15 Facts About Ifor Williams

Sir Ifor Williams, was a Welsh scholar who laid the foundations for the academic study of Old Welsh, particularly early Welsh poetry.

Ifor Williams was born at Pendinas, Tregarth near Bangor, Wales, the son of John Williams, a quarryman, and his wife Jane.

Ifor Williams's maternal grandfather, Hugh Derfel Hughes, was a noted local historian who wrote a well-regarded book on the history of the area.

Ifor Williams went to Friars School, Bangor, in 1894 but had only been there for just over a year when he suffered a serious accident.

Ifor Williams had a lifelong interest in Welsh place-names, and was one of the first to apply rigorous academic methods to this field.

Ifor Williams published Enwau Lleoedd in 1945 which is still of great value today.

Ifor Williams produced scholarly editions of the works of a number of mediaeval poets such as Dafydd ap Gwilym and others in 1914 and Iolo Goch in 1925 with colleagues.

Ifor Williams produced Canu Llywarch Hen in 1935 covering the poetry associated with Llywarch Hen, then in 1938 possibly his most important work, Canu Aneirin, the text with notes of the Gododdin attributed to the 6th-century poet Aneirin.

Ifor Williams wrote an introduction to Canu Taliesin in 1960 on work of the poet Taliesin, with particular emphasis on the dating of the 6th century poems in the Taliesin corpus.

Ifor Williams published works on later Welsh poetry, such as the 10th century Armes Prydain.

Ifor Williams was a speaker on the radio, and selections of his radio lectures were published in three books.

Ifor Williams married Myfanwy Jones of Cae-glas, Pontllyfni, Arfon, in 1913, and there were two children, a daughter and a son.

Ifor Williams retired in 1947 and was knighted the same year.

Ifor Williams lived from 1913 to 1947 in Menai Bridge and retired to Pontllyfni where he died in 1965.

Ifor Williams is buried in the burial ground attached to Capel Brynaerau, Pontllyfni.