Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jones, William Ellis
JONES, WILLIAM ELLIS (1796–1848), Welsh poet, whose bardic name was Gwilym Cawrdaf, born on 9 Oct. 1796 at Tyddyn Sion in the parish of Abererch, Carnarvonshire, was the second son of Ellis and Catherine Jones. His father was then a fuller, but subsequently became a schoolmaster. William after working as a journeyman printer at Dolgelly and Carnarvon, removed to London in 1817. About this time he studied landscape-painting, and soon after accompanied a gentleman to France and Italy in the capacity of a draughtsman. On his return to England he carried on the business of a photographer at Bath and Bristol, but after an illness returned to Wales, and resumed the occupation of printer. In January 1824 he entered the office of ‘Seren Gomer’ at Carmarthen, but subsequently worked for the Rev. Josiah T. Jones, first at Merthyr, then at Cowbridge (1836–8), and finally at Carmarthen. He was for many years a lay preacher among the Wesleyans, and while at Cowbridge was editor of, and chief contributor to, ‘Y Gwron Odyddol,’ the monthly organ of the Welsh Oddfellows. He died at Carmarthen on 27 March 1848, and was buried in St. Peter's churchyard.
Jones was the author of at least eleven odes (‘awdlau’), besides several other shorter poems written according to the rules of Welsh assonance, and he won the bardic chair at the Brecon Eisteddfod in 1822. A short lyrical poem entitled ‘Nos Sadwrn’ (‘Saturday Night’) and his ode ‘Hiraeth Cymro am ei wlad’ (‘The Welshman's longing for his home’) are full of a nervous tender feeling. He was also the author of a religious allegory of high merit, called ‘Y Bardd, neu y Meudwy Cymreig,’ Carmarthen, 1830, 12mo. He contributed largely to ‘Hanes y Nef a'r Ddaear,’ Carmarthen, 1847–8, and translated into Welsh Williams's ‘Missionary Enterprises,’ Carmarthen, 12mo. A collected edition of his poetical works was published in 1851, under the title of ‘Gweithoedd Cawrdaf … jn cynwys Gwyddfa y Bardd …’ (Carnarvon, 8vo), to which is appended a reprint of ‘Y Meudwy Cymreig.’ A portrait of the poet and a memoir by his brother, Ellis Jones of Carnarvon, are prefixed.
[J. T. Jones's Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol, ii. 146–147; memoir prefixed to Gweithoedd Cawrdaf … ut supra; Williams's Eminent Welshmen, p. 268; Foulkes's Enwogion Cymru, pp. 113, 114.]