Sir (Albert) Cynan Evans-Jones

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(14 April 1895 – 26 January 1970), more commonly known within

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 ...

by his bardic name of Cynan, 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 ...

war poet A war poet is a poet who participates in a war and writes about their experiences, or a non-combatant who writes poems about war. While the term is applied especially to those who served during the First World War, the term can be applied to a p ...

and dramatist.

Early life

Cynan was born in Pwllheli as Albert Evan Jones, the son of Richard Albert Jones and Hannah Jane (née Evans). His father was the proprietor of the Central Restaurant in Penlan Street, Pwllheli. He was educated at Pwllheli Grammar School and the

University College of North Wales , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...

at Bangor, where he graduated in 1916.

First World War

On graduation Cynan joined the Welsh Student Company of the

RAMC The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

, serving in

Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...

and France, initially as an ambulance man and then as the company's

military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term ''cha ...

. His wartime experience had a profound effect on his poetic works, to such an extent that

Alan Llwyd Alan Llwyd (born 1948), original name Alan Lloyd Roberts, is a Welsh poet, literary critic and editor. He is one of the most prolific Welsh-language poets in the last quarter of the 20th century. He is also known under the Bardic name Meilir Emr ...

claims that Cynan, not

Hedd Wyn Hedd Wyn (born Ellis Humphrey Evans, 13 January 188731 July 1917) was a Welsh-language poet who was killed on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele during World War I. He was posthumously awarded the bard's chair at the 1917 National ...

, is the premier Welsh

of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Hedd Wyn's poems relating to the war were written before he had enlisted and he was killed before he could recount his experience of the war in his muse. Cynan, however, gives the best descriptions of the gritty atrocities of war, and the impact of war on a man's body as well as his spirit.

Post-war career

After the war, Cynan entered college in Pwllheli to train for the ministry of The

Presbyterian Church of Wales The Presbyterian Church of Wales ( cy, Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru), also known as Calvinistic Methodist Church (), is a denomination of Protestant Christianity in Wales. History The church was born out of the Welsh Methodist revival and the ...

. He was ordained at

Penmaenmawr Penmaenmawr (, ) is a town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, which was formerly in the parish of Dwygyfylchi and the traditional county of Caernarfonshire. It is on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan and was a ...

Caernarfonshire in 1920 where he served as minister until 1931 when he relinquished his calling having been appointed a tutor in the Extramural Department of the

specialising in Drama and Welsh Literature. Despite having given up his ministry Cynan continued to accept regular preaching engagements, and was one of the most popular preachers of his day on the nonconformist preaching circuit in Wales. On 4 June 1923 Cynan was initiated into

Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

in Penmaenmawr Lodge No.4417. Whilst working in the University, Cynan lived in

Menai Bridge Menai Bridge ( cy, Porthaethwy; usually referred to colloquially as Y Borth) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thom ...

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

, but in his best known poem he expressed a wish to retire to

Aberdaron Aberdaron is a community, electoral ward and former fishing village at the western tip of the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. It lies west of Pwllheli and south west of Caernarfon, and has a population of 965. The community inc ...

, Caernarfonshire,

Drama

Apart from being an important figure in Welsh poetic circles Cynan was also influential in the field of Welsh drama. He wrote two full-length plays: ''Hywel Harris'' won the premier Eisteddfod prize for drama in 1931. He was commissioned to write an exemplary play for the National Eisteddfod in 1957 – his offering ''Absolom Fy Mab'' was accepted to great critical acclaim in Welsh dramatic circles as were his translations of English Language plays

John Masefield John Edward Masefield (; 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate from 1930 until 1967. Among his best known works are the children's novels ''The Midnight Folk'' and ...

's Good Friday and

Norman Nicholson Norman Cornthwaite Nicholson (8 January 1914 – 30 May 1987) was an English poet associated with the Cumbrian town of Millom. His poetry is noted for local concerns, straightforward language, and elements of common speech. Although known chief ...

's The Old Man of the Mountain. In 1931 he was appointed Reader of Welsh plays on behalf of the

Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main c ...

, a post which he held till the abolition of censorship in 1968. He was seen as a liberal censor, having allowed

James Kitchener Davies James Kitchener Davies (16 June 1902 – 25 August 1952), also known as J. Kitchener Davies, was a Welsh poet and playwright who wrote mostly in the Welsh language. Davies's work is highly influenced by the industrial landscape of his adopted vill ...

' drama ''Cwm Glo'', a play full of "filth and depravation" to be performed after it won the drama prize in the 1934 Eisteddfod. Cynan made regular appearances on Welsh language radio and TV programmes, and he was the subject of the first Colour TV programme broadcast in the Welsh Language ''Llanc o Lŷn''.

National Eisteddfod

Cynan is best known for his huge influence in the modernisation of the National Eisteddfod. He was

Archdruid Archdruid () is the title used by the presiding official of Gorsedd Cymru, the Gorsedd. The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, the award of the and the C ...

twice, the only person to have been elected to the position for a second term. His two terms were from 1950 till 1954 and from 1963 till 1966. He was the Recorder of the Gorsedd of Bards in 1935, and joint-secretary of the National Eisteddfod Council in 1937. He was the First Archdruid to accept that the Gorsedd was an 18th-century invention by

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclop ...

and that it had no links to

Welsh mythology Welsh mythology (Welsh: ''Mytholeg Cymru'') consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales, and traditions developed by the Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium. As in most of the predominantly oral societies Celti ...

or to the ancient

Druids A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

, thus healing rifts between the academic and ecclesiastical establishments and the Eisteddfod movement. Cynan is also responsible for designing the modern ceremonies of the Crowning and the

Chairing of the Bard The Chairing of the Bard () is one of the most important events in the Welsh eisteddfod tradition. The most famous chairing ceremony takes place at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, and is always on the Friday afternoon of Eisteddfod week. Winn ...

in the

Eisteddfod In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, ac ...

as they are now performed, by creating ceremonies which, he thought, better reflected the

Christian beliefs Christianity is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism, monotheistic religion based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, life and Teachings of Jesus, teachings of Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth. It is the Major religious groups, world's ...

of the

Welsh people The Welsh ( cy, Cymry) are an ethnic group native to Wales. "Welsh people" applies to those who were born in Wales ( cy, Cymru) and to those who have Welsh ancestry, perceiving themselves or being perceived as sharing a cultural heritage and ...

. Cynan was also prominent as a National Eisteddfod competitor. He won the Bardic Crown in 1921 at the Caernarfon National Eisteddfod for his poem ''Mab y Bwthyn'' ("A Cottage Son"), which recounted his experiences in the Great War. He won the Crown for his poem ''Yr Ynys Unig'' ("The Lonely Isle") in the

Mold A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not ...

Eisteddfod of 1923; his third crowned poem, ''Y Dyrfa / The Crowd'' ( Bangor 1931 ), described a

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

match – the first time such a topic was attempted in

Welsh poetry Welsh poetry refers to poetry of the Welsh people or nation. This includes poetry written in Welsh, poetry written in English by Welsh or Wales based poets, poetry written in Wales in other languages or poetry by Welsh poets around the world. ...

. To add to his three crowns Cynan was also awarded the

Bardic Chair The Chairing of the Bard () is one of the most important events in the Welsh eisteddfod tradition. The most famous chairing ceremony takes place at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, and is always on the Friday afternoon of Eisteddfod week. Winne ...

in 1924 for a poem ''I'r Duw nid adwaenir'' ("To the Unknown God"), which is the only time that the Chair has been awarded for an

awdl In Welsh poetry, an ''awdl'' () is a long poem in strict metre (i.e. ''cynghanedd''). Originally, an ''awdl'' could be a relatively short poem unified by its use of a single end-rhyme (the word is related to ''odl'', "rhyme"), using cynghanedd; ...

that was not written according to the rules of

Cynghanedd In Welsh-language poetry, ''cynghanedd'' (, literally " harmony") is the basic concept of sound-arrangement within one line, using stress, alliteration and rhyme. The various forms of ''cynghanedd'' show up in the definitions of all formal Welsh ...

. Cynan also adjudicated many times at the National Eisteddfod.

Honours

Cynan was awarded the honorary degree of D.Litt by the University of Wales in 1961. He was awarded the freedom of the borough of Pwllheli in 1963. He was appointed

in 1949, and elevated to

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are th ...

in 1969.

Marriage

Cynan was married twice: first, in 1921, to Ellen J. Jones of Pwllheli; they had one son and one daughter. Ellen died in 1962. In 1963, he married Menna Meirion Jones of

Valley, Anglesey Valley is a village, community, and former electoral ward near Holyhead on the west coast of Anglesey, North Wales. The population during the 2001 census was 2,413, decreasing to 2,361 at the 2011 census. Toponym In Welsh it is referred to a ...

Death and Burial

Cynan died on 26 January 1970 and was buried in the yard of St Tysilio's Church, Menai Bridge, Church Island, Menai Strait,

In translation

:''

Ballade Ballad is a form of narrative poetry, often put to music, or a type of sentimental love song in modern popular music. Ballad or Ballade may also refer to: Music Genres and forms * Ballade (classical music), a musical setting of a literary ballad ...

by the War Memorial. :''(A Speech that would not be heard on

Armistice Day Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, Fran ...

)''. :By Albert Evans-Jones. :Translated by

. :From ghostly realms I come, a shade, :On your dead sons' behalf, to see :What honour, praise, or accolade: :We would return to, not that we :Would wish for your false eulogy. :But what is this? – the old, old lie :On stones to shame our memory: :"For one's own land, it's sweet to die." :When the wild heart of youth was made :Tame by the clumsy artistry :Of some rough blacksmith's bayonet blade :Or the hot bullet's ecstasy, :Or when the shells whined endlessly, :And then became a colder cry, :Would you still sing so joyously: :"For one's own land, it's sweet to die? :But it is sweet to be dismayed :On seeing those whom we made free :Through war grown wealthy, while, betrayed, :My friends who fought for victory :Now starve: I'd break these stones to be :Bread for old comrades of days gone by :While you still sing with so much glee: :"For one's own land it's sweet to die." :L'

Envoi Envoi or envoy in poetry is used to describe: * A short stanza at the end of a poem such as a ballad, used either to address an imagined or actual person or to comment on the preceding body of the poem. * A dedicatory poem about sending the book ...

. :Friend, in the colours of the O.T.C., :One day you will remember why :I challenged such hypocrisy: :"For one's own land, it's sweet to die." Alan Llwyd, ''Out of the Fire of Hell; Welsh Experience of the Great War 1914–1918 in Prose and Verse'',

Gomer Press Gomer Press (Welsh: ''Gwasg Gomer'') is a family printing (and formerly publishing) company based in Llandysul, west Wales. It was the largest publishing house in Wales. History The company was first established in 1892 and began as a general sto ...

, 2008. Page 314.

Works

Poetry

*''Telyn y Nos'' (1921) *''Caniadau'' (1927)

Plays

*''Hywel Harris'' (1932) *'' Hen Ŵr y Mynydd'' (Translation, 1949) *'' Absalom Fy Mab'' (1957)

Novels

*'' Ffarwel Weledig'' (1946)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans-Jones, Albert 1895 births 1970 deaths People from Gwynedd Alumni of Bangor University British Army personnel of World War I Calvinist and Reformed poets Chaired bards Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Christian poets Crowned bards Knights Bachelor Royal Army Medical Corps soldiers Welsh Eisteddfod archdruids Welsh Freemasons Welsh World War I poets 20th-century male writers