Parchg / Rev Thomas Garnon

Thomas Garnon, born in 1850, was one of seven children and lived in High Street, Fishguard, (now “The Orange Tree”), where his mother Ann ran a confectionery and bakery.

When a lad he had served his time as a joiner, but his abilities as a scholar were soon noticed and he was encouraged to enter the ministry. At the end of his training in Haverfordwest Baptist College he accepted a call from Ferryside Baptist Chapel and later to a church in Ebbw Vale. Many years later he returned to live in his old home in High Street, Fishguard, to look after his invalid sister.

In retirement, Rev Thomas Garnon acquired fame as a painter of local scenes spending much of his time sketching the maritime and sylvan scenery of Fishguard in oil and watercolour. At the time of his death in June 1910, he was living alone as his one surviving sister, Mary, with whom he had resided since his retirement from the ministry, had died several months previously.

Some of his paintings are still in local hands.

Roedd Thomas Garnon, a aned yn 1850, yn un o saith o blant ac yn byw ym Mhenucha’r Dre, Abergwaun. (“The Orange Tree erbyn hyn”). Roedd ei fam, Ann, yn rhedeg siop losin a becws.

Pan yn grwt, bu’n gwasanaethu fel saer, ond buan y sylwyd ar ei alluoedd fel ysgolhaig ac anogwyd ef i fyned i’r weinidogaeth. Ar ddiwedd ei hyfforddiant yng Ngholeg Bedyddwyr Hwlffordd derbyniodd alwad o Gapel Bedyddwyr Glanyfferi ac yn ddiweddarach i eglwys yng Nglyn Ebwy. Flynyddoedd lawer yn ddiweddarach dychwelodd i fyw yn ei hen gartref yn Stryd y Cwm, Abergwaun, i ofalu am ei chwaer a oedd yn anghenus.

Ar ôl ymddeol, daeth y Parch Thomas Garnon i enwogrwydd fel peintiwr golygfeydd lleol gan dreulio llawer o’i amser yn braslunio golygfeydd morwrol a gwledig ardal Abergwaun mewn olew a dyfrlliw. Ar adeg ei farwolaeth ym Mehefin 1910, roedd yn byw ar ei ben ei hun gan fod yr unig chwaer a oedd ar ôl ganddo, Mary, y bu’n byw gyda hi ers iddo ymddeol o’r weinidogaeth, wedi marw sawl mis ynghynt. Mae rhai o’i luniau yn dal mewn dwylo lleol.