Telescope

Telescope belonging to the poet and lecturer R. Williams Parry. Robert Williams Parry (1884-1956) was born in Talysarn, Dyffryn Nantlle. He worked as a teacher before becoming a lecturer at the University College of North Wales, Bangor in 1922. He married in 1923 and settled at Bethesda.

He is celebrated as one of the finest Welsh poets. He won the chair at the Bangor students’ eisteddfod for an awdl on ‘Cantre’r Gwaelod’ in 1908. This chair is part of Storiel’s collection and is on display near gallery 5. In 1910 he won the chair at the National Eisteddfod, Colwyn Bay with the poem ‘Yr Haf’. He is often referred to as the ‘Poet of the Summer’ after this poem that was part of his romantic period.

Two volumes of his poetry were published, Yr Haf a Cherddi Eraill in 1924, and Cerddi’r Gaeaf in 1952.

He demonstrated an extraordinary ability to observe and record nature within his poetry. There are several examples of this including the poem ‘Sgyfarnog trwy Sbienddrych’ (A Hare through a Telescope), 1928. It was through this telescope that the poet saw the hare featured in this poem. He notes “For some years after my wife and I set up home in Bethesda, this hare and this telescope gave me a great deal of pleasure” Cerddi’r Gaeaf (Gwasg Gee).

The telescope is on display in Gallery 5 in the Inspirational People case.