              Copyright
Helen Forder
2004
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| 1886 - Royal
Welsh Eisteddfod at Caerwys |
| In September 1886 The Royal Welsh
Eisteddfod of Wales was held at Caerwys in Flintshire. The harp
competition was specially arranged by Lady
Llanofer ... 'who
takes the greatest interest in competitions of
this nature, and, indeed, in everything connected
with the eisteddfodau.' |
Report
from the Denbighshire Free Press
'The ancient city of Caerwys, in Flintshire, many
centuries ago a place of great importance and one
of the strongholds of the Welsh people during the
period of the Roman invasion, is this week the
scene of the congress of bards, musicians, and
patriots.
The rules of the competition on the Welsh
triple-stringed harp of Wales have been specially
arranged by Lady Llanofer (Gwenynen Gwent), who
is intensely interested in these contests, and
they set forth that no one would be qualified to
compete who had been a player on the pedal harp
the object being to restore to its proper
position the national instrument of the
principality, and to encourage the cultivation of
the pure and simple style in which ancient Welsh
music ought to be played.' |
| 'As the president took
his seat on the platform an appropriate and
popular air was rendered with great effect by the
harpists, nine in number, led by Gruffydd, harpist to H.R.H. the Prince of
Wales.The other harpists were composed of the
harpist to Lady Llanofer and his pupils, together
with the North Wales harpists. The ladies of the
party were dressed in the old Welsh costume. The
first item in the programme Wednesday, was a
performance by Lady Llanover’s harpists,
who, under the leadership of the clever blind
harpist Gruffydd, harper by special appointment
to the Prince of Wales and the Llanover family
harpist, played the popular air “Captain
Morgan”.' |
Mrs.
Gruffydd Richards
and Elizabeth Ann Williams
Caerwys Eisteddfod 1886 |
'The
principal event of the evening followed, in the
shape of a competition on the Welsh triple
stringed harp for a prize of £10 offered by the
committee, and a second prize of £5 offered by
Lady Llanover and the Marquis of Bute. There were
seven competitors, and after an interesting
competition, lasting over an hour, the first
prize was awarded by the adjudicator, Dr. Parry,
to Mrs. Richards of Llanover, who appeared in
Welsh costume.
In the contest on the Welsh harp for prizes given
by Lady Llanofer and the Marquis of Bute, the
adjudicator, Dr. Parry (of Swansea), awarded the
first prize to Morganwg (of Taibach), and the
second to Ap Tudor (Holyhead). The winners were
invested by Lady Mostyn.
In the competition of the domestic harpers for
prizes offered by Lord Tredegar, the successful
competitor was Elizabeth Ann Williams, of
Llanover, a girl who had only commenced to study
the instrument two months previously under
Gruffydd. The adjudicator was Dr. Parry, of
Swansea.' |
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