Norena Shopland ,

Of trying so you’re able to visualise man’s lives, such as those people from the early in the day, it’s the little things that promote lifestyle alive for example just like the a citation to an excellent lecture or a beneficial brooch – as well as 2 contents of Amgueddfa Cymru’s range indeed do this.

Both relate to Cranogwen, the bardic term to have Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916) a king mariner, poet, creator, editor and temperance staff exactly who, for the majority of of the lady lifetime lived in the small town of Llangrannog, Cardiganshire. She was created around and you can through the their existence travelled from there in order to become probably one of the most really-known feamales in Wales on late 19th/early twentieth-century. Therefore try here that the girl one or two lovers stayed, basic Fanny Rees “Phania” (1853-1874) exactly who passed away aged just 21 and soon after Jane Thomas (1850-?) exactly who, in the most common of one’s census yields is understood to be an excellent ‘home-based worker’, ‘general servant’ or ‘charwoman’.

Cranogwen was often away, involved in range methods and you will providing lecturers however, the woman earliest trip were only available in 1866, annually just after controversially profitable an enthusiastic Eisteddfod poetry honor when it try shown a woman had beaten the newest men.

The reader usually understand that it actually was the students woman lion just who took the fresh new prize in the Aberystwyth Eisteddfod towards track to the Wedding band. Just after reading that, while having understanding that our top poets, such as for example Islwyn and you will Ceiriog was indeed contending, I was sometime amazed there was certain ‘dirt on cheese’ someplace. [i]

Cranogwen’s concert tour centered for her lecture ‘This new Childhood together with Community of the Minds’ even though this did grow later to include a couple other lecturers, ‘Anhebgorion Cymeriad da’ (Basic principles a good Character) and you can ‘Components of Happiness’, every worried about developments in the mans letters. Since she talked from inside the Welsh, these people were predominantly included in the new Welsh vocabulary press with the English words media spending little appeal.

Travel having Cranogwen

Cranogwen started off about Aberystwyth town very develop Jane performed travel with her to incorporate some assistance but since the talks grew inside the prominence Cranogwen flew after that afield and only a couple months later during the Swansea’s Brynhyfryd Church almost one thousand some body turned-out observe the girl – a challenging prospect for everyone thus we hope Jane is around since the really to give assistance.

Term try spreading rapidly and you may, since the a reporter at Baner air-conditioning Amserau Cymru indexed, ‘You don’t need to around the globe to visit the latest problems away from providing a conclusion of the lecture today, because it is currently quite well known through the Wales. [ii]

Everywhere she went supplement was showered abreast of their, ultimately causing beautiful women Saitama one to blogger in order to ask yourself in the event that she you certainly will live up to the new buzz: ‘while the we’d read eg praise on her, i asked this lady is good. However, i never envisioned you to she is actually as the gifted just like the she is actually, and so masterful during the the girl works.’ [iii]

Evening shortly after nights she spoke to help you rave evaluations and her you to definitely-hours lecture extended towards the a couple of and even offered whenever regional dignitaries sought for to seem on-stage close to the woman, adding the pennyworth. Local poets flocked to help you this lady, commonly composing englyns, many of which was in fact had written in the paperwork, and people was basically after the this lady analogy and bringing concise.

Lady, including ‘more youthful girls’ (she try twenty seven at the time) should not be lecturing, told you the latest males, exactly who reported of the impropriety of women presenting and public speaking. ‘The new inhabitants regarding Southern area Wales,’ ranted new Cardiff Moments, ‘are running nuts toward young ladies that are lecturing about the world [and] on the thoughts many eminent people this can be supposed also much.