Norena Shopland ,
When trying in order to visualise people’s lifetime, instance those people throughout the prior, it’s often the tiny things that bring life alive such as as the a citation to a beneficial lecture or a beneficial brooch – as well as 2 belongings in Amgueddfa Cymru’s range yes do this.
Both of them relate solely to Cranogwen, new bardic identity to possess Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916) a master mariner, poet, writer, publisher and you may temperance worker which, for almost all out-of the girl life lived in the tiny town of Llangrannog, Cardiganshire. She came into this world here and you may while in the the woman existence flew after that to be probably one of the most better-known feamales in Wales throughout the late 19th/early twentieth-century. Also it are here one to this lady a few people stayed, very first Fanny Rees “Phania” (1853-1874) exactly who died old just 21 and soon after Jane Thomas (1850-?) which, for the majority of your census production is described as a good ‘home-based worker’, ‘general servant’ otherwise ‘charwoman’.
Cranogwen is usually aside, working in range strategies and providing lecturers but the lady first journey started in 1866, annually once controversially effective a keen Eisteddfod poetry prize whether or not it is actually shown a lady got beaten new guys.
The person commonly understand that it was the young lady lion whom took the newest award within Aberystwyth Eisteddfod on the tune to your Wedding band. Just after reading one, and have knowing that the leading poets, particularly Islwyn and Ceiriog was basically contending, I found myself sometime amazed that there try some ‘mud in the cheese’ somewhere. [i]
Cranogwen’s tour centered on her lecture ‘The latest Youngsters plus the Society of its Minds’ although this performed grow later to include several almost every other lecturers, ‘Anhebgorion Cymeriad da’ (Fundamentals of a good Profile) and you may ‘Parts of Happiness’, most of the concerned about improvements dating kvinner Nordic in people’s letters. Because she talked when you look at the Welsh, these people were mostly protected by the brand new Welsh vocabulary push into English language media expenses little or no attention.
Travel that have Cranogwen
Cranogwen began regarding the Aberystwyth town so we hope Jane performed travel together with her to provide some support however, once the talks grew into the prominence Cranogwen travelled subsequent afield and only two months later from the Swansea’s Brynhyfryd Church nearly a lot of someone turned out to see their – a challenging applicant for anybody so develop Jane is here just like the well to provide service.
Word is distributed quickly and you can, while the a reporter on Baner ac Amserau Cymru detailed, ‘You don’t need around the globe to go to the brand new dilemmas out of giving a description of one’s lecture now, because it’s already very well known through the Wales. [ii]
Every-where she went compliment was showered abreast of the girl, resulting in you to definitely blogger so you’re able to wonder when the she you will live up to the latest buzz: ‘while the we’d read such as for example supplement for her, i asked her getting a beneficial. But we never envisioned one to she are due to the fact talented since she are, and thus masterful at the this lady work.’ [iii]
Nights immediately following night she talked in order to rave recommendations along with her that-hour lecture longer into the a couple of as well as longer whenever local dignitaries sought to appear on-stage close to the woman, including its pennyworth. Regional poets flocked to help you this lady, usually creating englyns, some of which was in fact wrote throughout the paperwork, and you may women were adopting the her analogy and you can bringing to the point.
Lady, including ‘young girls’ (she was 27 at the time) should not be lecturing, said this new males, who complained of your own impropriety of women speaking in public. ‘The newest people out-of Southern area Wales,’ ranted brand new Cardiff Minutes, ‘are run insane with the young women who will be lecturing regarding the the world [and] throughout the thoughts of several eminent people it is heading as well much.