REPORT

OF

THE COUNCIL OF THE

Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion,

For the Year ending 9th November, 1925.

PRESENTED TO THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD IN THE SOCIETY'S ROOMS ON THURSDAY, THE 26TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1925.

THE Council have to report that during the past year the Society has suffered severely from death and other causes. As many as 31 old and valued members have passed to the Great Beyond since the date of the last Annual Meeting. From the ranks of the Council we have lost a zealous colleague, the late Thomas Howell Williams Idris, whose loyal and devoted service to Wales, and to the Cymmrodorion, will be long remembered. The obituary list

includes the names of other well-known public men, amongst them the Rev. Canon Thomas Edwards (Gwynedd) who for many years was one of the most ardent supporters of the National Eisteddfod; the Rev. Canon Llewelyn R. Hughes, of Llandudno, whose kindly services are gratefully remembered by the men of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers; the Rev. T. Edwin Jones, Vicar of Holyhead; Dr. Evan Jones, formerly of Aberdare, who for more than 50 years, and to the end of his days, assisted the Society and attended its gatherings, and a much younger member the late Sir Hugh Thomas, of Castle Hall, Mil

b

career.

ford, whose activities gave high promise of a brilliant From our immediate London circle we have lost Mr. Harry Jones, a journalist of the highest repute and of sterling worth; Mr. Thomas Hinds, for many years an active worker in all London Welsh movements; Mr. Rowland Rees, a quiet and unobtrusive but very sincere Welsh patriot; Mr. David Jones, of Farringdon Street, a faithful Cymmrodor of 30 years standing; Dr. E. J. Lewis, of Hamilton Terrace, Mrs. J. Bell White, a generous contributor to our funds; Mr. Hugh Rowland Thomas, Haymarket, Mr. Joseph Leete, and quite recently Lt.-Col. J. Lloyd Jones, formerly of the Indian Medical Service. From our country members, in addition to those already mentioned, we miss Mr. Gwilym James, of Merthyr Tydfil, and Mr. Charles Russell James his brother, Mr. Henry J. Thomas, of Cardiff, Mr. G. E. Cooper and Mrs. Reginald Rees, of Sheffield, Mr. Joseph Morcom, of Kew, Mr. T. J. Rowland, of Manchester, Dr. Richard Williams, Bangor, Mr. William James, of Swansea, Mr. J. H. W. Davies, Mr. John Jones, of Aberdovey, Captain J. E. Lewis, of Aberayron, Mrs. May Hedley, of Middlesboro, a great grand-daughter of Iolo Morgannwg, and within these last few days Mr. E. W. Evans, the editor of the Cymro, Dolgelley. Finally we make mention of Mrs. Ignatius Williams, a centenarian member (her husband, the late Mr. John Ignatius Williams, was on this Council so far back as the early seventies), who passed away last September at the ripe age of 101 years.

The Society, in common with most institutions maintained by voluntary subscriptions, has suffered from the stress of the times. Members to the number of 25 have asked to be released from their obligations. Fortunately, the literary activities of the Society continue to attract

members from all parts of the world, as many as 103 having been admitted during the year. Amongst these we may mention such public institutions as The Johns Hopkins University Library, of Baltimore, U.S.A., the Prussian State Library, of Berlin, the Dublin University College Library, and Cymdeithas Cymmrodorion Llandeilo. We have also welcomed, amongst others, such prominent divines as the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, the newly appointed Bishop of Bangor, the Rev. Principal Owen Prys, and the Rev. Dr. Gwylfa Roberts, all leading representatives of their various denominations, and we have extended the hand of fellowship and of life membership to Mr. R. Edwin Roberts, of the Scientific Society of Chili, a native of and a resident in the Welsh Settlement in Patagonia. As a further indication of the attraction of the Society to persons of education and culture we may mention the admission to membership this afternoon of a well-known historical writer, Miss Caroline A. J. Skeel, M.A. (Camb.), D.Lit. (Lond.), Professor of History, Westfield Coll., University of London, the author of "Wales and the Marches"; and of Captain B. Howard Cunnington, F.S.A., a distinguished Wiltshire Archæologist, and a Vice-President of the Cambrian Archæological Association.

The Council desire to express their great indebtedness to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales for the personal interest he has, as its Patron, taken in the work of the Society. He has shewn a marked attention to the Society's literary output, and he very graciously on our behalf secured the presence of H.R.H. the Prince Henry as the Special Guest of the annual banquet held last April. The Council, in the name of the Society, offered loyal and cordial congratulations to their Patron on his safe return from his last overseas tour and their heartfelt thanks for

the splendid and patriotic service that His Royal Highness has rendered and is rendering to the Country and Empire at large. Their message was graciously acknowledged by His Royal Highness.

The meetings held during the year were as follows:

1924.

November 22.--ANNUAL Meeting of the MemberS, the Rev. Dr. G. Hartwell Jones, M.A., Chairman of the Council, presiding.

1925.

January 2.-Dr. Thomas Richards, M.A., on "A Battle of Wits, the Story of the Whitford Leases." Chairman, Mr. G. Hay Morgan, K.C.

April 2.-Dr. R. E. Mortimer Wheeler, M.A., Director of the National Museum, on "Roman Brecon and its Inhabitants". Chairman, Mr. J. M. Howell, J. P., of Plâs Penhelig.

April 30.-THE ANNUAL BANQUET OF THE SOCIETY held at the Hotel Cecil, the Right Hon. Lord Dynevor, vice-president, in the chair. Guest of the evening:-H.R.H. the Prince Henry.

In connection with the National Eisteddfod held at Pwllheli, meetings of the Cymmrodorion Section were held in the hall of Penlan Chapel on Monday afternoon, August 3rd, 1925 (President, Dr. O. Wynne Griffith, Mayor of Pwllheli), and on Wednesday morning, August 5th (President (in the absence of the Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, O.M.), the Rev. Principal Maurice Jones, D.D., St. David's College, Lampeter). The subject for discussion was "Cadwraeth yr Iaith ", the preservation of the Welsh language, and speeches were delivered and addresses prepared by persons who from intimate knowledge and wide experience were entitled to express opinions on a matter of infinite importance to the nation, a matter which is at the present time engaging the serious attention of a Departmental Committee of the Board of Education, of which one of our Vice-Presidents, the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of St. David's, is the

Chairman. The main object of the Committee is "to inquire into the position occupied by Welsh (Language and Literature) in the Educational System of Wales, and to advise how its study may best be promoted ". The Council have reason to hope that the views expressed at the meetings referred to, varied as they are in character, will be found helpful in the prosecution of this inquiry. All the addresses were in Welsh and they will be published in full as an addition to the Transactions of this year, and will also at the request of members of the Departmental Committee be issued as an off-print for immediate circulation. The Lecture contains contribu

tions by :

THE REV. DR. G. HARTWELL JONES, M.A., D.Litt.

SIR JOHN MORRIS-JONES, M.A., LL.D.

THE REV. J. O. WILLIAMS (Pedrog) M.A.

PROFESSOR J. E. LLOYD, M.A., D.Litt.

PROFESSOR T. GWYNN JONES, M.A.

PROFESSOR HENRY LEWIS, M.A.

PROFESSOR ERNEST HUGHES, M.A.

MR. E. MORGAN HUMPHREYS (Editor of Y Genedl).

MR. J. H. JONES (Editor of Y Brython).

MR. E. PROSSER RHYS (Editor of Baner ac Amserau Cymru).

THE REV. D. TECWYN EVANS, B.A.

THE REV. W. A. LEWIS, Liverpool.

MISS GWENAN JONES, M.A., Ph D. and

THE REV. H. ELVET LEWIS, M.A., The Archdruid of the Gorsedd of Bards.

This is not the place or the occasion to discuss the points raised by the Committee, an opportunity we understand will be given to some of us to do this later on, but judging from the variety of the opinions given in the pamphlet we have alluded to, the subject is one that is bound to lead to much dispute. For ourselves we think we are entitled to say that no Society has excelled the