Owen, Emrys Bennett.

Person

Owen, Emrys Bennett.

Emrys Bennett Owen was born 30 July 1911, in Staylittle, Montgomeryshire. He married Hannah J. Davies in 1937 and settled in Aberbiga Farm, Staylittle, and had two daughters, one of whom is Elinor Bennett, the harpist. He worked for the Welsh Agricultural Society (WAOS) in North Wales, 1949-1950, and lived in Llanuwchllyn, 1949-1960, where he established choirs and parties. He was an active member of the community and especially with the Urdd. He was active in the formation of the Farmers Union of Wales in 1955, and became its general secretary, 1959-1966, when the family moved to Aberystwyth. From 1966 to 1979, he was an estate agent in Dolgellau, Merionethshire, dealing with Rio Tinto Zinc Finance and Exploration Limited's proposed mineral explorations in the area and Crown mineral leases held by the Chrome Company Limited. He was Vice-President of the Folk Music Society, and leader of the folk choir Côr Gwerin Y Gader of Dolgellau. He was Treasurer of Cymdeithas Gwrandawyr Cymru (Welsh Listeners Society), 1956-7, and was prosecuted in 1955 for failing to purchase a radio licence as part of a protest for Welsh language broadcasting. He died on 12 April 1988, aged 76.