Elizabeth Watkin-Jones (13 July 1887 – 9 June 1966) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

children's book author, who wrote in the

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...

Life history

Watkin-Jones was born in

Nefyn Nefyn (, archaically anglicised as Nevin) is both a small town and a community on the northwest coast of the Llŷn Peninsula, Gwynedd, Wales. Nefyn is popular with visitors for its sandy beach, and has one substantial hotel. The A497 road termin ...

, Caernarfonshire as Elizabeth Parry, the only daughter of Jane and Henry Parry. Henry Parry was a sea captain who drowned in

Iquique Iquique () is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal, which is part of the Atacama Desert. It has a population of 191,468 ...

harbour in Chile without seeing his daughter. Watkin-Jones was educated in the school in Nefyn, Pwllheli county school, and in the Normal College, Bangor. She became an infants teacher and taught in several schools, in South and North Wales, including

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...

Onllwyn Onllwyn () is a small village and community in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, near Seven Sisters. History First developed by the Romans, the local village Banwen is confined to the Roman Road of Sarn Helen. There are two Roman forts and the remai ...

Porthmadog Porthmadog (; ), originally Portmadoc until 1974 and locally as "Port", is a Welsh coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd and the historic county of Caernarfonshire. It lies east of Criccieth, south-west of Blaenau Ffest ...

Trefriw Trefriw () is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Crafnant in North Wales, a few miles south of the site of the Roman fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. At the last three censuses the population of the ...

and Nefyn . In February 1916 she married John Watkin-Jones, who was also a school teacher. After World War I, she lived for a short time in

Merthyr Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...

before returning to Nefyn in 1920 after her husband was appointed headteacher there. She died in 1966 and was cremated at

Colwyn Bay Colwyn Bay ( cy, Bae Colwyn) is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorpo ...

where her ashes were scattered.

Writing career

Watkin-Jones first wrote stories in the English language for children, published in children's publications such as ''Chicks' Own'' and ''Fairyland Tales''. She then turned her hand to writing in Welsh, and between 1939 and 1949 she won many awards at the

National Eisteddfod The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...

for stories, novels and plays for children. She contributed to several Welsh language magazines, including ''Tywysydd y Plant'', ''Trysorfa'r Plant'' (''The Children's Treasury''), ''Y Winllan'' (''The Vineyard''), ''Cymru'r Plant'', ''Yr Athro'', and especially to the comic ''Hwyl''. Watkin-Jones wrote five books of short plays for children, including ''Onesimus'' (1947) and ''Pwt a Moi'' (1953). She also wrote seven novels or historical stories, all for children, between 1939 and 1955, her personal favourite being ''Plant y Mynachdy'' (1939). All her novels, with the exception of ''Y Dryslwyn'' (1947), were set in the town of Nefyn.

Written works

*''Plant y Mynachdy'' (1939) *''Luned Bengoch'' (1946) *''Y Cwlwm Cêl'' (1947) *''Y Dryslwyn'' (1947) *''Esyllt'' (1951) *''Lowri'' in the collection ''Storïau Ias a Chyffro'' (1951) *''Lois'' (1955)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkin-Jones, Elizabeth 1887 births 1966 deaths Welsh children's writers People from Nefyn Welsh women dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Welsh dramatists and playwrights 20th-century British women writers Welsh-language writers