Gwyn Jones
Gwyn Jones (1907-1999) was a prominent Welsh author, literary historian, and critic, known for his significant contributions to Welsh literature and culture. Born in Blackwood, Monmouthshire, Wales, Jones had a diverse educational background, studying English, French, and history at University College, Cardiff, where he received his B.A. in 1927. His literary career began with the publication of his first novel, "Richard Savage," in 1935, and he went on to produce various collections of short stories and essays that examined Welsh literature, particularly the use of the English language by Welsh writers.
Jones was instrumental in advancing Welsh literature through his editorial work, including "The Oxford Book of Welsh Verse in English," and he maintained a lifelong interest in Viking culture, translating works and authoring "A History of the Vikings." His academic career spanned several institutions, including a professorship at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and he played a vital role in the arts community as the chair of the Welsh Committee of the Arts Council of Great Britain.
Recognized for his literary achievements, Jones received several honors, including being named a Knight of the Order of the Falcon by Iceland and appointed Commander of the British Empire. His legacy is celebrated through initiatives like the annual Gwyn Jones Lecture, hosted by University College, Cardiff, honoring his impact on Welsh literary scholarship and culture.
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Gwyn Jones
- Born: May 24, 1907
- Birthplace: Blackwood, Monmouthshire (now Gwent), Wales
- Died: December 6, 1999
- Place of death: Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, Wales
Biography
Gwyn Jones was born on May 24, 1907, at Blackwood in Monmouthshire, Wales, to George Henry Jones and Lily Florence Nethercott Jones. His father worked as a collier in local mines, and his mother taught school and provided midwifery services. Jones grew up listening to his grandmother’s stories.
Jones studied at the Tredegar County School, and later attended University College, Cardiff, University of Wales, studying English, French, and history and earning high honors when he received his B.A. in 1927. In 1928, Jones married Alice Rees. He enrolled in graduate school, taking courses in German and Old Norse and examining sagas from Iceland to complete a thesis for his M.A. degree in1929.
Jones initially taught English classes to elementary students at Wigan Grammar School in England before he became an instructor at Manchester Central High School in 1932. In 1935, he started lecturing in the English department of University College, Cardiff. In 1939, he founded and edited The Welsh Review, an English-language journal, and established Penmark Press, serving as the publishing company’s director through 1960.
Jones held an English professorship at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, from 1940 to 1964. He was president of the Viking Society for Northern Research from 1951 to 1952. Beginning in 1957, Jones chaired the Welsh Committee of the Arts Council of Great Britain, remaining in that position through 1967. In 1964, he accepted the position of English department chair at University College, Cardiff, and he retired from the university in 1975.
Jones’s wife died in 1979, and he married Mair Sivell Jones the following year. In 1987, Jones gave more than six hundred books from his personal library to the National Library of Wales. In 1992, he gave a smaller collection of books to the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Jones died on December 9, 1999, at Aberystwyth.
In 1935, Jones published his first novel, Richard Savage, and he also published several collections of short stories. He wrote essays examining Welsh literary topics, including how Welsh writers used the English language to create literature. Jones helped validate Welsh literature through his criticism and his editing of the anthology, >The Oxford Book of Welsh Verse in English. He maintained a lifelong interest in Viking culture, translating Norwegian and Icelandic works into English and writing A History of the Vikings. He also retold Celtic and Norse legends, compiling Welsh Legends and Folk-Tales and Scandinavian Legends and Folk-Tales for young adult readers.
Scholars considered Jones a significant Anglo Welsh author, literary historian, and critic, noting how his contributions advanced the careers of other Welsh writers. Iceland made Jones a Knight of the Order of the Falcon in 1963, and he was honored with the title Commander of the British Empire in 1964. In 1973, Phi Beta Kappa presented his book, Kings, Beasts, and Heroes, with its Christian Gauss Award. The University of Wales conferred an honorary doctorate in literature upon Jones in 1977; that year, University College, Cardiff and the Welsh Arts Council began hosting an annual Gwyn Jones Lecture.