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Copyright
Helen Forder
2004
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Thomas Gruffydd was renowned
as the greatest harper of his time, and won many prizes. He was born in
1815 in Llangynidr, Breconshire, son of Richard Griffiths, a farmer and his
wife Elizabeth. At the age of three Thomas lost an eye after falling on an
axe, and as the result of another accident at school he lost most of the
sight in his other eye. He was taught to play the harp by John Jones of
Dolgellau and followed him as Llanofer family harper.
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In the early 1850s Thomas
and his wife Elizabeth, had a son whom they named Thomas. In his teens
Thomas junior suffered from rheumatic fever and died in 1870 at the age of
19.
They lived at Ty'r Eglwys, Llanofer.
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Ty'r Eglwys,
Llanofer
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As well as being a renowned
harper and teacher, Gruffydd adjudicated at many harp competitions. At one
particular competition, held at Llanofer in 1869, he and his fellow
adjudicator, Brinley Richards, caused a bit of a rumpus. The three winners
tied and so they had to play a second time, and this time, the first prize,
a triple harp and £2, was awarded to a 14 year old boy, Abraham Rees, of
Merthyr Tydfil; 2nd prize to Robert Jones of Newtown; and third to Lewis
Williams of Pontllanfraith.
Among the six competitors were John Roberts, Telynor Cymru, and his son
John. Lady Llanofer decided to give prizes to the three unsuccessful
competitors as well, and presented £5 to E. Pugh and offered £3 to Roberts
senior and £1 to his son. However ...
'The elder Roberts ... was dissatisfied with the
ruling of the judges, contending that his harp was set in the wrong key and
that he ought to have been allowed to play a second time; and he refused to
accept anything or to allow his son to do so.'
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