Online conference to celebrate the centenary of the appointment of T. H. Parry-Williams at Aberystwyth University

T. H. Parry-Williams

The contribution of T. H. Parry-Williams (1887-1975) to Welsh literature and learning will be the focus of an online conference hosted by the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies on Saturday 23 October.

Held on the Department’s YouTube channel and supported by the Learned Society of Wales, the conference marks the centenary of T. H. Parry-Williams’ appointment as Professor and Head of the Department of Welsh at the University.

Parry-Williams was appointed assistant lecturer in the Welsh Department in 1914. That summer Professor Edward Anwyl died, leaving the Welsh Chair vacant throughout the War years. After the end of the War, the Chair and the post of Head of Department were advertised and Parry-Williams was shortlisted.  However he faced considerable public opposition due to his registration as a conscientious objector during the War.

The College decided to postpone the appointment for a year. It was then that Parry-Williams opted not to renew his contract as a lecturer and to enrol as a first-year science student, with the intention of changing his career and studying medicine.

When the post was re-advertised in 1920, however, Parry-Williams applied and was appointed. He served the University for 37 years, 32 of them as Professor and Head of Department, before retiring in 1952.

Dr Bleddyn Owen Huws, the conference organiser, said: "As a Department we are keen to mark the centenary of the appointment of T. H. Parry-Williams as Professor of Welsh at Aberystwyth, and to celebrate his association with the University and the contribution he made to Welsh learning and literature. We are fortunate to have such a rich program of papers covering various aspects of his thinking and work.”

• Dr Bleddyn Owen Huws - Cerddi olaf T. H. Parry-Williams
• Dr Llion Jones – ‘Where yo’ goin’ bud?’: golwg ar ddyddiadur taith 1925 T. H. Parry-Williams
• Professor Emyr Lewis - E2 + B + C: rhai atgofion teuluol a sylwadau personol am T. H. Parry-Williams
• Professor Angharad Price - H. Parry-Williams, Bergson ac Amser
• Mr Ioan Talfryn - Rhwng gwybod ac anwybod: agwedd ar waith T. H. Parry-Williams
• Professor Howard Williams - Cysyniadau o natur yng ngwaith T. H. Parry-Williams

This conference will take place through the medium of Welsh.

The conference papers will be published at 10am on Saturday 23 October 2021 on the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies’ YouTube channel.    

For more information contact Dr Bleddyn Owen Huws, boh@aber.ac.uk

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