Beriah Gwynfe Evans

Beriah Gwynfe Evans (12 February 1848 – 4 November 1927)[1] was a journalist, Congregationalist, dramatist, Liberal politician and Welsh Nationalist.

Early life

Born at Nant-y-glo, near Ebbw Vale in Monmouthshire, Evans was educated at the Beaufort British School and became a teacher at Gwynfe and Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. However, his ambition was to become a journalist.

Teacher and playwright

As a playwright, Evans helped introduce a sceptical Nonconformity to contemporary drama with a patriotic play, Owain Glyndŵr, performed at the Llanberis Eisteddfod of 1879. Evans was heavily involved in Welsh language literature and publishing, as a member of the Gorsedd.[2]

Journalist

In 1880, Evans established the monthly magazine Cyfail yr Aelwyd, and in 1887 gave up teaching for a career in journalism, joining the staff of the South Wales Daily News in Cardiff. Concurrently he edited the Welsh section of the Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News. In 1892, he moved to Caernarfon as Managing Editor of the Welsh National Press Co., publishers of Y Genedl Gymreig, The North Wales Observer and other papers. In 1917 he became editor of the Congregationalist weekly Y Tyst.[3]

Beriah Evans was an ally of David Lloyd George and other North Welsh present at the Newport meeting of 16 January 1896. As Secretary of Cymru Fydd from 1895, Evans was in the vanguard of its offensive across Wales. Lloyd George spoke against a motion to make Evans's post at Newport merely unpaid and honorary, "and curiously enough we carried that." Once Lloyd George had swung the meeting against the resolution, the decision was made to exclude him from any discussion on the second motion, that of four sub-federations. The Cardiff Cymru Fydd society became known as "Beriah's baumkin". He then turned his hand to writing novels and produced a fine biography of Lloyd George. In his final years, he joined the infant Plaid Cymru. Evans, as a Liberal Imperialist, broke with Lloyd George over the Boer War.

Works

• The Life Romance of Lloyd George (1915)[4]
• Owain Glyndŵr (play) (1880)[5]
• Dafydd Davis (novel) (1898)

References

1. Hywel Teifi Edwards (26 June 2000). A Guide to Welsh Literature: c. 1800-1900. University of Wales Press. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-7083-1605-4.
2. Own website. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
3. Library of Wales. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
4. Google Books. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
5. Owain Glyndwr. Retrieved 17 May 2020.

• R. Tudur Jones, Congregationalism in Wales
• Dictionary of Welsh Biography
• National Library of Wales, D. A. Thomas Papers
• National Library of Wales, William George Papers
• National Library of Wales, Sir John Herbert Lewis Papers