Cledwyn Hughes (author)

John Cledwyn Hughes (1920–1978), who wrote under the name Cledwyn Hughes, was an Anglo-Welsh writer of novels, children's books, and literary-topographical books about Wales. He was also a prolific short-story writer who was published in a wide range of popular and literary magazines including The New Yorker, Argosy and Woman and Home.

Not to be confused with the politician Cledwyn Hughes, Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos (1916–2001).

The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales[1] cites The Civil Strangers[2] (Phoenix House, 1950) as his most distinguished work and notes the fineness of his topographical writing, and of his writing for children.

Hughes was born at Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain in Montgomeryshire,[3] and died at Arthog, Merionethshire, where he and his wife Alyna lived from 1947.[4] An archive of his papers is held at the National Library of Wales.[3]

Major works

Novels
  • The Different Drummer and The Inn Closes for Christmas: two novels[5] (Pilot Press, 1947)
  • Wennon[6] (Pilot Press, 1948)
  • The Civil Strangers[2] (Phoenix House, 1950)
  • After the Holiday[7] (Phoenix House, 1950)
  • The House in the Cornfield[8] - semi-autobiographical (Werner Laurie, 1957)

Topographical writing
  • A Wanderer in North Wales[9] (Phoenix House, 1949)
  • The Northern Marches[10] (Robert Hale, 1953)
  • Poaching down the Dee[11] (Robert Hale, 1953)
  • Royal Wales (Phoenix House, 1957)
  • West with the Tinkers[12] (Odham Press, 1951)
  • Portrait of Snowdonia[13] (Robert Hale, 1967)
  • The Batsford Colour Book of Wales (Batsford, 1975)

Children's books
  • Gold and "The Moonspray" (Heinemann, 1953)
  • The King Who Lived on Jelly (Routledge and Kegan Paul,1961)

Other full-length works
  • Leonard Cheshire V. C. (Phoenix House, 1961)
  • Ponies for Children (Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1962)
  • Making an Orchard (Land Books, 1961)

International and translated editions
  • He Dared not Look Behind[14] (A A Wyn, 1949) – Title under which 'The Inn Closes for Christmas was published' in USA and Canada
  • La Jambe de Cain[14] (Gallimard, 1963) – French edition of the above
  • The King Who Lived on Jelly (Special Edition, Georgian House, Melbourne, Australia, 1969)

Short stories and broadcast works

Over 250 short stories are known to have been published by Cledwyn Hughes. The first recorded published story being in 1943 ('Their Secret Sorrows'[15] in the Weekly Telegraph). The manuscripts of the majority of stories are available to researchers in the National Library of Wales archives.

Stories published 1943-1949
The Confession Selected Writing, No. 3, Nicholson and Watson 1946
The Housekeeper Stories for All Moods, Pendulum Publications
The Necessity Moore (ed.), Modern Reading 11-12, Wells Gardner, Darton, 1945
The Unqualified Aistrop & Moore (eds.), Bugle Blast: A Third Anthology From the Services, Allen & Unwin, 1945
Open up Them Pearly Gates Tattoo
The Basket BBC Midland/Welsh Home Service, 20 Dec 1946
The Fifteen Shilling Marvel Argosy, Nov 1946,
The Heart of Mr Thomas Our Time, December
The Hedghog Vaughan (ed.), Celtic Story, Pendulum, 1946
The Miracle Life and Letters, March 1946
A Well Sung Carol John Bull Magazine, Christmas Issue, 1947
Geekie's First Christmas BBC Children's Hour, 21 December 1947, all regions
Life After Death Cronos' [?] Ohio State University Review
Love Lit with Paraffin John Bull Magazine, March? 1947
Pritchard's Bees Wyatt (ed.), English Story 7th Series, Collins, 1947
Reece the Poles John Bull Magazine, 15 November 1947
The Man who once Grew Christmas Trees Harper's Bazaar Xmas Issue 1947
The Stepping Stones Virginian Quarterly Review, June 1947
A Bucketful of Roses Argosy, Oct 1948
An Armful of Wasps John Bull Magazine, 26 June 1948
Cras and his Lucky Christmas Lilliput Magazine, December 1948
Geekie's Wonderful Christmas BBC Chidren's Hour, Welsh Home Service, 16 December 1948
How Shone the Tinker Retired John Bull Magazine, 16 October 1948
Mr Pugh's Marmalade Womans Magazine, April 1949
None so Blind John Bull Magazine, 26 March 1948
Poaching the Ungodly Way Strand Magazine, accepted September 1947, Published April 1948
Preece and his Duty John Bull Magazine, 17 June 1948
Salty Jones BBC Midland Region, 26 November 1948
The Best Dressed Horse Argosy, April 1948
The Bright Gentleman John Bull Magazine, 4 September 1948
The Christmas Acceptance Weldons Ladies Journal, December 1948
The Circus John Bull Magazine, 21 Feb 1948
The Leaf which Never Died BBC Children's Hour, 14 April 1949
The Little Bishop Argosy, Aug 1948
The New Shearer John Bull Magazine, 17 April 1948
The Poachers The Strand, 115(688), April 1948
The Remarkable Cider John Bull Magazine, 16 December 1948
The Saint's Well John Bull Magazine, 7 August 1948
The Tomato Plant John Bull Magazine, 3 February 1949
Thomas at the Fair John Bull Magazine, 18 November 1948
Miss Rees
A Little Rehearsal John Bull Magazine, 15 April 1950
A Night Among the Roses John Bull Magazine, 10 November 1949
A Tin Whistle at Christmas John Bull Magazine, 23 December 1949
A Windmill and Twelve Cherry Trees
Black Maggie Argosy, Dec 1949
Counting his Sundays Weldons Ladies Journal, July 1949
Geekie and the Cuckoo Clock Woman's Illustrated, [dates?] 1949
Geekie, Father Christmas, and the Remarkable Snowman Womans Ilustrated, 24 December 1949
Grower of lavender and professor of magic English Story' edited by Woodrow Wyatt, London, Collins
The Black Horse Pudney (ed.), The Pick of Today's Short Stories, Odhams, n.d.
The Carnival John Bull Magazine, 9 September 1949
The Christmas Mattress Sketch, 21 December 1949
The Curious Captain of the Golden Rhubarb BBC Special Children's story for Xmas morning,
The Extraordinary Mr Ambrose John Bull Magazine, 30 June 1949
The Visitation Argosy, Jan 1949
Women from Distant Places John Bull Magazine, 4 June 1949

Stories published 1950-1959
A First Marvel Weldons (accepted 11 September 1950]
Five Good Dogs with Cold Noses Home Magazine
How Geekie Became a Chimney Sweep Weldons, May 1955
Jenkins One Eye John Bull Magazine, 21 January 1950
Miss Pugh and the Bishop Lilliput Magazine, February 1951
The Atishoo Symphony Orchestra Woman's Illustrated, [accepted 8 September 1950]
The Lamb with the Tongue of Gold Woman's Illustrated, March 1956
The Return of Meri John Bull Magazine, 1 November 1950
The Seller of Sunshine and Controller of Rainbows Home Journal, February 1956
The Two Musicians John Bull Magazine, 9 September 1950
Towzer's Toothache Woman's Illustrated
All Tomorrow's Flowers Argosy
Emma and the Strong Man John Bull Magazine, Summer Pie, 12 June 1952
Geekie and the Firework Factory Woman's Illustrated, [published 1956?]
Samuel Pugh's Bullfight Lilliput Magazine, May 1951
The Dance Pudney (ed.), The Pick of Today's Short Stories 3rdSeries, Odhams n.d.
Moses and the Policeman John Bull Magazine, November 15th 1952
The Old Fashioned Farm Good Housekeeping, November 1953
The Ploughing Match John Bull Magazine, 9 May 1953
A Wheel for a Queen John Bull Magazine 22 April 1953
An Umbrella from the Sea John Bull Magazine 10 June 1953
The Last Thatcher John Bull Magazine, 28 October 1953
The Almond Tumblers woman's journal, August 1956
The Corn Harvest John Bull Magazine, 25 August 1954
The First Snow Woman, 26 February 1955
The girl who wanted to dance Brittania and Eve Magazine, October 1954
The Gramophone with the Green Horn Pudney (ed.), The Pick of Today's Short Stories 5, Putnam, 1954
The Great Ash of Glas Coed Argosy, June 1954
The Master of the Golden Game John Bull Magazine, 5 May 1954
The Venerable Dog Event Woman's Journal, August 1957
The White Pony John Bull Magazine, 10 February 1954
Time to Visit the World Weldons Ladies Journal, February 1954
How Geekie Saved Maurice the Mole Woman and Home, September 1955
The Eternal Goddess BBC Welsh Home Service, Tuesday 3, September 1957
The Young and the Old Victorias John Bull Magazine, 12 November 1955
A Maythorn for a Monument Brittania and Eve Magazine, February 1956
A Yellow Ribbon John Bull Magazine
The Skipper's Wife John Bull Magazine, 11 April 1956
A Relic of the War Evening Standard, 27 November 1957
Champion at the Golden Eagle John Bull Magazine, 10 August 1957
The Mountain Main Lilliput Magazine, November 1957
The Singing Football Match John Bull Magazine, 19 January 1957
A Final Danger Argosy/Woman's Journal [author's own query],
A Punch on the Nose for London Evening Standard, 5 November 1958
The Cockle Gatherer Argosy, Sept 1958
The Perfect Canary John Bull Magazine, 1 March 1958
A Song Before Winter BBC Home Service, London, 18 November 1959, 10.30 pm
Only a Green Shutter Home (Fleetway Publications), Month? 1959
The Stock Car Race Good Housekeeping, January 1961
The Strong Room Suspense, October 1959
The Sugar Enchantress Homes and Gardens

Stories published 1960-1973
Johnny's Miracle BBC, Morning Story, Wales Region, 26 February 1960
A Dance on the Lawn Saturday Evening Post, June 1961?
Jericho and the Jumble Sale Woman's Journal, June 1961
The White Stranger The Evening News, 27 July 1961
A Journey for a Fragment of Snow
Our Miss Juliet Housewife or Woman's Realm, September 1963
The Answer is not the echo
Just a few Bees Modern Caravan, June, 1964
An Emotion of the Sea Homes and Gardens, October 1965
Jazz Pony Homes and Gardens, October 1964
Mary will Answer the Puppet Woman's Day, USA, December 1964
The Coming of the Honey Homes and Gardens, August 1966
The Green Eye in the Window Homes and Gardens, August 1965
The Pony with the Strong Voice Woman's Realm, 20 March 1965
A Day by the Ocean Parents' Magazine, February, 1965
A Talent for Devotion Woman's Realm, 18 October 1965
An Occasion for Music She Magazine, December 1965
A Remembrance of Innocent Days Woman's Mirror, accepted 2 August 1966
A Sort of Weather from the Seasons of Love Woman's Realm, September 30, 1967
A Little White Powder, as Important as Life Itself Men Only, May 1967
Longing for the Glorious Years Argosy, June 1967
Taking a Bird on Honeymoon Argosy, Oct 1967
There's a Cow Outside Homes and Gardens, August, 1967
A Universe of Roses and Dreams ? Accepted 23 November 1968
The Gentle Harpist [?] Weekend, 13 August 1969
The Old Strollers' Carol Party Argosy, Jan 1969
The Race for the White Rose Argosy, May 1973
The Yard Man Argosy, March 1973
Crying Off and On for a Fortnight Rostrum, November/December 1972
A Handful of Leaves Rostrum, March 1973
When the World is Calling Anglo-Welsh Review, Spring (May), 1975
Night of the Summer Storm Argosy, Aug 1973

Broadcast works
  • "Charles Macintosh"[16] - BBC Children's Hour
  • "The Basket"[17]- BBC Midlands/Wales
  • "The Black Horse" - BBC French Service[18]
  • "Watkins and the Fairies", - BBC Children's Hour[19]
  • "Geekie's First Christmas" - BBC Children's Hour[20]
  • "Geekie's Wonderful Christmas" - BBC Children's Hour[21]
  • "Pritchard's Bees" - BBC, The Wednesday Story[22]
  • "Salty Jones" - BBC Midland Home Service and internationally[23]
  • "The Leaf which Never Died" - BBC Children's Hour[24]
  • "Grower of Lavender and Professor of Magic" - BBC Norwegian Service[25]
  • "The Curious Captain of the Golden Rhubarb" - BBC Children's Xmas Morning story[26] read by Norman Shelley)
  • "November Day" - Welsh Home Service[27]
  • "The Church by the Sea" with Donald Huston - BBC Home Service, Welsh[28]
  • "Seasons in Powys" - BBC Home Service Welsh[29]
  • "Spring Comes to Wales" with Donald Huston - BBC Home Service[30]
  • "The Eternal Goddess" - BBC Welsh Home Service [31]
  • "Winter Estuary" - BBC Welsh Home Service [32]
  • "The Lamb with the Tongue of Gold" - BBC Children's Hour [33]
  • "The Gramophone with the Green Horn: A story of the open road" and - BBC Saturday Matinee [34]
  • "A Song Before Winter" with Carleton Hobbs - BBC Home Service [35]
  • "A School by the Rose Garden" - produced by Wilbert Lloyd Roberts Welsh Home Service [36] and Home Service [37]
  • "Christmas near a Green Mountain" - BBC Wales Home Service [38]
  • "Johnny's Miracle" - BBC Morning Story [39]
  • "The Green Eye in the Window" - BBC Morning Story [40]
  • "Jericho and the Jumble Sale" with Dillwyn wen - BBC Morning Story [41]
  • "Taking a Bird on Honeymoon" - BBC Morning Story [42]
  • "The Old Strollers' Carol Party" - South African Broadcasting Corporation[43]

Critical response and legacy

Hughes's writing had an international reach and received attention in a wide range of literary and popular publications. His writing is described in contemporary reviews as poetic, showing whimsy and melancholia, or at times a darker sentiment.[44][45] The Spectator (7 February 1947) welcomed the first longer works by Hughes (The Inn Closes for Christmas and The Different Drummer) describing them as 'Two vivid short novels by a brilliant young Welshman whose short stories have already established his reputation'.[46]

References
  1. Stephens, Meic; Academi Gymreig (1986). The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales. Internet Archive. Oxford [Oxfordshire] ; New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-211586-7.
  2. Hughes, Cledwyn (1949). The Civil Strangers. Phoenix House.
  3. "Hughes, Cledwyn, 1920-1978". National Library of Wales. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  4. Connor, Bernard (2011). Mawddach Crescent, Arthog, North Wales. Place of publication not identified. p. 57. ISBN 9781447854142.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. "Formats and Editions of The Different Drummer and The Inn Closes for Christmas. [Two novels.]. [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  6. Hughes, Cledwyn (1948). Wennon. [A novel. London. OCLC 314608409.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. Hughes, Cledwyn (1950). After the Holiday. Phoenix House.
  8. Hughes, Cledwyn (1957). The house in the cornfield. OCLC 837053104.
  9. Mwyn, Rhys (23 April 2014). "Thoughts of Chairman Mwyn: Inspirational Welsh Books". Thoughts of Chairman Mwyn. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  10. Hughes, Cledwyn (1953). The Northern Marches. Hale. ISBN 978-7-80066-945-3.
  11. Hughes, Cledwyn (July 2010). Poaching Down the Dee. LULU Press. ISBN 978-1-4455-1500-7.
  12. Hughes, Cledwyn (1954). West with the Tinkers: A Journey Through Wales with Vagrants. Odhams Press. ISBN 978-7-250-00461-3.
  13. Hughes, Cledwyn (1967). Portrait of Snowdonia. Hale. ISBN 978-7-110-00734-1.
  14. "Formats and Editions of He dared not look behind. [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  15. Weekly Telegraph, [Month?], 1943
  16. BBC Children's Hour, Scotland. 24 July 1943
  17. BBC Midlands/Wales, 10.30 pm 20 December 1946
  18. 27th Sept, 1946 and repeated 15 March 1950
  19. Friday 27 August 1947
  20. Sunday 21 December 1947
  21. Welsh Home Service, 16 December 1948
  22. 31 March 1948
  23. 22 November 1948; BBC Arabian Service, 16 March 1949; BBC Arabic Listener, 1 June 1949, BBC Light Programme, Mid-morning story, 21 September 1949
  24. 14 April 1949
  25. 10 October 1949
  26. 11am 25 December 1949
  27. Monday 8 November 1954
  28. Mon 24 Dec 1956, 19:30 on BBC Home Service Welsh
  29. 22 Jan 1957, 22:15
  30. BBC Home Service, Welsh, Friday 1 March 1957
  31. BBC Welsh Home Service, Tuesday 3, September 1957
  32. BBC Welsh Home Service, Monday 5 January 1959
  33. BBC Children's Hour - Wales Region, 22 January 1959, 5.20-5.30 pm
  34. BBC Saturday Matinee, January 10, 1959
  35. BBC Home Service, London, 18th November 1959, 10.30 pm
  36. June 9th
  37. 22 December 1959
  38. BBC Wales Home Service, Seasonal programme of nostalgia and discovery, Thursday 24 December 1959
  39. Morning Story, BBC Light Programme, 26 February 1960
  40. BBC Morning Story, The Light Programme, 28th April, 1966
  41. BBC Morning Story, Friday 6 October 1967
  42. BBC Morning Story, The Light Programme, 7th November, 1967
  43. South African Broadcasting Corporation, 15th September 1971
  44. World Review. E. Hulton. 1970.
  45. The Welsh Review. Penmark Press. 1947.
  46. The Spectator. F.C. Westley. 1947.
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