Thomas Rowland Hughes (often referred to as T. Rowland Hughes) (17 April 1903 – 24 October 1949), was a Welsh broadcaster, novelist, dramatist and poet. He was the son of a quarryman from Llanberis, Caernarfonshire (Gwynedd today), in north Wales. He is primarily renowned in the present day for his novels about characters living and working in the slatequarries of north Wales, but in his day he was just as well known as a poet and broadcaster. William Jones is his most famous novel.
Hughes was born on 17 April 1903, in Llanberis, Caernarfonshire, the son of May and William Hughes. He was educated at Dolbadarn primary school, Brynrefail county school, and the University College, Bangor, where he graduated in 1925 with first class honours in English and Welsh. In 1928, he was awarded a scholarship by the University of Wales to study at Jesus College, Oxford, leading to a B.Litt. degree in 1931 on The London Magazine from 1820 to 1829.
He was a teacher at the county school for boys in Aberdare from 1926 to 1928. He was lecturer in English and Welsh at Coleg Harlech, 1930–1933. In the summer of 1934 he was appointed Principal of the Mary Ward Settlement, London.
From 1935 to 1945, Hughes was a producer of feature programmes for the BBC in Cardiff.[1] In this time, he produced and/or wrote some 300 radio programmes on the BBC.[2] He produced, and often co-scripted with, a number of Welsh writers, including Jack Jones, Kate Roberts, Saunders Lewis, Eiluned Lewis, Eynon Evans, J. O. Francis, Richard Llewellyn, Gwyn Jones, Emlyn Williams and Philip Burton. Of these, his principal collaborators, in both production and writing, were Jack Jones and Philip Burton, who succeeded him at the BBC in 1945. Hughes's outstanding productions are considered to be The Proud Valley (1940), the radio premiere of the Paul Robeson film; How Green Was My Valley (1942); and Welsh Lidice (1943). After just five years in the job, he was described by The Guardian as one of the best producers working in British radio.[3]
Hughes won the Chair at the National Eisteddfod on two occasions, in 1937 for his ode 'Y Ffin' ('The Boundary'), and again in 1940 for 'Pererinion' ('Pilgrims').
He married Eirene Williams in 1933. Not long after, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and it was at this time that he began to write his most well-known works.
BibliographyEdit
PoetryEdit
"Tydi a roddaist" ('Thou Who Gavest', set to music by Arwel Hughes in 1938).
Lyrics in Welsh
Tydi a roddaist liw i'r wawr A lliw i'r machlud mwyn, Tydi a luniaist gerdd a sawr A'r gwanwyn yn y llwyn, O cadw ni rhag colli'r hud Sydd heddiw'n crwydro drwy'r holl fyd.
Tydi a luniaist gân i'r nant A si i'r goedwig werdd, Tydi a roist i'r awel dant Ac i'r ehedydd gerdd, O cadw ni rhag dyfod dydd Na yrr ein calon gân yn rhydd.
Tydi a glywaist lithriad traed Ar ffordd Galfari gynt, Tydi a welaist ddafnau gwaed Y gŵr ar ddieithr hynt. O cadw ni rhag dyfod oes Heb goron ddrain, na chur, na chroes.
^Rowlands, John (2004). "Hughes, Thomas Rowland (1903–1949)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/61276. Retrieved 13 April 2008. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Details of all Hughes's BBC productions can be found here.
rowland, hughes, thomas, rowland, hughes, often, referred, april, 1903, october, 1949, welsh, broadcaster, novelist, dramatist, poet, quarryman, from, llanberis, caernarfonshire, gwynedd, today, north, wales, primarily, renowned, present, novels, about, charac. Thomas Rowland Hughes often referred to as T Rowland Hughes 17 April 1903 24 October 1949 was a Welsh broadcaster novelist dramatist and poet He was the son of a quarryman from Llanberis Caernarfonshire Gwynedd today in north Wales He is primarily renowned in the present day for his novels about characters living and working in the slate quarries of north Wales but in his day he was just as well known as a poet and broadcaster William Jones is his most famous novel Grave of T Rowland Hughes Cathays Cemetery Cardiff Contents 1 His life 2 Bibliography 2 1 Poetry 2 2 Novels 2 3 Plays 2 4 For children 3 Criticism and memoirs 4 External links 5 ReferencesHis life EditHughes was born on 17 April 1903 in Llanberis Caernarfonshire the son of May and William Hughes He was educated at Dolbadarn primary school Brynrefail county school and the University College Bangor where he graduated in 1925 with first class honours in English and Welsh In 1928 he was awarded a scholarship by the University of Wales to study at Jesus College Oxford leading to a B Litt degree in 1931 on The London Magazine from 1820 to 1829 He was a teacher at the county school for boys in Aberdare from 1926 to 1928 He was lecturer in English and Welsh at Coleg Harlech 1930 1933 In the summer of 1934 he was appointed Principal of the Mary Ward Settlement London From 1935 to 1945 Hughes was a producer of feature programmes for the BBC in Cardiff 1 In this time he produced and or wrote some 300 radio programmes on the BBC 2 He produced and often co scripted with a number of Welsh writers including Jack Jones Kate Roberts Saunders Lewis Eiluned Lewis Eynon Evans J O Francis Richard Llewellyn Gwyn Jones Emlyn Williams and Philip Burton Of these his principal collaborators in both production and writing were Jack Jones and Philip Burton who succeeded him at the BBC in 1945 Hughes s outstanding productions are considered to be The Proud Valley 1940 the radio premiere of the Paul Robeson film How Green Was My Valley 1942 and Welsh Lidice 1943 After just five years in the job he was described by The Guardian as one of the best producers working in British radio 3 Hughes won the Chair at the National Eisteddfod on two occasions in 1937 for his ode Y Ffin The Boundary and again in 1940 for Pererinion Pilgrims He married Eirene Williams in 1933 Not long after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and it was at this time that he began to write his most well known works Bibliography EditPoetry Edit Tydi a roddaist Thou Who Gavest set to music by Arwel Hughes in 1938 Lyrics in Welsh Tydi a roddaist liw i r wawrA lliw i r machlud mwyn Tydi a luniaist gerdd a sawr A r gwanwyn yn y llwyn O cadw ni rhag colli r hudSydd heddiw n crwydro drwy r holl fyd Tydi a luniaist gan i r nantA si i r goedwig werdd Tydi a roist i r awel dantAc i r ehedydd gerdd O cadw ni rhag dyfod dyddNa yrr ein calon gan yn rhydd Tydi a glywaist lithriad traedAr ffordd Galfari gynt Tydi a welaist ddafnau gwaedY gŵr ar ddieithr hynt O cadw ni rhag dyfod oesHeb goron ddrain na chur na chroes Can neu ddwy A Song or Two 1948 Novels Edit O Law i Law From Hand to Hand 1943 William Jones 1944 Yr Ogof The Cave 1945 Chwalfa Upheaval 1946 Y Cychwyn The Beginning 1947 Plays Edit Y Ffordd The Way 1945 For children Edit Storiau Mawr y Byd Great Stories of the World 1936 Criticism and memoirs EditMemoir by Edward Rees 1968 John Rowlands T Rowland Hughes Writers of Wales series Cardiff 1975 Philip Burton 1969 Early Doors My Life and the Theatre Dial Press chapters 3 and 5 D N Thomas 2020 Under Milk Wood A Play for Ears Some reflections on T Rowland Hughes Philip Burton and Dylan Thomas in the New Welsh Review May and published online at https sites google com site dylanthomasandnewquay under milk wood a play for earsExternal links EditDictionary of Welsh Biography T Rowland Hughes Lleol i Mi on the BBC website in Welsh References Edit Rowlands John 2004 Hughes Thomas Rowland 1903 1949 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 61276 Retrieved 13 April 2008 Subscription or UK public library membership required Details of all Hughes s BBC productions can be found here The Guardian 28 February 1940 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title T Rowland Hughes amp oldid 1179238695, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
