William Ambrose (Emrys)

Not to be confused with William Ambrose Bebb.

William Ambrose (1 August 1813 – 31 October 1873), whose bardic name was Emrys, was a 19th-century Welsh-language poet and preacher.^[1] Many sermons of his were published and some of his poems used as hymns.

William Ambrose

Ordination

Ambrose was born at a Bangor inn, the Penrhyn Arms,^[2] in Caernarfonshire (now in Gwynedd), north Wales. His father, John, was a leading member of the local Baptist community, and his mother, Elizabeth, a founder member of Bethel Chapel in Bangor. They remained at the Penrhyn Arms for ten years up to 1823. John Ambrose was also tenant of the local shop.^[3] William's cousin was the composer John Ambrose Lloyd. William Ambrose was taught at Holyhead by the Rev. W. Griffiths.^[4]

After school, Ambrose was apprenticed to a draper in Liverpool, where he became a member of the Tabernacle Congregational Church, at which his cousin John became precentor.^[5] He later moved to London.^[6]

However, having gone on a preaching tour led by William Williams (Caledfryn), Ambrose decided against setting up in business in Liverpool and instead become a minister. He was ordained on 7 December 1837. He remained minister of the Independent chapel at Porthmadog until his death, aged 60.^[7]

Ambrose memorial chapel, Porthmadog, c.1875

Writing

Emrys edited the periodical Y Dysgedydd from 1853 to 1873 and narrowly missed the bardic chair at the Aberffraw Eisteddfod of 1849, with his "Awdl ar y greadigaeth".^[8]

Ambrose is not regarded as an outstanding poet, but many of his sermons were published^[9] and he was a popular preacher.^[4] Some poems, such as "Ar y Lan Arall" ("On the Other Shore"), became hymns.^[10]

Legacy

• In 1875, an elegy to Emrys by John Owen Griffith (Ioan Arfon) won first prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Pwllheli.^[11]

Works

• Atgofion fy Ngweinidogaith (1876)^[12]
• Gweithiau y Parch (1975)

References

1. Roberts; Thomas Rowland Roberts; Robert Williams (1908). Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen who have attained distinction from the earliest times to the present, Volume 1. New York Public Library: Educational Publishing Co. p. 10. ISBN 9780788437717.
2. The Cambrian: A Magazine for the Welsh in America. D. I. Jones. 1887. p. 252.
3. Transactions. 1949. p. 40.
4. Thomas Mardy Rees (1908). Notable Welshmen (1700-1900):... with Brief Notes, in Chronological Order, and Authorities. Also a Complete Alphabetical Index. Herald Office. p. 326.
5. Maggie Humphreys; Robert Evans (1997). Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland. A&C Black. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7201-2330-2.
6. Richard Griffith Owen. "Ambrose, William (Emrys; 1813-1873), Independent minister, poet, and littérateur". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
7. David Ben Rees (1 January 1991). The Life and Work of Owen Thomas, 1812-1891: A Welsh Preacher in Liverpool. E. Mellen Press. p. 293. ISBN 978-0-7734-9710-8.
8. Thomas Rowland Roberts (1908). Eminent Welshmen: A Short Biographical Dictionary of Welshmen who Have Attained Distinction from the Earliest Times to the Present. Educational Publishing Company. p. 10. ISBN 9780788437717.
9. Meic Stephens (1998). Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru. University of Wales Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-7083-1383-1.
10. Glyn Jones (1996). The Collected Poems of Glyn Jones. University of Wales Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7083-1388-6.
11. Marwnad i'r Parchedig William Ambrose ('Emrys'). 1875.
12. Harvard University. Library (1970). Celtic literatures: classification schedule, classified listing by call number, chronological listing, author and title listing. Distributed by the Harvard University Press. p. 81. ISBN 9780674104808.