Bob Owen, Croesor (Q63356)
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historian, bookworm and genealogist
- Bob Owen
- Robert Owen
Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
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English | Bob Owen, Croesor |
historian, bookworm and genealogist |
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Statements
30 April 1962
Robert Owen, O.B.E., M.A., better known as Bob Owen Croesor was an antiquary and book-collector from Llanfrothen, Merionethshire. Born in 1885, he was employed as a farm labourer and later as a clerk at the Parc and Croesor Slate Quarry. He became a lecturer with the Workers Educational Association and was also a popular radio broadcaster. His interests lay in local history and Welsh genealogy. He collected manuscripts as well as books, and transcribed parish records. Although an advocate of the study of local history, his own topics of research were far reaching. He was an authority on the history of the Welsh in America in particular. The obituary of Bob Owen Croesor in The Times reads : It is a mistake to look upon Bob Owen as a mere Welsh book-lover, and an obsessed collector of Welsh books; a perusal of his shelves proved him a true cosmopolitan with its ancient catalogues, bygone price lists, and the basic apparatus of classification schemes. Far from being a clannish Celt, he opened his windows wide to the world. He wielded many, and very variegated weapons of research. He was the most scientific genealogist of our generation in Wales. He was a contributor to various periodicals, journals and newspapers. He had a popular series of articles in Y Cymro on the subject of the homes of the Welsh, Cartrefi Cymru. Amongst his publications are Cymru ac addysg America (1957-1958) and Diwydiannau coll : ardal y ddwy afon, Dwyryd a Glaslyn (1943). He was a truly unique character who died in 1962.
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Roedd Robert (Bob) Owen, Croesor (1885-1962) yn hanesydd, achyddwr a chasglwr llyfrau. Cafodd ei eni yn Llanfrothen, sir Feirionnydd, ar 8 Mai 1885 a'i fagu gan ei fam-gu, Ann Owen. Bu'n ddisgybl yn Ysgol Elfennol Llanfrothen nes cyrraedd ei 13 mlwydd oed, pan adawodd i weithio ar wahanol ffermydd. Tair blynedd yn ddiweddarach cafodd ei gyflogi gan Chwarel Lechi Parc a Chroesor fel clerc a bu yno tan i'r chwarel gau yn 1931. Yna fe'i penodwyd yn drefnydd Cymdeithas Addysg y Gweithwyr gan Gyngor Gwledig sir Gaernarfon, a bu'n darlithio yn ogystal. Er gwaethaf ei ddiffyg addysg ffurfiol, datblygodd yn hynafiaethydd, achyddwr ac ymchwilydd. Casglodd lawer o lawysgrifau a llyfrau a gwnaeth adysgrifau o gofnodion plwyf a dogfennau eraill. Roedd ganddo ddiddordeb mewn amrywiaeth eang o bynciau hanesyddol ond yn arbennig hanes y Cymry yn America a chyfrannodd golofn wythnosol, 'Lloffion Bob Owen' yn Y Genedl Gymreig, 1929-1937. Enillodd wobrau yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol am ei draethodau ar ymfudiad y Cymry i America yn y cyfnod 1760-1860 ac ar ddiwydiant ardal Dwyryd a Glaslyn yn sir Gaernarfon. Yn 47 mlwydd oed dyfarnwyd iddo radd MA er anrhydedd gan Brifysgol Cymru a derbyniodd yr OBE. Yr oedd yn ddarlithydd poblogaidd iawn a hefyd yn ddarlledwr. Priododd Nell (Ellen) Jones o Gaeathro, sir Gaernarfon, yn 1923 a chawsant fab a dwy ferch. Bu farw ar 30 Ebrill 1962 a'i gladdu yn Llanfrothen.
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