Ffeil / File AFB/1 - Interview notes taken from friends and acquaintances of Alun Lewis

Alun Lewis met Leslie Sykes while visiting Edward Thomas's house at Steep, Hampshire (see indexed references in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984)).

Born in London, artist Ronald John Petts was known for his engravings and stained glass works. In 1935 he married the artist, poet and writer Brenda Chamberlain and the couple set up home near Llanllechid, where they bought a hand operated printing press and in 1937 set up the Caseg Press, which produced bookplates, greeting cards and prints of local scenes. Petts and Chamberlain collaborated with Alun Lewis on illustrations for a number of Welsh-language magazines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Petts_(artist)). See also, for example: John Petts Manuscripts, Gwyn Jones Papers and NLW MS 22863C at NLW.

Born in Bethlehem, Carmarthenshire, William Ronald Rhys Jones, who used the name Keidrych Rhys, was a literary journalist, editor and poet. He was editor of the periodical Wales from its inception in 1937 through to 1949, then (following a publishing hiatus) from 1958 to its demise in 1960 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keidrych_Rhys). See also, for example, the Keidrych Rhys Manuscripts at NLW.

The poet, novelist and Baptist minister Robert Rhydwenfro (Rhydwen) Williams was born in Pentre in the Rhondda valley. His work is noted for adapting the established style and context of Welsh poetry from a rural and bygone age to that of a modern industrial landscape, while retaining traditional prosody and metre. During the Second World War, Rhydwen Williams served in a Quaker relief unit, being a conscientious objector on both pacifist and Welsh nationalist grounds. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhydwen_Williams). See also, for example: Papurau Rhydwen Williams, Emyr Humphreys Papers, Sgriptiau BBC Scripts and Papurau'r Academi Gymreig/The Welsh Academy Papers at NLW.

Thomas Jones was a neighbour of the Lewis family in Godreaman (see John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 45).

For Cyril Moseley see, for example: https://ovlhs.co.uk/ogmore-valley-workmens-hall-and-institute/
For Morgan Bruce & Nicholas see, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Morgan_LLP.

Megan McTrusty (née Lloyd Jones) was a girlfriend of Alun Lewis during the 1930s.

Irene Birdsall and her brother William were neighbours of Alun Lewis, William being also a schoolfriend of Lewis's.