Thomas Llewelyn Jones (11 October 1915 – 9 January 2009) was a Welsh language author. Over a writing career of more than 50 years, he became one of the most prolific and popular authors of children's books in Welsh. He wrote, and was generally known, as T. Llew Jones.
T. Llew Jones was born at 1 Bwlch Melyn, Pentrecwrt, Llandysul. Educated at Ysgol Gynradd Capel Graig and Llandysul Grammar School, he was a primary school teacher in various schools in Ceredigion for 35 years before becoming a full-time writer, first at Tregroes Primary School and then at Ysgol Coedybryn near Llandysul where he became headmaster. He first came to prominence as a poet, winning the chair at the National Eisteddfod in 1958 and then again in 1959.
He continued to write poetry, for children often, but was best known as a writer of adventure and detective novels for children. Many of these are historical novels based on the exploits of people such as Bartholomew Roberts and Twm Sion Cati. He published well over 50 books in total, including books for adults as well as children. Some of these are non-fiction titles, for example Ofnadwy Nos is an account of the wrecking of the Royal Charter. Some of his books have been translated into English and a number have been adapted for television.
He was awarded an honorary MA degree by the University of Wales in 1977, and in 1991 he was awarded the Mary Vaughan Jones Award, given for outstanding contributions to children's literature in Wales. In March 2005, aged nearly 90, he won the chair in Cymdeithas Ceredigion's annual Eisteddfod.
Jones died aged 93 on 9 January 2009.[1]
A new Welsh-medium primary school, Ysgol Gynradd Gymunedol T Llew Jones, in Brynhoffnant near Llangrannog, was named in his honour in 2012. It was built to replace four small primary schools in the villages of Blaenporth, Glynarthen, Rhydlewis and Pontgarreg.[2]
He was the father of the political activist, Emyr Llewelyn, international chess player, Iolo Ceredig Jones and Eira Prosser.
Jones was also a keen chess player, he wrote the only Welsh language chess manual together with his son, Iolo. He was one of the small group of Welsh Chess Union members and officials who instigated and fought for the secession of the WCU from the British Chess Federation (as it then was) in 1970 and its successful application to join the World Chess Federation (FIDE) as an independent member. As well as holding several posts in the WCU, Jones founded and edited Y Ddraig which grew from the Dyfed Chess Association newsletter into the magazine of Welsh chess in the 1970s. He managed the Men's 1974 Olympiad team in Nice which achieved Wales best-ever result and also the Women's team in the 1976 Olympiad in Israel. He was for many years Vice-President of the WCU.
Jones was heavily involved in Dyfed chess from the 1960s onwards, in founding and running the Dyfed Chess Association, its league, Cardigan Chess Club and the highly successful Dyfed Open Congress. At his death he was Life President of the Dyfed Chess Association. Over the board he was a keen and competitive player, but achieved his best results at postal chess, representing Welsh international teams with distinction.
| Title | Notes | First published | Other editions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 1991, Gwasg Christopher Davies &<br />November 2005, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 1958, Gwasg Gee, Aberystwyth | ||||
| January 1989, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| January 1995, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| March 1994 & July 2000, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| November 1965, Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion | CLC | February 1999, Gwasg Gomer | ||
| 1967, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 1968, Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion | CLC | June 1968, Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion | CLC, November 1998 &<br />January 2004, Gwasg Gomer | |
| 1969, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| Factual book | 1971 | 31 December 1991 & January 1995, Gwasg Gomer | ||
| 1973 | Under the title Barti Ddu: November 1995, Gwasg Christopher Davies & February 2004, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 1973 | January 2003 & February 2008, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| January 1975 | January 1994, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| Tir na n-Og Award winner | June 1975 | December 1993, June 2003, Gwasg Gomer | ||
| December 1975, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 1976, JD Lewis | ||||
| 1976 | ||||
| August 1976, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| April 1977, JD Lewis | ||||
| August 1977, Gwasg Gomer | November 2002, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| November 1977, JD Lewis | ||||
| 1979, JD Lewis | ||||
| December 1979, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 31 December 1980, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
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| June 1981, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
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| Translation of Round The World in 80 Days by Jules Verne | 1986, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 1987, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 1987, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 1987 | October 1988, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 31 December 1988, Gwasg Gomer | March 2005, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 31 December 1988, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
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| 1988 | February 1989, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| Tir na n-Og Award winner | 20 April 1989, Gwasg Gomer | June 1999, Gwasg Gomer | ||
| September 1991, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| January 1990, Gwasg Gomer | March 1992, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| January 1992, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| January 1993, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 31 December 1992, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| 1993, Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion | CLC | |||
| November 1993, Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion | CLC | |||
| January 1994, Pont Books | ||||
| January 1994 | June 2004, Gwasg Gomer | |||
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| 1994 | June 2000, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 1996 | January 1996, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 1996 | ||||
| Wedi eu cyhoeddi eisioes | November 1997, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| Siân Lewis's selection from T. Llew Jones' exciting novels | November 1997, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| 1997 | July 2000, Gwasg Gomer | |||
| November 1998, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| May 2001, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| Collection of 4 stories | Appeared in Pethe Plant in 1976 | |||
| Autobiography | August 2002, Gwasg Gomer | March 2003, Gwasg Gomer | ||
| November 2004, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| October 2005, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
| November 2006, Gwasg Gomer | ||||
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| a storiau eraill |