-82; and the North Wales Archaeological Excavation Committee. 1974.
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Archaeology, including letters from Dr Glyn E. Daniel of St. John's College, Cambridge, 1960-1, and a provisional report on excavations at Burry Holms, 1965-9.
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Minutes and correspondence of the Ancient Monuments Board for England, 1981-2, and the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, 1979-82; plates and illustrations of ancient monuments mainly relating to Caernarfonshire; and miscellaneous correspondence relating to ancient monuments, 1960-81.
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Reports and publications relating to ancient monuments, including: deserted medieval villages in Wales; medieval moated sites in Wales; medieval houses; country houses of Glamorganshire; Dinefwr Castle; Swansea Canal; the Brecon Forest Tramroad; Wall paintings in Wales; Hafoty/Bodiordderch, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; and Ty Mawr, Castell Caereinion, Powys.
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Ireland and the Irish Language, including: a file, 1979-82, concerning the Irish Texts Society; a typescript copy of "Country Storyteller - A Galway Shanachie and his Lore" by Tomas O Broin; corrected galley proofs of the volume The Celtic Realms by Myles Dillon and Nora K. Chadwick published in London in 1967; copies, 1955-70, of Eire - Bulletin of the Department of External Affairs; notebooks on scholarly Irish texts kept by Idris Foster; miscellaneous correspondence, 1958-81, including letters from Daniel Binchy, 1960, Myles Dillon (6), 1958-62, D. Simon Evans (3), 1960, Proinsias Mac Cana (2), 1962, William O'Sullivan (3), 1960-1, and Calvert Watkins, 1962; together with printed items of Irish interest, 1909-78.
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Drafts of, and notes on Irish texts, including: a typescript copy of "Elegies for Mediaeval Tipperary Lords" by Anne O'Sullivan; proofs of "Cath Maige Tuired - The Second Battle of Mag Tuired" edited by Elizabeth A. Gray published by the Irish Texts Society in 1982; typescript of a translation by Nicholas Williams of "The Adventures of Hugh Geraghty" by Edmund Oge Magennis (f1. c. 1715); and various press cuttings of Irish interest, 1959-1978.
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Various societies and bodies with which Idris Foster was connected, including: Theatr yr Ymylon Ltd., 1976-1978; The Sir Thomas Parry-Williams Trust, 1978; Bethesda housing report, 1982; Llandovery College Developmental Appeal, 1984; The Fourth Colloquium on Welsh Medieval Law, Aberystwyth, 1974; Cy1ch yr Hengerdd, 1973-1978; The Welsh Schools Trust, 1961-1962; The International Arthurian Congress, Winchester 1951, and Cardiff 1969; International Celtic Congress, Penzance 1975 and Oxford 1983; Undeb Cymru Fydd, 1964-1965; The British Council, 1958-1964; funeral service cards, membership cards, etc.
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36/1 Cyril Walford Routley, "The Dobunni and the Silures during the Roman occupation of Britain", M.Litt., Bristol University, two volumes (1976). 36/2 Jeffrey W. Thomas, "A Study of Language, Metre and Style in the writing of Thomas Edwards (Twm o'r Nant) 1737-1810", B.Litt., Oxford university (1974). 36/3 Nesta Lloyd, "A History of Welsh Scholarship in the first half of the Seventeenth century, with special reference to the writings of John Jones, Gellilyfdy", D.Phil., Oxford University (1970). 36/4 Nigel Robert Haywood, "Studies in the Historical Grammar of Cornish", M.Phil., Oxford University, [c. 1980]. 36/5 Ethel K.R. Roberts, "The Political Activities of William Rees" [Gwilym Hiraethog] B.A. [Liverpool] (1924). 36/6 J.F. Sharp, "Dioceses of Wales - Bede - York - Canterbury" [n.d.]. 36/7 John Williams James, "A History of the Origins and Development of the Celtic Church in Wales", D.D., Durham University [n.d.]. 36/8 Brinley Jones, "An Examination of Semantic Developments in Welsh 1545-1625", D.Phil., Oxford University (1959). 36/9 John Peters, "A Critical Study of the life and works of Moses Williams 1685-1742", Oxford, not accepted, two versions [n.d.]. 36/10 T. M. Charles-Edwards "A Comparison of Old Irish with Medieval Welsh Land-Law", D.Phil., Oxford University (1971).
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37/1 Marie Surridge, "A Study of Words of Romance Origin in Middle Welsh", D.Phil., University of Oxford, two volumes (1962). 37/2 Edward Hughes, "A Critical Study of the writings of Thomas Edwards (Twm o'r Nant) 1737-1810", M.A., Liverpool University (1942). 37/3 Edward Hughes, transcripts of the letters of Twm o'r Nant, of references to the Corwen and Bala eisteddfodau and the St. Asaph Eisteddfod, the interlude "Cain ac Abel" from NLW MS 57B, and references to the Denbigh and Caerwys eisteddfodau (1943-1944). 37/4-5 Two drawers of index slips of Middle Welsh words in the hand of Idris Foster [1950-1984].
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Draft and typescript versions of articles, lectures and broadcasts received by Idris Foster. Includes Francis Jones, "The Lords of Stackpole Court", 1972, A.M. Allchin, "Crossing a Shore; an Introduction to the Poems of Gwyn Thomas", 1983, L. Fleuriot, "Brittonic and Gaulish during the First Centuries A.D.", O'Donnell Lecture for 1977, J.L. Campbell, "The Collection of Folklore in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland", 1950, Gerald Morgan, "Poets and Patrons in Medieval Wales", Sir John Rhys Prize Essay 1962, Daniel Jerkins, "Religious Heritage and National Consciousness", 1971, Francis Jones, "Cadets of Golden Grove" IV - VII., Jane A. Earthy, "The Mors Pilati in the Cornish Ordinalia", 1966, Francis Jones, "Heraldry of the Princes of Wales", 1959, Ifor Williams, "Cofiwn", Richard B. White, "The Burial of Branwen verch Llyr", 1970, Harold Tudor, "The Origin of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod", 1959, W.R. Evans, "Cilwch rhag Olwen", comedi gerdd, 1971, Richard Hughes, "The Future Looks Back", 1950, Glyn Daniel, "The Mirror of Early Wales", Gregynog Lectures 1968, Leonard Owen, "The City", translated from the Welsh of T.H. Parry-Williams, 1965, N.J.A. Williams, "Gaulish Ieuru and Karnitu", B. Hill, "The Benefactions of Thomas Wilkins of Llantrissent and Thomas Wilkins of Llanblethian to Jesus College, Oxford", Frederick Rees, "The University and Broadcasting", 1962, Michael Wardell, "Hengwrt", 1949, Aquiles D. Ygobone, "The Colonizing Feat of the Welsh People' in Patagonia", 1952.
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Draft and typescript versions of articles, lectures, etc., received by Idris Foster. Includes Francis Jones, "Williams of Edwinsford", 1972, Iestyn Daniel, "Awduriaeth y Gramadeg a briodolir i Einion Offeiriad a Dafydd Ddu Hiraddug", A. M. Allchin, "'The Cloud of Witnesses'; a common theme in Henry Vaughan and Thomas Merton", 1975, Catalogue of Arthurian Literature in Clwyd County Library, 1974, Owen Morris, "Zoar, Ewenni 1832-1982", 1982, "Ffransis o Assisi" - drama mewn pedair golygfa, "Termau Swyddfa a Busnes" - Ysgol Addysg Prifysgol Cymru', Tom Peete Cross, "Romanticism and Welsh Bardic Tradition: Goronwy Owen in Colonial Virginia", c. 1973, M.E.S. Laws, "A Welsh Army Surgeon in the Peninsula and Arabia", Francis Jones, "Brawdy Church and its Background", 1962, Bedwyr Lewis Jones, "Emynwyr Bro Morgannwg", 1968, R.W. Jones, Biographies of harpists, singers, etc.
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Facsimile copy of P. Vinogradoff and F. Morgan Survey of the Honour of Denbigh, 1334 (London, 1914), with a number of marginal notes which appear to be in the hand of F. Morgan.