Sir Thomas Herbert Parry-Williams (21 September 1887 – 3 March 1975) was a Welsh poet, author and academic. Parry-Williams was born at Tŷ'r Ysgol (''the Schoolhouse'') in

Rhyd Ddu Rhyd-ddu ( Welsh for 'black ford') is a small village in Snowdonia, North Wales which is a starting point for walks up Snowdon (via the Rhyd Ddu Path), Moel Hebog, Yr Aran and the Nantlle Ridge. It lies on the A4085 between Beddgelert and Cae ...

Caernarfonshire , HQ= County Hall, Caernarfon , Map= , Image= Flag , Motto= Cadernid Gwynedd (The strength of Gwynedd) , year_start= , Arms= ''Coat of arms of Caerna ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. He was educated at the University College of Wales,

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location i ...

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship ...

, the

University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially german: Uni Freiburg), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (german: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg), is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemb ...

and the Sorbonne. As a poet, he was the first to win the double of Chair and Crown at the

National Eisteddfod of Wales 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. Competitor ...

, which he achieved at

Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...

in 1912 and repeated at Bangor in 1915. He was a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to objec ...

during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. He was Professor of Welsh at the

University of Wales, Aberystwyth , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

, from 1920 until 1952. He co-founded the university's Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. He was awarded D.Litt. degrees by the Universities of Wales (1934) and Oxford (1937). He was knighted in 1958. He was also given an honorary doctorate by the University of Wales in 1960 and made an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford in 1968.

Published works

*''The English element in Welsh'' (1923) *''Ysgrifau'' (1928) *''Cerddi'' (1931) *''Carolau Richard White'' (1931) *''Canu Rhydd Cynnar'' (1932) *''Olion'' (1935) *''Synfyfyrion'' (1937) *''Hen benillion'' (1940) *''Lloffion'' (1942) *''O'r pedwar gwynt'' (1944) *''Ugain o gerddi'' (1949) *''Myfyrdodau'' (1957) *''Pensynnu'' (1966) *''Detholiad o gerddi'' (1972)

Bibliography

*Meic Stephens (ed.) ''Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru'' (1986)

References

External links

English verse-translation of Parry-Williams' poem ''Ty'r Ysgol''
* some English verse translations in Penguin Book of Welsh Verse (1967) {{DEFAULTSORT:Parry-Williams, T. H. 1887 births 1975 deaths Chaired bards Crowned bards Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford University of Paris alumni Alumni of Aberystwyth University Academics of Aberystwyth University People from Gwynedd Knights Bachelor People educated at Ysgol Eifionydd, Porthmadog 20th-century Welsh poets Welsh-speaking academics Welsh conscientious objectors