Fonds GB 0210 MOELONA - Moelona Manuscripts,

'Moelona', Elizabeth Mary Owen (1877-1953), teacher and novelist, was born at Moylon, Rhydlewis, Cardiganshire, the youngest daughter of John and Mary Owen. She attended Rhydlewis elementary school, becoming a pupil-teacher in 1890. She taught successively at elementary schools in Pontrhydyfen and Bridgend, Glamorgan, and Acrefair, Flintshire, 1897-1905, before teaching in Cardiff, 1905-1917. In 1917 she married the Rev. J. Tywi Jones (d. 1949), editor of Y Darian and Baptist minister of Y Glais, near Swansea, and gave up teaching. As Moelona, she wrote children's novels, stories, essays, poems, and schoolbooks. Her novels include Rhamant o Ben y Rhos (written 1907, re-published as Rhamant y Rhos, Aberdare, 1918), Teulu Bach Nantoer (Wrexham, 1913), Bugail y Bryn (Dolgellau, 1917), Breuddwydion Myfanwy (London, 1928), Beryl (Wrexham, 1931) and Ffynnonloyw (Llandysul, 1939). In 1914 she began writing a children's column for Y Darian. She also translated Alphonse Daudet's stories into Welsh, published in Y Wers Olaf (Cardiff, 1921). She continued to compete and adjudicate at National Eisteddfodau. On her husband's retirement in 1935 they moved to New Quay, Cardiganshire. Moelona died there on 5 June 1953 and was buried in Rhydlewis.