Pennar Davies

William Thomas Pennar Davies (12 November 1911 - 29 December 1996) was a Welsh clergyman and author.^[1]

Born simply William Thomas Davies, in Mountain Ash (Welsh, "Aberpennar"), the son of a miner, he took the name "Pennar" "as a sign of his identification with the native culture of Wales".^[2] Pennar Davies studied at University of Wales, Cardiff, at Balliol and Mansfield College, Oxford, and at Yale University. In 1943 he became a Congregational minister in Cardiff. He subsequently taught at Bala-Bangor Theological College, and became Principal of Swansea Memorial College in 1952, retaining the post until his retirement in 1981.

A member of Plaid Cymru, he was co-opted onto its Pwyllgor Gwaith Cenedlaethol at Easter 1947,^[3] Literary Editor of the party's monthly newspaper, The Welsh Nationalist" from March 1947 ^[4] and its Editor from April 1949 ^[5] During this period, the newspaper published new poetry by Idris Davies and R.S. Thomas ^[6] Davies stood as a Parliamentary candidate at Llanelli in the UK general elections of 1964 and the 1966. He was a leading campaigner for Welsh language broadcasting.

Pennar Davies and his wife Rosemarie had five children. His eldest son Dr Meirion Pennar, became a leading Welsh language academic, poet and translator.^[7]

Works

Poetry

• Cinio'r Cythraul (1946)
• Naw Wfft (1957)
• Yr Efrydd o Lyn Cynon (1961)
• Y Tlws yn y Lotws (1971)

Short stories

• Caregl Nwyf (1966)

Novels

• Meibion Darogan (1968)
• Mabinogi Mwys (1979)

Non-fiction

• Rhwng Chwedl a Chredo (1966)

References