Goronwy Owen (poet)

Goronwy Owen (1 January 1723 – July 1769) was one of the 18th century's greatest Welsh poets. He mastered the traditional bardic metres and, although forced by circumstances to be an exile, played an important role in the literary and antiquarian movement in Wales often described as the Welsh Eighteenth Century Renaissance. A perfectionist who only published reluctantly and whose literary output is consequently relatively small, his work nevertheless had a huge influence on Welsh poetry for several generations and his poetic genius and tragic life gave him a cult status in Welsh literary circles.

Life

He was born on New Year's Day, 1723 in the parish of Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf in Anglesey and during his childhood lived at his ancestral home Y Dafarn Goch. He was later educated at Friars School, Bangor and Jesus College, Oxford, although he did not remain long at the college. Owen was admitted to the college as a servitor on June 3, 1742 but, whilst his name remained on the college's books until March 1748 (albeit with some omissions) he only resided in the college for about one week in the Midsummer Term of 1744, and incurred a debt of 15s 1d that was never paid.

Goronwy Owen

Goronwy Owen may refer to:

Goronwy Owen (politician)

Goronwy Owen (22 June 1881 – 26 September 1963) was a Welsh Liberal politician and businessman.

Education, war & business

Owen was born at Penllwyn, Aberystwyth. He was educated at Ardwyn Grammar School and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth where he gained an MA degree. He worked as a schoolteacher in London until 1914 but then joined the London Welsh Battalion (15th Royal Welch Fusiliers) as an officer. He served in France and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1916. He was promoted to Brigade Major and twice mentioned in dispatches. By 1948 however he was being referred to as having achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. After the war, he was called to the Bar by Grays Inn but the law was a subordinate interest to business and politics. He became a member of the London Stock Exchange and went into the oil business. He became president of British Controlled Oilfields which had interests in Venezuela and the Caribbean and was on the board of the Trinidad Petroleum Development Company as well as having interests in other commercial and trading companies.