David Watkin Jones

Born at Merthyr Tydfil to John Jones, a cousin of the poet Daniel Evans (Daniel Ddu o Geredigion), Jones found himself working in coal mines before his 10th birthday. He was offered an education through the Church of England, but declined as it would have seen him taking orders in the Anglican Church. Jones would spend much of his adolescence and youth working underground in the collieries of Hirwaun and Aberdare.[1]

Jones was still working underground as a fireman when he won his first Eisteddfod prize in 1859. Jones followed this two years later by winning the medal for essay writing at the first National Eisteddfod of Wales in Aberdare, for his early version of Hanes Morganwg (History of Glamorgan). Jones would be a feature of eisteddfodau throughout his life, winning chief Bardic prizes at Machynlleth in 1870, Llanberis in 1878, and Cardiff in 1883. He also became a respected adjudicator of competitions, and was invited to adjudicate at the eisteddfod of the World's Columbian Exposition's in Chicago in 1893.

Following his early literary success, Jones continued to work in the coal industry, serving as coal inspector for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique for more than 30 years. Jones was a Calvinistic Methodist, and became the Deacon of Bethel Chapel in Hirwaun in 1877 and continued to teach at various Sunday Schools until the final weeks of his life.[1]

Jones became the first president of the Cardiff Cymmrodorion Society in 1888. Jones had already contributed numerous articles to magazines such as Y Geninen, and Cymru, but his move to Cardiff saw him become the editor of Welsh poetry columns for the Cardiff Times and Y Darian (The Shield), as well as the editor of a Welsh Column for the South Wales Weekly News.

Jones commitment to publishing was further evidenced when he opened a book shop in Treharris Street, Roath. The shop housed a small printing press which printed both his own work and that of his friends. Jones was asked to adjudicate the awdl competition in the 1901 National Eisteddfod at Merthyr Tydfil, which would prove to be his last, Jones died at Cardiff, on 25 April 1905 and was buried at Aberdare Cemetery.[2]