Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1973-1984 (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
10 items (5.5 cm.)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Name of creator
Biographical history
Mary Gwendoline Headley, writer and historian, was born 21 July 1913, the youngest of four children, in Dylife, Montgomeryshire, where her father, the Rev. R. L. Headley (1863?-1955), was vicar; her mother Margaret was from Glanogwen, Caernarvonshire. She was educated at Ysgol John Bright, Llandudno, and the University College of North Wales, Bangor (BA, 1936, and MA, 1938). She became a librarian, joining the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, in 1944. In 1949 she married T. I. Ellis (1899-1970) and they had two children, Marged (1950- ) and Rolant (1953- ). She worked to support her husband’s work with Undeb Cymru Fydd and elsewhere, and after his death she also edited several of his books for publication. As a devout Anglican she was active in the Church in Wales and organisations such as the Mothers' Union. She died, in Aberystwyth, on 25 January 2015.
Mari Ellis was a very active writer and reviewer in Welsh periodicals such as Y Llan (which she briefly edited). She also edited 'Colofn y Merched' in Y Llan and the 'Tŷ Ni' magazine published as part of Y Cymro and was secretary and later editor of Yr Angor, the papur bro for the Aberystwyth area. She edited Y Golau Gwan: Llythyrau Tom Ellis A.S. at Annie Davies (Caernarfon, 1999) and with her daughter co-wrote Eglwysi Cymru (Talybont, 1985). Under the name Mari Headley she published three novels, Awelon Darowen (Llandybïe, 1965), Beth yw'r Haf...? (Llandysul, 1974) and Ystyriwch Lili (Talybont, 1988). She researched extensively into 'Yr Hen Bersoniaid Llengar', the group of Anglican clerics supporting Welsh culture in nineteenth century Wales, and their wider circle, and published numerous academic articles. However books on the subject, and a biography of Gwallter Mechain in particular, remain unpublished.
Archival history
The typescripts were given by Clare Taylor to Mrs Mari Ellis, Aberystwyth, and transferred to NLW among the T. I. Ellis and Mari Ellis Papers in August 2016.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Mr Rolant J. Ellis, son of Mari Ellis; Aberystwyth; Donation; August 2016; 99885711902419.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Ten typescript articles and transcripts, 1973-1984, nearly all written or compiled by Dr Clare Taylor, Aberystwyth.
They comprise: (i) 'America 1851-1852', dated April 1973, a translation by Mari Ellis of the diary of Iorthryn Gwynedd (NLW MS 9521A), with an introduction by Clare Taylor; (ii) 'The Phillipps Manuscript: A Chapter in Early Welsh Migration to the West Indies and to the United States', 1973, a transcript of NLW MS 92B with an introduction by Clare Taylor (the introduction only was published, with the same title, in National Library of Wales Journal, 19.3 (Summer 1976), 243-248); (iii) 'A Description of Trinidad 1881-1882', 1973, a transcript of [?part of] NLW MS 17267D; (iv-vii) 'A Victorian Guide to Wales', 1973 and undated, four volumes containing transcripts from nineteenth-century trade directories of descriptions of individual parishes in Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, Denbighshire and Montgomeryshire; (viii) an article, 1979, entitled 'The Journal of an Absentee Proprietor: Nathaniel Phillips of Slebech', concerning NLW, Slebech Estate Records 4292-4302; (ix) 'Isaac Williams of Cardiganshire – the Christian poet – an introduction to his nature poetry', 1984, an article subsequently published in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (1986), 115-126; and (x) 'NLW MS 15505 Picton Papers and Letters', [n.d.], consisting of transcripts (and in some cases translations from the Welsh) of letters of Welsh-American interest in NLW MS 15505E, as well as NLW MS 14111D and elsewhere. Items i-iv and viii-ix are photocopied or cyclostyled, while v-vii and x are carbon copies.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged broadly chronologically at NLW.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions set out in information provided when applying for their Readers' Tickets, whereby the reader shall become responsible for compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to any processing by them of personal data obtained from modern records held at the Library.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents.
Alternative identifier(s)
Alma system control number
Access points
Subject access points
- Parishes -- Wales, North
- Anglesey (Wales) -- Description and travel.
- Caernarvonshire (Wales) -- Description and travel
- Denbighshire (Wales) -- Description and travel
- Montgomeryshire (Wales) -- Description and travel.
- Wales -- Emigration and immigration
- West Indies -- Emigration and immigration
- Trinidad -- Description and travel
- Plantations -- Jamaica
- United States -- Description and travel
Place access points
Name access points
- Phillips, Nathaniel, 1733-1813 (Subject)
- Williams, Isaac, 1802-1865. (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
August 2018.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Description compiled by Rhys M. Jones.