A portrait of Evan Anthony published in the press in 1921, on the occasion of his being made Chairman of the Llanwnda Parish Council.At this time he had already been headmaster at Goodwick since 1905. When Goodwick Council School opened, he had overseen the transfer of pupils from the old Henner building on completion of building work in 1912. He was also a talented conductor of local choirs. Mr Anthony began his career as a teacher in Blaengarw in 1897. As was common at the time, he was a strict disciplinarian. On the 21st September 1905, the school register (which Mr Anthony completed in blue ink each day), states that 138 pupils were present at school. Staff for the day were himself and Miss Roblin. The “PT” (pupil teacher) – Daniel J Griffiths, was spending the day at the County School. However, following a visit from a HMI and the Chairman of the Board of Education, a Mr WT John from Haverfordwest is appointed to the staff and Miss Roblin takes charge of the Infant Class. In 1914, at Cardiff, Mr Anthony married Mary Thomas. She was the daughter of Capt John (MM) & Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Thomas of Cemaes House, Newport. Their daughter, Dilys, was born in 1917. But Evan & Mary’s happiness was to be short lived. On the 25th September 1928, Mr Anthony’s wife, Mary Gwladys, died at their home in Brynhawddgar, Goodwick. She was just 38 years old, and she was buried at Llanwnda cemetery. Her father, Capt. John died in December of that year at Newport, and Mrs Thomas came to Brynhawddgar to be with her son in law. She passed away in 1931 and was buried next to her daughter at Llanwnda. In 1935, Evan Anthony retired as headmaster at Goodwick School but was also elected Chairman of Fishguard & Goodwick Urban District Council. He undertook the role of Chairman for a second time in 1957. On Monday, December 30th 1935 at 6.30pm, his voice was heard in a national broadcast on BBC radio (Welsh bulletin), explaining the arrangements for the National Eisteddfod which was to take place the following August at Fishguard. He was chairman of the music committee at the Eisteddfod and was among the number of local ‘movers and shakers’ who had invited the event to the area. (To see the original invitation document, press here). On the 15th of February 1936, this first BBC broadcast was followed by a second broadcast, featuring another Evan – Sir Evan Jones of Pentower, Fishguard, giving an update on the arrangements for the Eisteddfod. Both broadcasts were in Welsh. On the 4th of November 1936, the Western Mail reported the formation of a new Goodwick Urdd venture under the leadership of Mr. Evan Anthony, assisted by Miss Thomas and Miss Williams, both members of Goodwick School. Mr Anthony was always looking for ways to help pupils learn about their local culture, heritage and language. Mr Anthony was a native of Penygroes, Carmarthenshire and he lived at Brynhawddgar, 28 Glan-y-môr, at least between 1911 and 1951. He died on the 25th of August 1971 and was buried with his wife at Llanwnda cemetery. | Portread o Evan Anthony a gyhoeddwyd yn y wasg yn 1921 ar achlysur ei wneud yn Gadeirydd Cyngor Plwyf Llanwnda.
Ar y pryd roedd wedi bod yn brifathro yn Wdig ers 1905. Pan agorwyd Ysgol y Cyngor yn Wdig. bu Mr Anthony yn gyfrifol am sicrhau trosglwyddiad trefnus y disgyblion o hen Ysgol yr Henner i’r safle newydd, yn 1912. Roedd hefyd yn arweinydd talentog ar gorau lleol.
Dechreuodd Mr Anthony ei yrfa fel athro ym Mlaengarw yn 1897. Fel oedd yn gyffredin yn y cyfnod, roedd yn ddisgyblwr llym. Ar 21ain o Fedi 1905, mae cofrestr yr ysgol (a gwblhawyd gan Mr Anthony mewn inc glas bob dydd) yn nodi bod 138 o ddisgyblion yn bresennol yn yr ysgol. Staff y diwrnod oedd ef a Miss Roblin. Roedd y “PT” (disgybl athro) – Daniel J Griffiths, yn treulio’r diwrnod yn yr Ysgol Sirol. Fodd bynnag, yn dilyn ymweliad gan AEM a Chadeirydd y Bwrdd Addysg, penodir Mr WT John o Hwlffordd i’r staff sy’n golygu y gall Miss Roblin fynd yn gyfrifol am y Dosbarth Babanod.
Yn 1914, priododd Mr Anthony Mary Thomas, yng Nghaerdydd.Roedd hi’n ferch i Capt John (MM) a Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Thomas, Cemaes House, Casnewydd. Ganwyd eu merch, Dilys, yn 1917. Ond byr fu eu hapusrwydd. Ar y 25ain o Fedi 1928, bu farw gwraig Mr Anthony, Mary Gwladys, yn eu cartref ym Mrynhawddgar, Wdig. Dim ond 38 oed oedd hi, ac feu chladdwyd ym mynwent Llanwnda. Bu farw ei thad, Capten John, ym mis Rhagfyr y flwyddyn honno yn Nhydrath, a daeth Mrs Thomas i Frynhawddgar i fod gyda’i mab yng nghyfraith. Bu farw hi yn 1931 a chladdwyd hi wrth ymyl ei merch yn Llanwnda.
Ym 1935, ymddeolodd Mr Anthony fel prifathro Ysgol Wdig. Cafodd ei ethol yn Gadeirydd Cyngor Dosbarth Trefol Abergwaun ac Wdig, rôl a gyflawnodd am yr eildro ym 1957. Ar nos Lun, Rhagfyr 30ain, 1935, am 6.30pm, clywyd ei lais mewn darllediad cenedlaethol ar radio’r BBC (bwletin Cymraeg). Eglurodd drefniadau’r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol a oedd i’w chynnal y mis Awst canlynol yn Abergwaun. Roedd yn gadeirydd pwyllgor cerdd yr Eisteddfod ac roedd ymhlith y nifer o ‘fawrion y fro’ oedd wedi gwahodd y digwyddiad i’r ardal. (I weld dogfen wreiddiol y gwahoddiad, gwasgwch yma) Ar y 15fed o Chwefror, yn 1936, dilynwyd y darllediad cyntaf gan yr ail ddarllediad, a oedd yn cynnwys Evan arall – y tro hon, Syr Evan Jones o Bentowr, Abergwaun. Bu’n rhoi diweddariad ar drefniadau’r Eisteddfod. Yn Gymraeg y gwnaeth y ddau Evan ddarlledu. Ar y 4ydd o Dachwedd 1936, adroddodd y Western Mail fod Aelwyd newydd i’r Urdd wedi agor yn Wdig dan arweiniad Mr. Evan Anthony, gyda chymorth Miss Thomas a Miss Williams, o Ysgol Wdig. Yr oedd oedd Evan bob amser yn chwilio am ffyrdd i helpu ei ddisgyblion ddysgu am eu diwylliant, eu treftadaeth a’u hiaith.
Brodor o Benygroes, Sir Gâr oedd Mr Anthony ac ym Mrynhawddgar, 28 Ffordd Glan-y-môr yr oedd yn byw, oleiaf rhwng 1911 a 1951.
Bu farw ar 25ain o Awst 1971 ac feu claddwyd ef gyda’i wraig ym mynwent Llanwnda. |
Mr Evan Anthony MBE
Portread o'r / A portrait from The County Echo 1921
Dyfarnwyd gwobr MBE i Evan Anthony was awarded the distinction of Member of the British Empire.
Western Mail 1-1-1951
Bedd Mary ac Evan Anthony ym mynwent Llanwnda / Memorial to Mary & Evan Anthony at Llanwnda cemetery.
Gwelir Mr Anthony ar y chwith gyda plant Ysgol Llanwnda yn 1912/ Mr Anthony (left) seen with Llanwnda School pupils in 1912
Llun o ddisgyblion ac athrawon yr ysgol gyda Mr Anthony ar y dde/ A photograph of the pupils and staff with Mr Anthony on the right.
Llun / photograph - 1936
Mr Anthony, yr arweinydd, gydag ychydig o aelodau soprano ac alto Côr Eisteddfod 1936. Roedd 300 o aelodau! / Mr Anthony, conductor, with some members of the alto & sorano sections of the Eisteddfod Choir, 1936. There were 300 choir members!
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