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Historical Society

PRIVATE Ellis Humphrey Evans – better known by his Bardic name of Hedd Wyn - was killed at the battle of Passchendaele 100 years ago. His death provoked an outpouring of grief and sympathy in Wales and far beyond. Tragedy was mingled with triumph when, barely six weeks after his death, he was posthumously awarded the Chair for winning the prestigious poetry competition at the Birkenhead Eisteddfod of 1917. The chair was draped in black in his memory and the Birkenhead festival has become known as the Eisteddfod of the Black Chair.

The story of “Hedd Wyn and the Black Chair” will be told at the Society’s meeting next Tuesday, 14 November, by Gwynne Wheldon Evans who has, himself, won many awards for poetry and drama at the National Eisteddfod and local eisteddfodau. Educated at Bangor University, from where he gained a PhD, he has taught at several local schools and was for ten years a lecturer at Coleg Harlech.

The meeting will be held at Neuadd Goffa, the Memorial Hall on Twtil, just opposite Harlech Castle and starts at 7.30pm. The talk will be followed by light refreshments and, as always, all are welcome.

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