The Welshness of William Emrys Williams

William Emrys Williams (1896–1977), the writer, educator, arts administrator and publisher, was a human powerhouse in the field of cultural transmission. Notions of Welshness reverberated in the epicentre of British cultural life in the middle of the twentieth century; Williams emphasized his links with Wales, and others who knew him treated his Welshness as a factor in the way they constructed his identity. This essay takes as its focus a scholarly biography of Williams by Sander Meredeen, whose comprehensive treatment of Williams’s life includes his Welshness as a significant strand.

About the Author
Dr Malcolm Ballin is a Research Associate at Cardiff University. His research focuses on literary journalism, especially Welsh, Irish and Scottish periodicals. He is the author of Irish Periodical Culture, 1937–1972 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008).