Richard Morris (editor) facts for kids

Richard Morris (born February 2, 1703 – died December 1779) was a Welsh writer and editor. He was the younger brother of another famous Welsh writer, Lewis Morris.

Richard Morris was an important person in the Welsh community in London during his time. He helped publish Welsh Bibles and was a leader of a special society for Welsh people.

Early Life and Family

Richard Morris was born in a place called Penrhos Lugwy, in Anglesey, Wales. He was one of four brothers who were all quite well-known. Their letters to each other are still around today and tell us a lot about what life was like back then. The brothers were raised by Morris Prichard and Margaret Owen. They loved books and writing, and they also supported a poet named Goronwy Owen.

Richard Morris moved to London on August 1, 1722, and only went back to Anglesey once in his life. By 1728, he was a respected member of the Welsh community in London. He even helped organize the yearly St. David's Day dinner for a group called the "Society of Antient Britons."

Family Life in London

Richard Morris got married in 1729. His brother Lewis also came to London to work. Their brother William visited them in 1730, and their youngest brother John, who was a sailor, visited in 1735.

In 1734, Richard faced some financial trouble because he had promised to help a friend who then went bankrupt. This was a very difficult time for him. Luckily, a kind person named Owen Meyrick helped him out with a loan, which allowed him to get back on his feet and find work again.

Richard's first wife passed away in 1740, and he married again the next year. He had a daughter named Marian from one of his marriages. His second wife died in 1750, and he married a third time to a woman named Elizabeth. They are believed to have had ten children together, including two daughters named Angharad and Margaret. One of his sons, also named Richard, was born in 1762 and was sent to Wales to be raised by an aunt.

After Elizabeth's death in 1772, Richard Morris married for a fourth time to a widow named Mary Major.

Working Life and Contributions

By the 1740s, Richard Morris was working for the Bishop of Bangor, helping to check and correct Welsh books and pamphlets before they were printed. He also got a job as a clerk in the navy office, which was a government department. He worked his way up and became the chief clerk of foreign accounts in 1757.

While working at the Navy Office, Morris became good friends with another clerk from Anglesey named William Parry. William Parry later became the secretary of the Cymmrodorion Society, a very important Welsh group. Richard and William worked closely together in the foreign accounts department.

Helping with Welsh Books

Richard Morris played a big part in preparing new versions of the Welsh Bible that were printed in 1746 and 1752. These Bibles were published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. They were needed because Griffith Jones of Llanddowror had started traveling free schools and needed Bibles for his students. Richard Morris not only made sure the spelling was correct but also added helpful tables about Jewish weights and measures. He also helped create a Welsh translation of the Book of Common Prayer that included pictures.

Leading the Cymmrodorion Society

Richard Morris was a very important leader among Welsh people living in London. When the original Cymmrodorion Society was started in September 1751, he became its first president. He asked the poet Goronwy Owen to translate the society's rules into Welsh. A famous scholar named Sir William Jones even hired Morris to organize the library of an antiquarian named Moses Williams.

Richard's oldest brother, Lewis Morris, passed away in 1765. The following year, Richard Morris made his only visit back home to Wales to see Lewis's widow.

Later Life and Legacy

After many years of hard work, Richard Morris was able to retire. He passed away at the Tower of London in 1779. He was buried at the church of St George in the East, alongside his third wife Elizabeth and some of their children.

Richard Morris left his valuable collection of old Welsh manuscripts to the Welsh School. These manuscripts were later given to the British Library, where they are kept safe for everyone to study. After he died, the Cymmrodorion Society offered a silver medal for the best poem written in his memory. This competition is seen as an early version of the National Eisteddfod of Wales, which is a big festival of Welsh culture and arts held every year.