Sir John Meurig Thomas

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The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion sends sympathy to all Sir John’s family, friends and colleagues on the occasion of his death on 13th November 2020.

Sir John was not only an eminent and world- renowned scientist and academic but also someone who “was a Welshman to his core” and true to his Welsh heritage. He was one of the founders of the Learned Society of Wales and a Vice President of the Cymmrodorion and he lectured to the Society on different occasions, most recently in 2017 when he gave a most fascinating lecture  on “ W.R. Grove , the Fuel Cell and the hydrogen economy”. Sir John made us realise how Grove should not be the forgotten man he had become.

Sir John was a recipient of very many public and professional honours and awards including the Society’s Cymmrodorion Medal which is given for distinguished service and notable work in Wales and beyond. He shared the medal ceremony in 2003 at Bangor University with Emyr Humphreys and the occasion was a particularly happy one, reflecting the warmth and esteem in which both men were held.

Wales has lost a great man and we remember him with great affection.

Emyr Hymphreys

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As a Society we are saddened by the death of literary giant Emyr Humphreys. Last year we celebrated his 100th birthday with a retrospective lecture, now a Cymmrodorion podcast. He was a recipient of our honorary Medal. It’s a great loss to Wales and further afield. We extend our sincere condolences to his family.

September news

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Our podcasts online

We now have several podcasts of past lectures on our website. The most recent is our 2020 June Gruffydd Memorial Lecture with the Montgomeryshire Society; “The Novelist Elena Puw Morgan: Rethinking Modernism”. The novelist’s granddaughter, Dr Mererid Puw Davies, gave this talk, and it was co-authored with her sister Angharad Puw Davies. It is well worth listening to.

For more podcasts on subjects as varied as Emyr Humphreys, Sir Kyffin Williams, the Welsh economy, the Dictionary of Welsh Biography and Wales and Agincourt go to Previous Talks. You will also find on here the video of Gerwyn Wiliams’ excellent Eisteddfod Lecture on Cynan’s Mab y Bwthyn.

North American Festival of Wales 2020

The North American Welsh newspaper, www.ninnau.com, are kindly publicising our new online lecture series which we hope will be watched across the world. You can enjoy in September their online North American Festival of Wales. Visit festivalofwales.org 

Mastermind Cymru

Mae Mastermind Cymru yn dychwelyd ar S4C ac mae’r cynhyrchydd, BBC Studios, yn chwilio am ymgeiswyr. Os hoffech chi’r cyfle i eistedd yn y gadair ddu, mae’r manylion ar LINK

Tracing Sculptures by John Evan Thomas

We have been asked to help trace works by John Evan Thomas, who was born in Brecon and became one of Wales’ foremost sculptors of the 19th century. He and his brothers were members of the Cymmrodorion. If you can help download the pdf here.

Changes to 2020 Lecture Programme

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Regrettably the 24 September talk has been cancelled.

We have a new lecture to announce and a change in dates.

Here is our 2020 programme.

20th October – 6:30pm

The Jews in Wales

Dr. Cai Parry-Jones, Digital Archivist and Data Manager, the National Holocaust Centre and Museum.

19th November – 6:30pm

Designing Wales: an Archive for Welsh Architecture

Dr Peter Wakelin, writer and curator specialising in built heritage and visual art.

10th December – 6:30pm

Genius making its habitation among us: the musical vision for Wales of Walford Davies

Dr Rhian Davies: Artistic Director, Gregynog Festival and Honorary Fellow, Bangor University

This lecture has moved from 20 October.

These lectures will all be online and live, with questions from the audience.  Access details will be on our website. They will be recorded to watch later.

Would you like to join our Council?

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Friday 28 August, 2020

A new chapter of the Cymmrodorion has opened, and we are looking for Council members.

If you can guide us in strengthening our online presence, or have experience in lectures and events please get in touch.  Other experience is welcome too, and of course an appreciation of the Wales of today and tomorrow as well as our rich past. 

We are also looking for a new Treasurer, a crucial role.

Please contact Sian Reid on secretary@cymmrodorion.org to find out more. 

EISTEDDFOD LECTURE

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We were very pleased to contribute online to this year’s Eisteddfod; if you wish to listen to this excellent lecture by Professor Gerwyn Williams click here to view on youtube.

A message from the Executive Committee of the Society

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These are very difficult times and our first concern is that everyone is keeping safe and following the guidelines applicable to them.  We hope you are well.

The Executive of the Society has met by videoconference and agreed the following:

  • The lecture programme 2019-20 has been cancelled up to and including the lecture at the Eisteddfod. We are asking the speakers affected whether they would like to be re-scheduled into the 2020-21 programme.
  • Currently we have stopped inviting new speakers for the 2020-21 programme until we know how many wish to be re-scheduled from 2019-20. We also realise it is unclear whether we will be able to have normal meetings from September 2020 but we plan to assume this will be possible for the time being.
  • The implications for this year’s Transactions are being considered and extra articles will be solicited.
  • The Council will meet earlier than usual, namely in late April, and by videoconference. It will take decisions about how to handle this year’s AGM, due to be held on 21stMay, as this clearly cannot be held face to face.   We will be advised by the Charity Commission’s guidance to charities.
  • The AGM will need to confirm the formal appointment as a trustee of Sian Reid who was co-opted as the Honorary Secretary at the February Council meeting.

The Executive is working to maintain as far as possible the activities of the Society and to ensure we meet our legal obligations.

We wish all of you good health – stay safe.

Ceridwen Roberts
Chair of Council           

Sian Reid
Honorary Secretary

EMYR HUMPHREYS AT 100: A RETROSPECTIVE

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Speaker: Professor M Wynn Thomas OBE, Professor of English and Emyr Humphreys Professor of Welsh Writing in English, Swansea University

In the chair: Professor Helen Fulton, Member of Council

Download MP3

Bydded cyfiawnder! Ffarwél i EnglandandWales

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The Cymmrodorion Eisteddfod lecture (the Annual Sir Thomas ParryWilliams Memorial Lecture) for 2018 explores the role of the Commission on Justice in Wales, which is chaired by the former Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgïedd. The lecture examines the history and implications of ‘the England and Wales jurisdiction’, a legal concept which has its origins in the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1543. The central argument of the lecture is that while there are a number of contexts in which the phrase ‘England and Wales’ – or ‘Cymru a Lloegr’ in Welsh – might be used, the specific conjunction of the two place names in legal discourse is so distinctive and so significant to the future of Wales, in or out of Europe, that its legal uses might best be signified through a single close compound: ‘EnglandandWales’. The lecture argues that the establishment of a Commission on Justice in Wales by a devolved government in Wales has moved us one step closer to resolving this ‘anachronistic phenomenon’ whereby the only legal jurusdiction which currently operates in Wales – despite the establishment of a Welsh government in Cardiff – is the jurisdiction of ‘EnglandandWales’, an entity which came into being as a consequence of the infamous Acts of Union.

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