Kate Roberts (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Roberts
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Kate Roberts
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| Born | 13 February 1891 Rhosgadfan, Caernarfonshire, Wales |
| Died | 4 April 1985 (aged 94) Denbigh, Wales |
| Occupation | Author, novelist, political activist |
| Literary movement | Welsh-language literature |
| Notable works | Traed mewn cyffion (Feet in chains) |
Kate Roberts (born February 13, 1891 – died April 4, 1985) was one of the most important Welsh-language writers of the 20th century. People called her Brenhines ein llên, which means "The Queen of our Literature." She is best known for her short stories, but she also wrote novels. Kate Roberts was also a strong supporter of Welsh nationalism, which means she believed in protecting Welsh culture and language.
Her Life Story
Kate Roberts was born in a small village called Rhosgadfan. This village is on the side of a mountain called Moel Tryfan in Caernarfonshire, which is now part of Gwynedd, Wales. She was the oldest child of Owen Roberts, who worked in a local slate quarry. Her mother was Catrin Roberts.
Kate grew up in the family cottage, Cae'r Gors. The life in this cottage and village later became a very important part of her early stories. Her book Y Lôn Wen (The White Lane) describes this area and her childhood memories.
She went to school in Rhosgadfan from 1895 to 1904. Then she attended Caernarfonshire School until 1910. After that, she studied Welsh at the University College of North Wales, Bangor from 1910 to 1913. She then trained to be a teacher. She taught in several schools across Wales, including Dolbadarn, Ystalyfera, and Aberdare.
In 1928, Kate Roberts married Morris T. Williams. They met at meetings for Plaid Cymru, which is the Welsh nationalist political party. Morris was a printer. Later, they bought a printing and publishing company called Gwasg Gee (The Gee Press) in Denbigh. They moved there in 1935. Their company published books, small booklets, and a Welsh-language weekly newspaper called Y Faner (The Banner). Kate often wrote for this newspaper. After her husband passed away in 1946, she continued to run the printing press for another ten years.
In 1965, Kate Roberts bought her childhood home, Cae'r Gors. She gave it to the nation, hoping it would be preserved. However, there wasn't enough money to fix it up at the time. It was finally restored in 2005 after a long effort to raise funds. Today, Cae'r Gors is looked after by Cadw and is open as a museum about Kate Roberts.
She lived in Denbigh after she retired and passed away in 1985.
Her Writing Work
Kate Roberts started writing after her brother died in the First World War. She used her writing to help her cope with her sadness and loss.
Her first collection of short stories, O gors y bryniau (From the Swamp of the Hills), came out in 1925. One of her most popular short story books is Te yn y grug (Tea in the Heather) from 1959. This book tells stories about children.
Among the novels Kate Roberts wrote, Traed mewn cyffion (Feet in Chains) from 1936 is very famous. This book shows the difficult lives of families who worked in the slate quarries. In 1960, she published Y lôn wen, which was her autobiography, telling her own life story.
Most of her novels and short stories are set in the part of North Wales where she lived. She once said that she got ideas for her stories from "the society in which I was brought up, a poor society in an age of poverty... [where] it was always a struggle against poverty."
Her stories often focus on the everyday lives of ordinary people. They show how these people deal with challenges and disappointments. Her writing is known for its rich language and deep understanding of people. Important themes in her work include the role of women in society and new ideas about life and love.
Kate Roberts also had a long friendship through letters with another famous Welsh writer, Saunders Lewis. They wrote to each other for forty years. These letters give us a look into life in Wales during that time and share the thoughts of two great writers on events happening around them.
Many of her books have been translated into other languages, so people all over the world can read her stories.
Some of Her Books
In Welsh
- Traed Mewn Cyffion (Feet in Chains) (1936), a novel.
- Te yn y Grug (Tea in the Heather) (1959), a collection of short stories.
- Y Lôn Wen (The White Lane) (1960), her autobiography.
Translated into English
- Feet in Chains (translated from Traed Mewn Cyffion).
- Tea in the Heather (translated from Te yn y Grug).
- The World of Kate Roberts: selected stories, 1925–1981, a collection of her short stories.
