Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1741-1920 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
47 volumes and 1 box.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Williams ('Gwilym Cyfeiliog') (1801-1876), born in Winllan, Llanbrynmair, Montgomeryshire, was the son of Richard Williams, a Calvinistic minister and Mary Williams (formerly Howell). In about 1822, he acquired land in Bontdolgadfan, Llanbrynmair, Montgomeryshire, and remained there for the rest of his life, establishing a strong association with the area. He held the posts of vestry clerk, and Assistant Overseer of the Poor, 1867-1870. From 1823 his poetry and hymns (as 'Gwilym Cyfeiliog') were frequently published. His brother, the Rev. Richard Williams (1802-1842) was a Calvinistic Methodist minister at Liverpool. William Williams married three times, to Anne Evans, of Minffordd, in 1828, to Mary Morris, of Dolgwyddyl, Trefeglwys, in 1834, and to Mary Evans, of Tyn-llwyn, Llanbrynmair (d. 1891), in 1845. He had ten children, including Richard Williams, of Celynog, Newtown (1835-1906), William, Evan (c. 1855-1875), Sarah (afterwards Roberts) (c. 1865-1917) who married John Roberts in 1900, Hannah (-1889), Anne, Elen (afterwards Griffiths), Mary (afterwards Wigley) who moved to America [c. 1850] and the Rev. John Williams (1857-1908) minister at Ffestiniog, Dolgellau and Wrexham. He was involved in temperance societies in Machynlleth. John Williams' children included William Emyr, J. Baldwyn and Eluned. The family accumulated many papers relating to Llanbrynmair, including records of eisteddfodau, Bontdolgadfan Calvinistic Methodist chapel, temperance and friendly societies, and the diary of Richard Tibbott, who was Congregationalist minister of Llanbrynmair, 1741-2.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by W. Emyr Williams and Miss M. Eluned Williams, Wrexham, in 1943 and 1963, and by Mrs Angharad Lloyd Roberts and Mr J. Baldwyn Williams, Wrexham, and Mrs Elinor Evans, Aberystwyth, 1972.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of the Williams family of Bontdolgadfan, including deeds for property in Bontdolgadfan, 1731-1877 (these remain uncatalogued); Bontdolgadfan Calvinistic Methodist chapel baptism register, 1812-1864, records of Bontdolgadfan Welsh and English chapels, Machynlleth, 1867-1877; papers relating to eisteddfodau at Bontdolgadfan, Llanbrynmair and Machynlleth, 1870-1923; account and memorandum books relating to the Post Office, Bontdolgadfan, 1884-1902; records of the Llanbrynmair Agricultural School Library, 1845-1847; balance sheets of the [Llanbrynmair] Friendly Society, 1858-1876; family correspondence, school exercise books and personal papers of the Williams, Griffiths and Roberts families, 1836-1922, journal or autobiography of the Rev. Richard Williams, 1802-1842; records of the overseers of the poor for Llanbrynmair, 1744-1876; records of Maglona Lodge of Good Templars, Machynlleth and other societies, 1863-1877; sermon notes, 1816-1917; and diary of Richard Tibbott, 1741-1742.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged according to NLW MSS reference numbers: NLW MSS 16728-16789, 18435-7.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright regulations apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Welsh, English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Bethel (Church : Bont Dolgadfan, Wales) -- Records and correspondence. (Subject)
- Bethel (Church : Bont Dolgadfan, Wales) (Subject)
- Tibbott, Richard, 1719-1798. (Subject)
- Williams family, of Bont Dolgadfan -- Archives. (Subject)
- Gwilym Cyfeiliog, 1801-1876 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
January 2003.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Richard Burman for the ANW project. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, (London, 1959);