             Copyright
Helen Forder
2004
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| Thomas Gruffydd was renowned as
the greatest harper of his time, and won many
prizes. He was born in 1815 in Llangynidr,
Breconshire, son of Richard Griffiths, a farmer
and his wife Elizabeth. At the age of three
Thomas lost an eye after falling on an axe, and
as the result of another accident at school he
lost most of the sight in his other eye. He was
taught to play the harp by John Jones of
Dolgellau and followed him as Llanofer family
harper. |
In the early 1850s
Thomas and his wife Elizabeth, had a son whom
they named Thomas. In his teens Thomas junior
suffered from rheumatic fever and died in 1870 at
the age of 19.
They lived at Ty'r Eglwys, Llanofer. |
Ty'r
Eglwys, Llanofer |
As well as being a renowned
harper and teacher, Gruffydd adjudicated at many
harp competitions. At one particular competition,
held at Llanofer in 1869, he and his fellow
adjudicator, Brinley Richards, caused a bit of a
rumpus. The three winners tied and so they had to
play a second time, and this time, the first
prize, a triple harp and £2, was awarded to a 14
year old boy, Abraham Rees, of Merthyr Tydfil;
2nd prize to Robert Jones of Newtown; and third
to Lewis Williams of Pontllanfraith.
Among the six competitors were John Roberts,
Telynor Cymru, and his son John. Lady Llanofer
decided to give prizes to the three unsuccessful
competitors as well, and presented £5 to E. Pugh
and offered £3 to Roberts senior and £1 to his
son. However ...
'The elder Roberts ... was
dissatisfied with the ruling of the judges,
contending that his harp was set in the wrong key
and that he ought to have been allowed to play a
second time; and he refused to accept anything or
to allow his son to do so.' |
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