Gwenllian Morgan
Gwenllian Elizabeth Fanny Morgan (9 April 1852 – 7 November 1939) was the first woman in Wales to hold the office of Mayor. She was also an antiquary and published books about her area of study.
Biography
Morgan was born in Defynnog on 9 April 1852, she was the daughter of Philip Morgan, curate at Penpont and rector in Llanhamlach. After his death in 1868, she moved to Brecon.[2]
Morgan was very prominent in public life in her town and its area, especially with regard to education. She became the first woman in Wales to be elected to a municipal council,[2] and the first woman in Wales to be a mayor, from 1910 to 1911 in Brecon. In 1912 over 900 women raised the money for the Liverpool artist Isaac Cooke to paint a full portrait of her. The painting recorded that she was the first woman mayor and that she was the "Coronation Mayor".[1]
Morgan was interested in literature and contributed articles to Old Wales. A monthly magazine of antiquities for Wales and the Borders, edited by W. R. Williams of Talybont-on-Usk. Morgan fell in love with the work of the metaphysical poet Henry Vaughan. She collaborated with Louise Imogen Guiney on a volume of the Vaughan's work, with biographical sketch and historical notes, but these two died before finishing the job and it was taken over by Dr. F. E. Hutchinson. Hutchinson published a comprehensive book about Vaughan based on their work in 1947.[2]
Morgan was honored with an honorary MA degree from the University of Wales in 1925. She died on 7 November 1939 in Brecon.[2]
References
- 1 2 Miss Gwenllian E F Morgan, ArtUK, Retrieved 13 April 2016
- 1 2 3 4 Gwenllian Elizabeth Fanny Morgan, Dictionary of Welsh Biography Online; National Library of Wales, Retrieved 13 April 2016
- A pedigree is a History of Brecknock, 3rd ed., IV, 134–38 by Theophilus Jones.
- powysenc.weebly.com; accessed 1 July 2015