www.ministers.pillars-of-faith.com

The Welsh Baptists

A resume of the careers of the Ministers of Wales

Home

Names A - Z

Information Sources

All information must come from somewhere. So on this page I will detail the sources of the information I have relied upon to prepare this site.

The following priority has been adopted:-

1. Annual Reports of localised Associations etc.

'Circular Letters of the Ministers and Messengers...' or 'Llythyr oddiwrth Weinidogion A Chenhadau'. These exist for all the Associations yet content, especially in the early years when 'The Diary' was not published, varies. Many did not include the details of Ministers. Glamorgan, Monmouthshire and 'The Old Association' are the most complete for this period.

2. The 'Year Books' which also include the obituaries.

a. 'BD' = 'Welsh Baptist Diary and Year Book'. This has been published annually without break since 1867. Prior to this a similar format but private publication existed but not for all years (There is a gap between 1852 and 1857 with publication resuming in 1858). For simplicity, all biographical references are titled 'BD' even for the earlier years.

b. 'BHB' = 'Baptist HandBook'. This was the official publication of The Baptist Union and was issued annually from 1860. Prior to this date the Union issued 'BM' = 'Baptist Manual'.

3. Individual Church histories etc.

a. The Welsh Baptist Union holds its annual meetings in a different place each year with the main restriction is that the host Association has a chapel large enough for the delegates. For most years a volume was prepared charting both the history of the host Church and those in the vicinity. The writer has seen too many to mention individually and has also been fortunate in obtaining original copies. The Baptist Union has also come to Wales for its annual meetings but I am only aware of them being in Cardiff. Even so, volumes were prepared as in the case of the Welsh.

b. Many histories of individual Churches also exist and I own several. Yet I would mention a few volumes that deal with a county or larger district. Firstly, 'The History of the Baptists in Radnorshire' by Rev. John Jones 1895. 'Bedyddwyr Cymreig Glannau'r Mersi' (Liverpool and district) by Rev. Joseph Davies 1927. 'Baptist Historical Sketches in Pembrokeshire' (English-speaking) by Rev. R.C. Roberts 1907. 'Sowing Beside All Waters - The Baptist Heritage of Gwent' By Brynmor Pierce Jones 1985. This latter volume is in part based on manuscript histories - copies at The National Lobrary and Gwent Archives - from 1870 onwards by Thomas Lewis assisted by William Jones. North Wales is well covered by 'Hanes Y Bedyddwyr yn Nghymru' in 4 Vols by Rev. J. Spinther James, the final vol in 1907.

4. Biographical 'Dictionaries'

At the start of the 20thC there was a relative 'deluge' of these due in no small part to a monetary prize at The National Eisteddfod. Whilst The Rev. T. Mardy Rees, the author of 'NW' = 'Notable Welshmen (1700-1900)', does not state this these dates are precisely those for the competition.

But the most notable book is 'DWB' = 'The Dictionary of Welsh Biography Down to 1940'. A subsequent volume (1941 - 1970) includes a supplement of corrections to the original plus other persons omitted from that book. Entries in the supplement are indicated as 'DWB(sup)'. This priceless resource is now available online but all references here are to the printed volumes.