              Copyright
Helen Forder
2004
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John Jones was born in
1800, in a gipsy tent on the side of the main
road to Dolgellau.
In 1824 the Breconshire Society for Welsh
Minstrelsy was formed 'for the encouragment
of performers on the Welsh Harp, and Instruction
of poor Blind Boys on that Instrument', and
it was John Jones who was appointed instructor.
In 1826 he won the highest award of the silver
harp at the Brecon Eisteddfod, the one said to be
the first eisteddfod attended by Lady Llanofer,
when she was simple Mrs. Hall. The Halls were no
doubt impressed by his skill on the instrument,
and he was later appointed their family harper. |
John
Jones
(sketch by Lady Llanofer)
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| John Jones
died at the comparatively young age of 44 years,
and was buried in St. Bartholomew's churchyard,
Llanofer, where his grave can still be seen, his
impeccable lineage as a Welsh harper engraved on
the headstone, together with a depiction of a
harp, radiating its sweet cadences to the
surrounding countryside; a fine monument to a
fine harper. |
| Here
lies John Jones, domestic harper to Sir B. Hall,
of Llanover, Bart., and formerly of Dolgellau,
Merioneth, who died December 12th,1844, aged 44.
He excelled on the triple harp, and gained the
silver harp at the Brecon Eisteddfod of 1826; and
performed on the harp with applause before Her
Majesty Queen Victoria, at the royal palace in
1843. He was a pupil of Richard Roberts, of
Caernarvon; whose tutor was William Williams, of
Penmorfa; whose tutor was John Parry, of Rhuabon,
the original of Gray’s Bard; whose
tutor was Robert Parry, of Llanllyfni, in Arfon,
who derived his art from the ancient harpers of
Wales. |
The Grave of John Jones
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Ffyddlawn,
moeslawn, addfwyn aeth
Trwy'r fydol daith orfodol sy;
A mudo neud oddyma wnaeth
At gor y telynorion fry.Y beddfaen
hwn a gyfodwyd gan ei weddw Ellen Jones
Faithful,
courteous, gentle he went
Through the worldly course compelling;
And moved from here verily
To the choir of harpers above.
This
tombstone was erected by his widow Ellen Jones
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