R.S. Thomas

Description

Poet, R.S. Thomas (1913-2000) was born in Cardiff and moved around Wales with his family before settling at Holyhead in 1918. Educated at the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where he read Classics, he received his theological training at St Michael's College, Llandaf, Cardiff. After ordination in 1936 he held two curacies in the Marches: at Chirk (1936-40), where he met and married the painter Mildred E. Eldridge, and at Hanmer (1940-42). He became rector of Manafon in 1942, when he began to learn the Welsh language in earnest. At Manafon he wrote nearly all the poems which were published in his first three volumes. Partly to draw closer to Welsh-speaking Wales, he moved in 1954 to become vicar of Eglwys-fach, and stayed there until 1967. He published four volumes of poems during this period. Thomas became vicar of Aberdaron in 1967 and retired from the priesthood of the Church in Wales at Easter 1978, moving to live at Y Rhiw, near Aberdaron. R. S. Thomas was undoubtedly the most commanding figures in twentieth century Welsh literature. Information taken from Meic Stephens' New Companion to the Literature of Wales (University of Wales Press, 1998)

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