William Ambrose (Emrys)
William Ambrose (1 August 1813 – 31 October 1873), whose bardic name was Emrys, was a 19th-century Welsh–language poet and preacher.[1]
Ordination
Ambrose was born at an inn called the Penrhyn Arms[2] in Bangor, Caernarfonshire (Gwynedd), north Wales. His father, John, was a leading member of the local Baptist community, and his mother, Elizabeth, a founder member of Bethel chapel in Bangor. They remained at the Penrhyn Arms for ten years, up to 1823. John Ambrose was also the tenant of the local shop.[3] The Welsh composer John Ambrose Lloyd was William's cousin. William Ambrose was taught at Holyhead by the Rev W Griffiths.[4]
After school, Ambrose was apprenticed to a draper in Liverpool, where he became a member of the Tabernacle Congregational Church, in which his cousin John became precentor.[5] He later moved to London.[6]
However, having gone on a preaching tour led by William Williams (Caledfryn), he decided against setting up in business in Liverpool and instead become a minister. He was ordained on 7 December 1837. He remained minister of the Independent chapel at Porthmadog until his death, aged 60.[7]
Writing
Emrys edited the periodical Y Dysgedydd from 1853 to 1873, and narrowly missed winning the bardic chair at the Aberffraw Eisteddfod of 1849, with his "Awdl ar y greadigaeth".[8]
He is not regarded as an outstanding poet, many of whose sermons were published.[9] but was a popular preacher,[4] Some of his poems, such as "Ar y Lan Arall" ("On the Other Shore"), became hymns.[10]
Legacy
- In 1875, an elegy to Emrys by John Owen Griffith (Ioan Arfon) won first prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Pwllheli.[11]
Works
- Atgofion fy Ngweinidogaith (1876)[12]
- Gweithiau y Parch (1975)
References
- Roberts; Thomas Rowland Roberts; Robert Williams (1908). Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen who have attained distinction from the earliest times to the present, Volume 1. New York Public Library: Educational Publishing Co. p. 10.
- The Cambrian: A Magazine for the Welsh in America. D. I. Jones. 1887. p. 252.
- Transactions. 1949. p. 40.
- Thomas Mardy Rees (1908). Notable Welshmen (1700-1900):... with Brief Notes, in Chronological Order, and Authorities. Also a Complete Alphabetical Index. Herald Office. p. 326.
- Maggie Humphreys; Robert Evans (1 January 1997). Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland. A&C Black. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7201-2330-2.
- Richard Griffith Owen. "Ambrose, William (Emrys; 1813-1873), Independent minister, poet, and littérateur". Welsh Biography Online. National Library of Walesaccess-date=10 March 2020.
- David Ben Rees (1 January 1991). The Life and Work of Owen Thomas, 1812-1891: A Welsh Preacher in Liverpool. E. Mellen Press. p. 293. ISBN 978-0-7734-9710-8.
- Thomas Rowland Roberts (1908). Eminent Welshmen: A Short Biographical Dictionary of Welshmen who Have Attained Distinction from the Earliest Times to the Present. Educational Publishing Company. p. 10.
- Meic Stephens (1998). Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru. University of Wales Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-7083-1383-1.
- Glyn Jones (1996). The Collected Poems of Glyn Jones. University of Wales Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7083-1388-6.
- Marwnad i'r Parchedig William Ambrose ('Emrys'). 1875.
- Harvard University. Library (1970). Celtic literatures: classification schedule, classified listing by call number, chronological listing, author and title listing. Distributed by the Harvard University Press. p. 81.