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John Lloyd Roberts MBE
"I was born on Tuesday 7th June 1915, ten months after the outbreak of the Great War." John Lloyd Roberts MBE is in his ninety second year, and here I am sitting in his house, reading the opening sentences from his autobiography. The cup of tea arrives in a china cup and saucer, with a piece of home made cake. A local lad I might add, family from Hafod y Gelyn, not too sure who had the most presence, himself or the Ford Anglia, the two where inseparable.
No, not a social call, just following up a complaint from the public about motorbikes on the Roman Road above Abergwyngregyn. "Let me check my notebook" he says and sure enough the registration given, matches the one in his notebook. "Don't worry" he tells me "I have spoken to them." I could imagine the offender suffering the wrath of John Lloyds, now famous, verbal warning. Over forty years service for the National Park and still one step ahead. "Have I shown you the last letter I got from Lothar" he asks, and shows me the letters he has received from Lothar Horras and Kurt Schlender, the two German airmen who crashed on Llwytmor, high above Aber in 1941 .At that time John and his brother were in the Home Guard, and were ordered to go and apprehend the airmen. Luckily for the surviving crewmen, there was a policeman present; otherwise I do not believe they would have survived the encounter with John. Over the years they have kept in contact, even attended a reunion at the crash site.
Yes, John Lloyd Roberts MBE, is in his ninety second year, a truly remarkable man and a great ambassador for the Snowdonia National Park.
Penblwydd Hapus John.
AP.
John Matthew BAKER (1851 - 17/1/1930 Llanfairfechan) born Liverpool, went to Durham University. Moved to Aber North Wales as schoolmaster at local school before 1875, worked as land agent for Colonel Platt at Gordinniog after 1880 lived at Llanfairfechan. On 28/12/1875 at Aber Married Jane Jones (1851- 6/3/1944 Lanfairfechan) born in Anglesy , daughter of William ( a mason) and Alice Jones who worked at Gorddiniog with her sister.
CHILDREN
1. Edwin William BAKER (1876-1959) born Aber - lived and died in Aylesbury, poss a bank manager or worked for Post Office
2. Horace Metcalfe BAKER (1880-1973) born Aber lived in Llanfairfechan, a bank manager married Ann Eirwin (1905- ) in 1944 - she was still alive in 1986 so must have been much younger
3. Valentine Henry BAKER ( 4/8/1888 Bangor - Sept 12 1942) born Aber worked as bank clerk left to join army, injured at Gallapoli then joined R.F.C. in 1916 for a year then trained pilots. After war, flying instructor for De Haviland in Chile and Java and then at Stag Lane and Heston - amongst pupils Amy Johnson, Filson Young and Edward Prince of Wales and his brothers. Left to form Martin Baker Aircraft Co with James Martin - killed testing Martin Baker mark 3 a fighter. The crash inspired his partner to invent the ejector seat. Valentine married Dilys Eames (1889-1963) in 1916 from a well known Llanfairfechan family
Helen Flook
Biography: As a child I was born and grew up in the beautiful countryside of Wales. I always loved to draw, but never imagined that one day I would be drawing for a living - what a great job! Art was always my favourite subject at school. I went on to do an Art Foundation Course and then a Degree in Graphic Design at Norwich School of Art and absolutely loved it! Over the next few years I became involved in working as an excavator and illustrator on a number of archaeological digs in Britain, France and Germany. I also worked for The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - another great job, satisfying my interest in nature and wildlife. In 1995 I moved with my husband and son to Canada. We lived in Guelph, Ontario for ten years learning all about hockey, real winters and what it was like to live somewhere completely different. I had work published in a number of national newspapers and magazines in Canada, but eventually returned to my greatest love -children's books. I have been fortunate to be asked to illustrate books by some tremendous children's authors, both in North America and Britain. In 2005 we returned to Wales and I now live and work from a beautiful village called Abergwyngregyn. Most of my work is produced using acrylic inks, which have lovely bright strong colours, but I do occasionally try out watercolours and coloured pencils - but pen and ink drawing is my favourite.
Dewi Griffiths, B.Sc. (Durham, U.K.)
Dewi Griffiths grew up in Abergwyngregyn, a small village in the heart of Snowdonia that served as the principal residence of the Welsh Princes of old. It is little wonder that he maintains a strong pride in his ancestral heritage and sprinkles the school year with Welsh influences. His early education was at Friars School, established during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1557, where he was first introduced to computers and rugby. He continued to study these at Durham University, where he gained a B.Sc., majoring in Applied Physics, Electronics and Computing — and rugby. Working for Ferranti Computer Systems and then Smiths Industries, he went on rugby tour to Canada, and decided to relocate to Victoria B.C. There he joined a small software company manufacturing Geographic Information Systems and then became a senior systems specialist for the B.C. Ministry of the Attorney General. In 1998, Mr. Griffiths moved to Brentwood to coach, teach IT and run the computer network. He lives in Mill Bay with his wife, Bonnie and three children, Megan, Bryn and Sin.When not glaring at a computer screen, he likes to fish, play rugby, hike, read, play the bass guitar for the staff band and organize social events. And yes, he CAN say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
ROBERTS, GRIFFITH JOHN (1912-1969), priest and poet; b. 2 March 1912, at Arwenfa, Afonwen, Caerns., s. of Edward and Catherine Roberts. He was educated at the elementary school, Chwilog, the grammar school, Pwllheli and University College of North Wales, Bangor, where he graduated B.A. (2nd-cl. hons.) in Hebrew 1934, M.A. 1936. In 1935-36 he was assistant lecturer in Semitic Studies, University College of N. Wales, Bangor. He began his studies as a ministerial candidate with the C.M. Church, but whilst at college he was confirmed into the Church in Wales. He was at Lichfield Theological College 1936-37 and was ord. deacon 1937 and served as curate of Rhyl, St. Asaph diocese. He was ord. priest in 1938. In 1941 he was appointed curate-in-charge of Llanefydd, and 1945-48 he was rector of Nantglyn. From 1948 to 1951 he was rector of Mellteyrn, Botwnnog and Bryncroes, diocese of Bangor, and became vicar of Blaenau Ffestiniog 1951-56. He obtained the living of Conwy with Gyffin in 1956.
According to one adjudicator, he was worthy of the crown at the national eisteddfod , Rhosllannerchrugog, 1945, for his pryddest ‘Coed Celyddon’. He won the crown at the national eisteddfod, Colwyn Bay, 1947, for his pryddest ‘Glyn y Groes’ whilst his ‘Awdl Goffa i R. Williams Parry’ was highly commended in the awdl competition at the national eisteddfod, Llanelli, 1962. Later, he was the adjudicator in the pryddest competition on more than one occasion. He was a member of the Gorsedd of Bards. His anthology of poems ‘Y Siaced Fraith’ was staged at the national eisteddfod at Llangefni, 1957. In 1963 he was the chairman of the Literature Committee of the national eisteddfod at Llandudno, and he wrote a feature programme ‘Y Llinyn Arian’, portraying the Vale of Conwy, which was staged at that eisteddfod. He wrote a pageant, ‘Deiniol Sant’ 1959, which was performed at Bangor cathedral. His play, ‘Goleuni y Byd’ was staged at the parish church, Conwy, and was later performed at Bangor cathedral. In June 1967 he drew up a service to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the translation of the New Testament into Welsh, at Gyffin, the birthplace of Bishop Richard Davies (DWB, 147-8). When the Bishop of Bangor (John Charles Jones, see above) decided to lead a diocesan pilgrimage to Bardsey in 1952 he asked G.J. Roberts to arrange the route and to write the script giving the historical background. He was one of the small band who sailed over to the island a few days later. ‘Enlli'r Pererinion’ was the title of his radio pryddest. His voice was familiar throughout Wales when he began to broadcast regularly in the Sunday evening programme, Wedi'r Oedfa. He wrote a number of feature programmes for the B.B.C., e.g. Edmwnd Prys, Bishop William Morgan, Ieuan Glan Geirionydd, etc.
He was a lyric poet composing in the Christian tradition. His publications include: Wrth y tân, 1944; Coed Celyddon, 1945; Gwasanaethau'r Plant (trans.), 1953, Hanes y Beibl, 1954; Cerddi 1954; Yr Esgob William Morgan, 1955; Llyfr y Siaced Fraith, 1957; Seintiau Cymru (with E.P. Roberts), 1957; Ymddiddanion Llafar, 1961; Sgyrsiau wedi'r Oedfa, 1966; Awdl Goffa i R. Williams-Parry, 1967; Ysgrifau, 1968; Cofnodion, 1970.
He m. in 1942 Margaret Morris, dau. of Owen Morris and Elisabeth Williams, Morfa Nefyn, and they had two daus. He d. 13 Feb. 1969, and was buried at Abergwyngregin on the banks of the Menai Straits, as he had wished.
The Williams family
We have to start a story some were, so I started 1851 with Mr Owen Williams 39 a miller by trade who we find living in Tyn Y Felin in the parish of Llandegai along with wife Margaret 42 and four children Jane12, Owen 10, Margaret 8 and the youngest David who is just 6 years old and at school but it would seem interested in what his father does for a living, may be go to the mill after school and at weekends. As we move on though this family’s history we find that by 1861 they have moved and are living in a terrace called “Pwlfanog” at No6. Jane has left, at 22 she may have married or gone to work some were, Mr David Williams wife Margaret and sons Owen and David. Owen is now 20 and works as a shoemaker whilst David is 16 and gone to work with his father as a miller. Moving on we find that by 1871 26 years old Mr David Williams had moved from the family home in Llanllechid and gone to Aber as a lodger at 2 Tyn y Mwd the home of Mr Thomas Jones 48 and his wife Margaret 75 (they rent the property from the Penryn Estate, Aber was wholly owned by Estate up until it’s sale in 1925). He became a Miller at the newly rebuilt Mill in the village. He met and married Margaret (Jones) 23 and they had a son Thomas Owen who died in 1878 aged 3 years and 4 months by 1881 they had taken over the letting of Tyn Y Mwd and a second child was born also called Thomas Owen he was 10 months old in 1881, sharing there house was a niece aged 11 a scholar called Ellen Jones from Llanfair P.G. As 1891 came round the house hold had expanded to 4 children, Thomas Owen aged 10, Morris aged 9, Hugh aged 6, and Elizabeth Jane aged 1 and two lodgers a Margaret Williams aged 82 all most certainly David’s Mother and an Owen Jones aged 16 a slate worker by trade. Thomas Owen Williams mother Margaret died 1892 aged 44 and his father died 1905. In 1901 we find that Thomas Owen Williams at the age of 20 had travelled to Holyhead to take lodgings with Mr Pritchard at 37 Cambrian Terrace and was employed as a grocer’s assistant, life in North Wales at this time was not very good, there was a hard and acrimonious strike on at the slate works a major employer in the area and many of the people including Owens family would have family or friends involved in the hardship, at aged of 24 he left the UK to travel to the USA and a hole new life leaving behind Morris, Hugh, and Elizabeth Jane, Hugh stayed at 2 Tyn Y Mwd and died in 1960. Thomas Owen Williams was in Holyhead in 1901 but by June 1907 he is signing in as Mr Thomas O Williams a 26 year old Welsh and proud of it as he declares he is Welsh, all so proud of the fact that as grocery clerk and he had paid for himself to go to the up and coming township of Chicago that had only been founded 75 years before, this must have been odd for some one who came from an area that had history going back thousands of years were very little changed over hundreds of years. We know this because of the list of Alien passengers applying for admission to enter the USA in the reception room of Port Huron Michigan. He had a spell in Toronto Canada how much of his time was spent in Toronto we may never know. He was in New York on the 17 of May 1907 so had he crossed over the border about that time. By January 1 1920 Thomas Owen Williams had married Minnie and they had a young son called David and the rest as they say is history.
Ruth Roberts
was one of twin girls born to parents John and Jane Roberts in Tan y Clogwyn, Abergwyngregin. She was adopted by Thomas Henry and Ruth Williams who were friends and neighbours of the Roberts`s. The reason for the adoption appears to have been that in those days the hardship and financial burden of caring for two babies was too much for Jane and so the arrangement was made and the childless couple brought up Ruth as their own. What we know about Ruth`s childhood is that she was born on May 10th. 1909 in Tan y Clogwyn Cottage, Abergwyngregin Caernarvonshire. for the full story click here
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