News Archive

Professor Hywel Teifi Edwards

1934 - 2010

The historian and author Hywel Teifi Edwards, father of the journalist Huw Edwards, has died aged 75. He died at the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli after a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Aerona and his two children.

During his lifetime, Professor Edwards had been at the forefront of a number of campaigns to safeguard the future of the Welsh language. Former Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Swansea, he specialised in 19th Century history and the National Eisteddfod in particular.

Born in Llanddewi Aberarth, Ceredigion, Professor Edwards stood twice as a parliamentary candidate for Plaid Cymru. In 2005, he was a key speaker at a rally in Cardiff which demanded much stronger legislation to protect the Welsh language.

A councillor for the former county of Dyfed, he was also a prominent supporter of 'Y Byd' - a Welsh-language newspaper which had the plug pulled on it nearly two years ago.

He also wrote several books on Wales in the Victorian age. He edited 10 volumes of a series about the valleys of Wales, Cyfres y Cymoedd, with the latest volume, The National Pageant of Wales.

Speaking about the death of Professor Edwards on Monday, Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said Wales was "much the poorer" with his loss. He said: "Few people have achieved what this great academic did - which was to analyse the history, culture and literature of Wales in such an interesting and amusing way and to make it relevant to contemporary Wales."

Plaid Cymru's leader and president also paid tribute to Professor Edwards. Ieuan Wyn Jones said: "He was not only a world-class historian and academic, a prolific author and commentator, but also an extremely proud Welshman, a man who has inspired so many others to campaign for what they believe in."

The party's President Dafydd Iwan added: "Our nation is poorer today for the loss of this great person."

Menna Machreth Jones, Chair of the Welsh Language Society added: "Everyone who shares the vision and values of Hywel Teifi will be greatly saddened by his passing, but at the same time we will remember and give thanks for his immense contribution to the life of the nation."

Professor Edwards was a Fellow of the Academi.