Cylchgronau Cymru

Wales owes its success to the interest taken in it by Qohebydd, in advocating meetings, and in faithfully reporting the pro- ceedings. To many, indeed, he was the Baner. A thorough- going Independent, he did great work as a political agitator he was the prime mover in convening the great meeting at Aberystwyth held to express sympathy with the evicted Cardiganshire tenants. Gohebydd believed with Hugh Owen that the Eisteddfod should be, primarily, an educational institution and that, with certain improvements, it could be of paramount importance in the moral and intellectual advance- ment of the people. In all the progressive movements of his time Gohebydd took a leading part, and his presence at every Eisteddfod and all political and religious meetings earned for him the sobriquet Pobman." Robert Jones of Rotherhithe (1810-1879) was the first Editor of the Cymmrodor, and one of the most active members of the Society during the first years of its existence. He was born at Llawr y Cwm, a farm situated three miles outside Llanfyllin in Montgomeryshire, and was educated at Oswestry Grammar School and Jesus College, Oxford. After holding curacies at Connah's Quay and Barmouth he was appointed incumbent of All Saints' Church, Rotherhithe, where he remained for thirty-seven years. He was a staunch supporter of the Eisteddfod and of all Welsh movements, and was a keen supporter of the University College at Aberystwyth, being convinced that its establishment would prove an inestimable benefit to the Church of England in Wales, by educating candidates for Holy Orders from the ranks of the people. He considered that the bishops, by indifference towards the Welsh language, had alienated the people, and articles on behalf of the language were written by him and published in the Times. His knowledge of Welsh literature was remarkable it was said that if all the Welsh books in the British Museum were to be destroyed they could be reproduced from the remarkable memory of Robert Jones. In his earlier days he was a frequent contributor to the Shrewsbury Chronicle and throughout his life published articles in the Welsh magazines the Montgomeryshire Collections, in particular, contain many of his publications. Robert Jones brought out the Cymmrodor at his own expense, as will be seen later. His other publications consist of a Welsh Hymn-Book, published when he was a curate at Barmouth, a reprint in 1864. of Flores Poetarum Britannicorum, the work of Dr. John Davies of Mallwyd, and an edition of the Poetical Works