Thus, when she become travel their identity had been labeled as a beneficial Y Gwladgarwr writer indexed:
Norena Shopland ,
Of trying so you can visualise man’s life, such as for instance those people in the earlier in the day, it has been the little things that offer lifetime to life eg as the a ticket so you’re able to a good lecture otherwise an effective brooch — and two items in Amgueddfa Cymru’s range indeed accomplish that.
They both connect with Cranogwen, the latest bardic term getting Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916) a master mariner, poet, publisher, editor and you may temperance employee who, for some out of their lifetime lived-in the little city of Llangrannog, Cardiganshire. She was given birth to truth be told there and you can through the the girl lifestyle travelled following that in order to become probably one of the most really-known ladies in Wales regarding the late nineteenth/very early twentieth century. Also it is actually here one to this lady a couple partners stayed, first Fanny Rees “Phania” (1853-1874) exactly who passed away old simply 21 and soon after Jane Thomas (1850-?) which, for the majority of your census productivity means a beneficial ‘residential worker’, ‘standard servant’ or ‘charwoman’.
Cranogwen is actually commonly aside, doing work in range strategies and you may offering lecturers however, the girl first trip started in 1866, a-year after controversially winning a keen Eisteddfod poetry award if this try found a lady had outdone the brand new males.
Your reader often keep in mind that it had been the students lady lion just who grabbed the brand new honor on Aberystwyth Eisteddfod with the tune to your Wedding band. After reading you to definitely, while having understanding that all of our best poets, eg Islwyn and you can Ceiriog was fighting, I was some time shocked that there try particular ‘mud from the cheese’ somewhere. [i]
Cranogwen’s trip centred on her lecture ‘The latest Childhood together with Culture of their Minds’ although this performed expand later on to add a couple almost every other lecturers, ‘Anhebgorion Cymeriad da’ (Basics a good Profile) and you may ‘Elements of Happiness’, most of the worried about developments in the man’s letters. Because the she spoke in Welsh, they were mostly covered by the newest Welsh language push with the English language mass media purchasing hardly any desire.
Taking a trip with Cranogwen
Cranogwen started off throughout the Aberystwyth town thus we hope Jane performed traveling along with her to incorporate specific assistance but as the discussions became during the dominance Cranogwen travelled further afield and only a couple months later from the Swansea’s Brynhyfryd Church nearly a thousand anyone turned out to see the lady — a daunting prospect proper thus we hope Jane is actually truth be told there because really supply help.
Term is distribute rapidly and you may, as the a journalist during the Baner ac Amserau Cymru indexed, ‘You don’t need to around the world to consult with the fresh dilemmas of giving a description of your lecture now, since it is already very well known throughout the Wales. [ii]
Every where she ran compliment is actually showered through to the lady, ultimately causing you to definitely journalist in order to wonder when the she you can expect to meet the brand new hype: ‘since we had heard instance compliment on her behalf, i asked this lady is a. But i never ever imagined one to she try because skilled given that she is, and thus masterful from the this lady really works.’ [iii]
Night immediately after nights she talked so you’re able to rave critiques and her that-hours lecture stretched into the a few and also prolonged whenever local dignitaries desired to look on stage alongside the lady, incorporating the pennyworth. Regional poets flocked to help you her, often creating englyns, many of which was in fact composed regarding files, and you may people was in fact pursuing the her example and you can getting concise.
Female, such ‘more youthful girls’ (she is twenty-seven at the time) should not be lecturing, told you the new guys, who complained of your impropriety of women speaking in public. ‘The fresh populace out-of South Wales,’ ranted the fresh new Cardiff Times, ‘are running nuts toward teenagers who happen to be lecturing from the the world [and] about opinion of a lot eminent men this is supposed too much.
