Thomas Llewelyn Jones (11 October 1915 – 9 January 2009) was a Welsh language author. Over a writing career of more than 50 years, he became one of the most prolific and popular authors of children's books in Welsh. He wrote, and was generally known, as T. Llew Jones.

Chairing ceremony of the National Eisteddfod, Ebbw Vale, 1958, won by T. Llew Jones, also includes Erfyl Fychan, William Morris, Cynan, Crwys and Trefin.

Biography

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T. Llew Jones was born at 1 Bwlch Melyn, Pentrecwrt, Llandysul. Educated at Ysgol Gynradd Capel Graig and Llandysul Grammar School, he was a primary school teacher in various schools in Ceredigion for 35 years before becoming a full-time writer, first at Tregroes Primary School and then at Ysgol Coedybryn near Llandysul where he became headmaster. He first came to prominence as a poet, winning the chair at the National Eisteddfod in 1958 and then again in 1959.

He continued to write poetry, for children often, but was best known as a writer of adventure and detective novels for children. Many of these are historical novels based on the exploits of people such as Bartholomew Roberts and Twm Sion Cati. He published well over 50 books in total, including books for adults as well as children. Some of these are non-fiction titles, for example Ofnadwy Nos is an account of the wrecking of the Royal Charter. Some of his books have been translated into English and a number have been adapted for television.

He was awarded an honorary MA degree by the University of Wales in 1977, and in 1991 he was awarded the Mary Vaughan Jones Award, given for outstanding contributions to children's literature in Wales. In March 2005, aged nearly 90, he won the chair in Cymdeithas Ceredigion's annual Eisteddfod.

Jones died aged 93 on 9 January 2009.[1]

A new Welsh-medium primary school, Ysgol Gynradd Gymunedol T Llew Jones, in Brynhoffnant near Llangrannog, was named in his honour in 2012. It was built to replace four small primary schools in the villages of Blaenporth, Glynarthen, Rhydlewis and Pontgarreg.[2]

He was the father of the political activist, Emyr Llewelyn, international chess player, Iolo Ceredig Jones and Eira Prosser.

Chess

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Jones was also a keen chess player, he wrote the only Welsh language chess manual together with his son, Iolo. He was one of the small group of Welsh Chess Union members and officials who instigated and fought for the secession of the WCU from the British Chess Federation (as it then was) in 1970 and its successful application to join the World Chess Federation (FIDE) as an independent member. As well as holding several posts in the WCU, Jones founded and edited Y Ddraig which grew from the Dyfed Chess Association newsletter into the magazine of Welsh chess in the 1970s. He managed the Men's 1974 Olympiad team in Nice which achieved Wales best-ever result and also the Women's team in the 1976 Olympiad in Israel. He was for many years Vice-President of the WCU.

Jones was heavily involved in Dyfed chess from the 1960s onwards, in founding and running the Dyfed Chess Association, its league, Cardigan Chess Club and the highly successful Dyfed Open Congress. At his death he was Life President of the Dyfed Chess Association. Over the board he was a keen and competitive player, but achieved his best results at postal chess, representing Welsh international teams with distinction.

Awards and honours

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  • 1958 – Chair, Welsh National Eisteddfod, Ebbw Vale
  • 1959 – Chair, Welsh National Eisteddfod, Caernarfon
  • 1967 – Tir na n-Og Award for Tân ar y Comin
  • 1990 – Tir na n-Og Award for Lleuad yn Olau
  • 1991 – Mary Vaughan Jones Award
  • 2007 – Welsh Publishing Awards, "Best Seller – Poetry", for Geiriau a Gerais

Bibliography

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Books by T. Llew Jones

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Title Notes First published Other editions
* Trysor Plas y wernen 1958 1991, Gwasg Christopher Davies &
November 2005, Gwasg Gomer
* Merched y môr a chwedlau eraill 1958, Gwasg Gee, Aberystwyth
* Trysor y Môr-Ladron 1960, Llyfrau'r Dryw January 1989, Gwasg Gomer
* Y Merlyn Du 1960, Gwasg Aberystwyth January 1995, Gwasg Gomer
* Anturiaethau Twm Siôn Cati:
Y Ffordd Beryglus
April 1963, CLC March 1994 & July 2000,
Gwasg Gomer
* Anturiaethau Twm Siôn Cati:
Ymysg Lladron
CLC February 1999, Gwasg Gomer
* Swn Y Malu 1967, Gwasg Gomer
* Anturiaethau Twm Siôn Cati:
Dial o'r Diwedd
CLC CLC, November 1998 &
January 2004, Gwasg Gomer
* Yr Ergyd Farwol 1969, Gwasg Gomer
* Ofnadwy Nos Factual book 1971 31 December 1991 & January 1995,
Gwasg Gomer
* Barti Ddu o Gasnewy' Bach 1973 Under the title Barti Ddu:
November 1995, Gwasg Christopher Davies &
February 2004, Gwasg Gomer
* Un Noson Dywyll 1973 January 2003 & February 2008,
Gwasg Gomer
* Cyfrinach y Lludw January 1975 January 1994, Gwasg Gomer
* Tân ar y Comin Tir na n-Og Award winner June 1975 December 1993, June 2003,
Gwasg Gomer
* Arswyd y byd! December 1975, Gwasg Gomer
* Rwy'i Am Fod Yn Ddoctor 1976, JD Lewis
* Ysbryd Plas Nantesgob 1976
* Cerddi Pentalar August 1976, Gwasg Gomer
* Lawr ar Lan y Môr April 1977, JD Lewis
* Dirgelwch yr Ogof August 1977, Gwasg Gomer November 2002, Gwasg Gomer
* Dysgu Difyr November 1977, JD Lewis
* Cerddi 1979, JD Lewis
* Slawer Dydd December 1979, Gwasg Gomer
* A Chwaraei di Wyddbwyll? with his son, Iolo Ceredig Jones 31 December 1980, Gwasg Gomer
* Dewi Emrys 1981, Cyhoeddiadau Barddas
* Cyfoeth Awen Isfoel June 1981, Gwasg Gomer
* Ynys y Trysor 1986, Gwasg Mynydd Mawr
* Rownd Y Byd mewn 80 diwrnod Translation of Round The World in 80 Days by Jules Verne 1986, Gwasg Gomer
* Storm 1987, Gwasg Gomer
* Popeth am Ysbrydion 1987, Gwasg Gomer
* Canu'n iach! 1987 October 1988, Gwasg Gomer
* Cri'r Dylluan 31 December 1988, Gwasg Gomer March 2005, Gwasg Gomer
* Gwaed ar eu Dwylo 31 December 1988, Gwasg Gomer
* Berw gwyllt yn Abergwaun:
Hanes rhyfedd glaniad y
Ffrancod yn Abergwaun yn 1797
1986, Gwasg Carreg Gwalch
* Corff ar y Traeth 1988 February 1989, Gwasg Gomer
* Lleuad yn Olau Tir na n-Og Award winner 20 April 1989, Gwasg Gomer June 1999, Gwasg Gomer
* One Moonlit Night Translation of Lleuad yn Olau
Gillian Clarke
September 1991, Gwasg Gomer
* Penillion y Plant Illustrated by Jac Jones January 1990, Gwasg Gomer March 1992, Gwasg Gomer
* Cyfrinach Wncwl Daniel:
Hanes Rhyfedd Hen
Feddyginiaeth Lysieuol
with Dafydd Wyn Jones January 1992, Gwasg Gomer
* Cancer Curers – Or Quacks?:
The Story of a Secret
Herbal Remedy
with Dafydd Wyn Jones
Translation of Cyfrinach Wncwl Daniel,
by Dafydd Wyn Jones
January 1993, Gwasg Gomer
* Corn, pistol a chwip 31 December 1992, Gwasg Gomer
*Cân y Morfilod Translation of a book by Dyan Sheldon CLC
* Santa CLC
* Gipsy Fires Translation of his novel Tân ar y Comin,
with Carol Byrne Jones
January 1994, Pont Books
* Y Gelyn ar y Trên January 1994 June 2004, Gwasg Gomer
* Jona Ym Mol y Morfil January 1994, Gwasg Cambria
* Llyfrau Darllen Newydd: Llyfr 1 1994 June 2000, Gwasg Gomer
* Llyfrau Darllen Newydd: Llyfr 2 1996 January 1996, Gwasg Gomer
* Hen Gof : Ysgrifau llên gwerin 1996
* Trysorau T. Llew: Modrwy Aur y
Bwda a Storïau Eraill
Collection, illustrated by Jac Jones Wedi eu cyhoeddi eisioes November 1997, Gwasg Gomer
* Trysorau T. Llew: Y Môr yn eu Gwaed Siân Lewis's selection from
T. Llew Jones' exciting novels
November 1997, Gwasg Gomer
* Llyfrau Darllen Newydd: Llyfr 3 1997 July 2000, Gwasg Gomer
* Llyfrau Darllen Newydd: Llyfr 4 November 1998, Gwasg Gomer
* Lladron Defaid Welsh adaptation of The Wild Morgans
by Alison Morgan
May 2001, Gwasg Gomer
* Storïau Cwm-pen-llo Collection of 4 stories Appeared in
Pethe Plant in 1976
1 November 2001,
Gwasg Carreg Gwalch
* Fy Mhobol I Autobiography August 2002, Gwasg Gomer March 2003, Gwasg Gomer
* Trysorfa T. Llew Jones ed. Tudur Dylan Jones,
illustrated by Jac Jones
November 2004, Gwasg Gomer
* Bocs Anrheg October 2005, Gwasg Gomer
* Geiriau a Gerais November 2006, Gwasg Gomer
* Cerddi newydd i blant (o bob oed)
* Gormod o Raff
* Helicopter! help! : a storiau eraill
  • Lleuad yn Olau – Chwedlau Traddodiadol o Gymru, November 2003, re-printed February 2005 (Tympan)

Books edited by T. Llew Jones

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  • Cerddi Gwlad Ac Ysgol, October 1976, Gwasg Gomer
  • Tales the Wind Told, August 1979, JD Lewis
  • Cerddi Bardd y Werin – Detholiad o Farddoniaeth Crwys, January 1994, Gwasg Gomer

Books about T. Llew Jones

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  • Teifi, Siân Cyfaredd y cyfarwydd : astudiaeth o fywyd a gwaith y prifardd T. Llew Jones
  • Cyfrol deyrnged y Prifardd T. Llew Jones (edited by Gwynn ap Gwilym)

References

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  1. ^ "Colli 'un o eiconau'r genedl'". BBC Cymru (in Welsh). 10 January 2009.
  2. ^ "School named after author T Llew Jones in Brynhoffnant". BBC Cymru Wales. 7 September 2012.
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