T. Rowland Hughes facts for kids

Thomas Rowland Hughes (born April 17, 1903, died October 24, 1949) was a famous Welsh writer. He was a broadcaster, wrote novels, plays, and poems. He grew up in Llanberis, North Wales, where his father worked in a quarry. Today, he is best known for his novels about people who lived and worked in the slate quarries of North Wales. But when he was alive, he was also very well known as a poet and someone who worked in radio. His most famous novel is called William Jones.

His Life Story

Hughes was born on April 17, 1903, in Llanberis. His parents were May and William Hughes. He went to Dolbadarn primary school and Brynrefail county school. Later, he studied at the University College, Bangor. In 1925, he finished his studies with top grades in English and Welsh. In 1928, he won a special scholarship from the University of Wales. This allowed him to study at Jesus College, Oxford, where he earned another degree in 1931.

He worked as a teacher at the county school for boys in Aberdare from 1926 to 1928. Then, from 1930 to 1933, he taught English and Welsh at Coleg Harlech. In 1934, he became the Principal of the Mary Ward Settlement in London.

From 1935 to 1945, Hughes worked for the BBC in Cardiff. He was a producer for many radio shows. During this time, he created or helped write about 300 radio programmes! He worked with many Welsh writers to produce these shows. Some of his most famous radio productions included The Proud Valley (1940), which was a radio version of a film starring Paul Robeson. He also produced How Green Was My Valley (1942) and Welsh Lidice (1943). After only five years at the BBC, a newspaper called The Guardian said he was one of the best producers in British radio.

Hughes was a very talented poet too. He won the top poetry prize, called the Chair, at the National Eisteddfod twice. He won in 1937 for his poem 'Y Ffin' ('The Boundary') and again in 1940 for 'Pererinion' ('Pilgrims').

He married Eirene Williams in 1933. Not long after, he was diagnosed with a health condition called multiple sclerosis. It was around this time that he started to write his most famous books.

About His Work

T. Rowland Hughes is remembered for his powerful stories about the lives of people in the Welsh slate quarries. His novels helped many people understand what life was like for quarry workers and their families. People have written books and articles about his life and his important contributions to Welsh literature and broadcasting.