Gareth Alban Davies facts for kids

Gareth Alban Davies (born July 30, 1926 – died February 9, 2009) was a Welsh poet and teacher. He was also a Hispanist, which means he was an expert in the Spanish language and cultures of Spain and Latin America. He became a professor of Spanish at the University of Leeds.

Davies translated many Spanish writings into English and Welsh. He was especially known for his knowledge of the works of famous Spanish writers like Fernando Arrabal and Federico García Lorca.

Early Life and Education

Bethesda Chapel, where Davies' father preached

Gareth Alban Davies was born in Ton Pentre, a town in the Rhondda Valley in Wales, in 1926. His father, T. Alban Davies, was a Congregationalist preacher. He led services at Bethesda Church in Ton Pentre.

Davies' father spoke Welsh and was an early member of Plaid Cymru. This is a political party that supports Wales. His father taught him important ideas about fairness and Welsh identity.

When Davies was still in school, he joined the Cadwgan Circle. This was a group of writers and thinkers from the Rhondda. They met at the home of J. Gwyn Griffiths and his wife Käte Bosse-Griffiths. Even though Davies was the youngest, he wrote poems for a book the group published. He also used his time with the group to talk about the French and Spanish books he was studying at Porth Grammar School.

When he was 18, during World War II, Davies became a Bevin Boy. This meant he worked as a coal miner instead of joining the army. He continued his studies while mining. He bought discounted books from a special bookshop in London.

Even though he came from an educated family, Davies enjoyed his three years as a coal miner. He felt it helped him understand the working-class people of the Rhondda better.

In 1948, Davies finished his mining service. He won a scholarship to The Queen's College, Oxford, a famous university. There, he studied Romance Languages and earned advanced degrees.

Academic Career

In 1952, Davies started working at the University of Leeds as a Spanish teacher. He was promoted several times. In 1975, he became the Cowdray Professor of Spanish. This meant he was the head of the Spanish and Portuguese Languages department.

During his time at Leeds, Davies also taught as a visiting professor. He taught at the University of Cardiff in Wales, Dartmouth College in the United States, and the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.

Davies mainly studied Spanish poetry from the Spanish Golden Age. This was a time when Spanish art and literature were very strong. He also liked 19th-century Spanish literature. He was interested in Spanish songs from the German Romantic period. He also studied other Spanish and Argentine works. He even visited Welsh Patagonia, a Welsh settlement in Argentina.

Davies also worked as a translator. He was interested in the work of David Rowland. Rowland had translated an old Spanish story called La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes in 1586. Davies later edited a new version of this translation in 1991.

Davies retired in 1986. He was given the title of Emeritus Professor, which means he kept his professor title even after retiring.

Marriage and Family

In 1953, while living in Leeds, Gareth married Catherine "Caryl" Glyn Jones. Like Gareth, Caryl was also from the Rhondda Valley and was a linguist (someone who studies languages).

They made their home near Otley and had four children: Eleri, Catrin, Gwen, and Rhodri. Even though they lived in Yorkshire for thirty years, they stayed very connected to Welsh culture. They made sure all their children learned to speak Welsh.

Death

After he retired, Davies moved back to Wales. He settled in Llangwyryfon, Ceredigion. He passed away in Aberystwyth in 2009. His wife, Caryl, had died two years earlier in 2007.

Works of Note

Poetry

• Baled Lewsyn a'r Mor (1964)
• Trigain (1986)
• Galar y Culfor (1992)

Factual Work

• A Poet at Court: Antonio Hurtado de Mendoza, 1586–1644 (1971)
• Tan Tro Nesaf (1976)
• Dyddiadur Awstralia (1986)