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Delivering the work
Welsh Manuscripts: a ground-breaking contribution is published
Dr Daniel Huws’ long-awaited Repertory of Welsh Manuscripts and Scribes c.800–c.1800 was finally published in June 2022 – in three volumes – to coincide with the author’s 90th birthday. The proud joint-publishers and sponsors were the National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies.
A copy of the publication was formally presented to the Rt. Hon. Mark Drakeford M.S., First Minister of Wales, in a ceremony at the Gregynog Gallery on 20 June, at the beginning of a well-attended three-day conference at the Library on all aspects of Welsh manuscript studies. Daniel’s remarkable scholarship was further recognised by the presentation of the prestigious Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion Medal for lifetime achievement at the close of conference proceedings.
The national significance of the event was acknowledged both in an Early Day Motion tabled at Westminster, and by the Speaker in the Welsh Senedd, in what must be an unprecedented political acknowledgement of the importance of modern-day manuscript scholarship, and its relevance to the people of Wales.
The Repertory is an ambitious study of pre-1800 Welsh manuscripts, those written in Welsh or relating to Wales. It provides new catalogue descriptions of manuscripts in a myriad of repositories, in Wales and beyond, including the National Library. It also presents ground-breaking biographies of known scribes, and a portfolio of handwriting examples, chronologically arranged, charting the development of Welsh palaeography over a millennium. It is, seemingly, unique in its concept and presentation.
Dr Daniel Huws, who was Keeper of Manuscripts and Records at the Library until his retirement in 1992, has spent well over thirty years undertaking research, visiting repositories, and undertaking in-depth analysis of many hundreds of manuscripts. His continued visits to the National Library delighted staff and readers, who benefitted from his company and learning: he is our longest-standing volunteer!
The results of his endeavours are likely to set a new standard for Welsh literary and historical scholarship, and will advance learning in these fields for decades to come.
Research Centre for the Literature and History of Medicine in Wales
In October 2022 a Research Centre for the Literature and History of Medicine in Wales was established as part of the Manuscript and Book Network partnership between Aberystwyth University and the National Library of Wales. At the heart of the Centre’s work promoting academic research on the literature and history of medicine is the National Library’s Medical Science Collection, established through the sponsorship and support from the Wellcome Trust. This collection offers access to a wealth of resources and literary and historical sources and it is hoped that the establishment of the Centre will trigger more work from experienced researchers as well as attracting young researchers to the field to interpret the evidence presented in the archives.
To mark the official opening of the Centre a one-day conference was held in the Drwm where papers were presented discussing aspects of research areas relevant to the mission and work of the Medical Centre.
The Welsh Political Archive
Launch of the Ann Clwyd Archive Project
A special event was held in the Library on 23 March 2023 discussing Ann Clwyd’s career and campaigns, and to launch the project to catalogue and study Ann Clwyd’s papers which had been presented to the Welsh Political Archive. There were contributions by Ann Clwyd, Oliver Craner, Dr James Vaughan, Rob Phillips and Siân Smith who had been appointed to catalogue this rich archive in December 2022.
The Library is grateful to the Estate of Ann Clwyd for partially funding this post.
Gareth Vaughan Jones digital archive
An event to honour Gareth Jones’ contribution to journalism and international affairs and to celebrate the completion of the digitisation of his archive was held in Senedd on 12 May 2022. He made a notable contribution as a journalist reporting on the Holodomor in Ukraine, the tensions in Europe in the mid-1930s and the growth of the Nazi Party in Germany.
The event was sponsored by Mick Antoniw MS and guests included representatives of Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, and the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation who sponsored the digitisation work, along with Welsh Government ministers, Members of the Senedd, members of the Welsh Political Archive Advisory Committee, trustees of the National Library of Wales and members of Gareth Vaughan Jones’ family. Julian Lewis Jones read extracts from Gareth’s diaries describing the conditions he witnessed while travelling through Ukraine to report on the Holodomor in early 1933.
Workers’ Educational Association (North Wales) Archive
The archive of the Workers’ Educational Association North Wales branch, detailing the history of the organisation, policy development, the history of the various branches and tutors and the impact of the Second World War was donated to the Library in June 2022. The archive is also significant due to the appointment of Mary Silyn Roberts as Secretary following the death of her husband, R. Silyn Roberts as well as connections with Coleg Harlech, the then University College of North Wales and the International People’s College in Denmark.
Welsh Political Archive Annual Lecture
The 2022 Annual Lecture was delivered by BBC journalist Huw Edwards. He spoke about the portrayal of Wales in the news and gave a fascinating insight into attitudes towards Wales in the media before and after devolution.
David Lloyd George’s Election Notebook (NLW MS 24179)
With generous assistance from the Friends of the National Libraries, the Library purchased notebook containing David Lloyd George’s thought and notes for speeches during the December 1910 General Election campaign. The Liberals had already called and won an election on the issue of the People’s Budget earlier in 1910 but a further election was called when they sought a mandate to limit the power of the House of Lords. The notes are full of Lloyd George’s characteristic rhetorical flourish and attacks on the House of Lords and the Conservative Party more widely.
Letter from Winston Churchill to Eliot Crawshay-Williams
A bundle of letters from Winston Churchill to Eliot Crawshay-Williams where Crawshay-Williams was encouraged to seek the Liberal nomination in the Chorley constituency were purchased at auction in December 2022. Crawshay-Williams lost the election and was later elected as MP for Leicester although he was forced to resign due to his role in a divorce case involving another MP.