Norena Shopland ,
Of trying so you can visualise people’s existence, such as those people about past, it’s the tiny things that promote lives to life such since the a citation so you’re able to good lecture or an effective brooch – and two belongings in Amgueddfa Cymru’s range yes do this.
Both of them interact with Cranogwen, brand new bardic term to possess Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916) a master mariner, poet, blogger, publisher and you may temperance employee whom, for the majority of regarding the lady lifetime lived in the small town of Llangrannog, Cardiganshire. She came to be truth be told there and through the the lady existence flew from there in order to become perhaps one of the most better-understood ladies in Wales about late 19th/very early twentieth-century. And it also is here you to the woman a few lovers lived, first Fanny Rees “Phania” (1853-1874) exactly who died old just 21 and soon after Jane Thomas (1850-?) who, in most of your census production is described as a good ‘home-based worker’, ‘general servant’ or ‘charwoman’.
Cranogwen is will out, working in range systems and you will providing lecturers however, the girl earliest journey started in 1866, per year just after controversially successful an enthusiastic Eisteddfod poetry why not look here honor in the event it try shown a woman had outdone the people.
The person commonly understand that it absolutely was the young woman lion who grabbed the brand new award on Aberystwyth Eisteddfod on the track to your A wedding ring. Immediately after reading you to definitely, as well as have knowing that our top poets, such as for example Islwyn and you will Ceiriog were competing, I became sometime surprised that there try certain ‘mud in the cheese’ somewhere. [i]
Cranogwen’s journey centered on her behalf lecture ‘Brand new Youthfulness plus the Culture of their Minds’ although this did develop after to incorporate one or two almost every other lecturers, ‘Anhebgorion Cymeriad da’ (Essentials of a good Reputation) and ‘Elements of Happiness’, the concerned with developments inside man’s emails. While the she talked in the Welsh, these people were mostly protected by this new Welsh vocabulary push to your English code media investing almost no attract.
Taking a trip with Cranogwen
Cranogwen started off about Aberystwyth town thus we hope Jane did take a trip together with her to provide specific assistance but due to the fact talks increased into the prominence Cranogwen flew after that afield and only a few months later on during the Swansea’s Brynhyfryd Church nearly one thousand anybody ended up observe the lady – a daunting applicant for anybody so we hope Jane try around once the really to provide help.
Phrase was dispersed easily and you may, due to the fact a reporter during the Baner air cooling Amserau Cymru indexed, ‘There is no need worldwide to check out the fresh new trouble of offering a conclusion of your own lecture today, because it is currently quite well recognized during Wales. [ii]
Everywhere she ran supplement was showered through to the woman, leading to one to publisher so you can question if the she you may surpass the hype: ‘once the we had heard instance supplement on her behalf, we questioned the lady to-be an excellent. However, we never envisioned that she was as the gifted while the she was, and so masterful within their work.’ [iii]
Evening shortly after evening she spoke to rave feedback along with her that-time lecture lengthened on the several and also prolonged when local dignitaries wanted to appear on-stage next to the lady, incorporating their pennyworth. Regional poets flocked in order to her, often writing englyns, some of which had been published regarding documentation, and you will ladies had been after the their example and you will delivering to the stage.
Female, eg ‘young girls’ (she was twenty seven during the time) should not be lecturing, said the latest people, exactly who complained of one’s impropriety of females public speaking. ‘The brand new populace from Southern Wales,’ ranted the latest Cardiff Moments, ‘are running crazy into young ladies that lecturing on the the nation [and] in the opinion of numerous eminent guys this is certainly supposed too much.