Introduction:
The article below explores the life and times of Maria Jane Williams, who was a part of the Williams Family of Aberpergwm Manor. The Williams family can trace its ancestry back to the 12th century and Morgan ap Caradoc ap Iestyn, who was Lord of the Barony of Avan Wallia. Aberpergwm House came into the ownership of the Williams Family of Blaen Baglan from around 1560, so the Williams Family have been associated to the upper Neath valley from the 16th century right up until the 1950’s. The Williams family were one of the few Welsh gentry families to remain faithful to the Welsh language.
Maria Jane Williams was born into the Williams family in 1795, and is probably the most notable person to have lived in the community of Blaengwrach, having moved into Ynys Las along with her older sister Elizabeth Anne in 1836.
Ed Note: Much has been written about Maria Jane over the years and I have tried to incorporate as many sources as possible, so that we can get a good impression of her life and the times she lived in.
I have listed the sources I have used in the References and Resources section at the bottom of the article, and I have also highlighted any important reference or direct quotes as a footnote, each footnote has a number and can be referenced at the bottom of the page.
So, who was Maria Jane Williams?
Maria Jane Williams was born on the 4th October 1795 at Aberpergwm Manor House. She was the youngest of five children born to Rees Williams Snr. and his wife Anne Jenkins who was from the ancient family of Jenkins in Ystradfellte.
The children were from oldest to youngest, William (1788 – 1855), Rees (1792 – 1849), Thomas (1793 – 1861), Elizabeth Ann ( 1794 – 1871) and Maria Jane Williams (1795 – 1873) the youngest sibling.
Note: Thomas was responsible for erecting the monument called “the wedding cake”, in dedication of his wife Jane Dyce (Jeannie), which used to sit close to the porch of Aberpergwm Church. Unfortunately time was to see the monument crumble.
Maria Jane Williams has been ranked as one of the most eminent women of Wales, due to her involvement in many Welsh cultural activities such as the collection of Welsh Folk songs and Folk stories from the upper Neath Valley, Poetry, Music, Singing, Welsh dress and the Welsh language. She was renowned for her exquisite singing voice and from this had the pseudonym “Llinos”, Linnet in English. Henry Fothergill Chorley said that she was:
”the most exquisite amateur singer he had ever heard”.
Maria Jane was to grow up a passionate supporter of the Welsh language and traditions, and in 1844 went on to publish a collection of Welsh folk songs under the heading “The Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morgannwg”. Along with her sister Elizabeth Anne they would support the cultural and linguistic roots of the Williams family, whilst they also maintained close links with the local community. They would become some of the main players in cultural activities of the Upper Neath Valley and Wales in the 19th century.
Early Life:
The daughters of Rees and Anne Williams were born within a year of each other, with Maria Anne being the youngest of the daughters. They were to live their lives very closely linked to each other, and in later life lived together at Ynys Las cottage in Blaengwrach.
Even though they were of similar age, they had completely different personalities from each other, Elizabeth Anne being more shy and reserved and Maria Jane being the more high spirited, exuberant sister.
Both daughters were well educated and supported the culture of Wales. They were encouraged to learn Welsh, sing Welsh songs and play the harp. Maria Jane showed a very early interest and talent in learning music and was taught the harp by the famous Welsh harpist Elias Parish Alvars. It was said her voice was “exquisite” and that she was also an accomplished guitar and Harp player.
Maria And and Elizabeth Anne were educated in Swansea and led the life of well educated wealthy young Ladies of the time. They visited London in season from May onwards, followed in August “to take the waters” in either Llandrindod Wells or Cheltenham.
Ed. Note: The London Season took place from the Spring and the summer, and most unmarried, rich, educated women would leave their Country estates to move to their London residence in the hope of finding a husband. The season would consist of Ball’s, Dinners, the Theatre, in fact a constant round of socialising and entertainment, with the climax of perhaps a meeting with Royalty. Of course there were strict guidelines in place with chaperones to look after the Ladies modesty.
After a few years of attending the London Season and not finding a husband, it soon became evident that both sisters were not getting any younger and the chances of finding a husband were becoming more and more remote, and history shows they would remain spinsters.
Maria Jane would also visit the 2nd Duke of Dunraven at his Hunting Lodge, Ynys Las, for what he called “their blisses”. This would lead to Maria Jane visiting the Duke’s Residence Adare Abbey, county Limerick, Ireland, in the July and August of 1826. She travelled with the Rev. Thomas Price (bardic name, Carnhuanawc) author of Hanes Cymru, the purpose of the visit would soon become evident, as on her return she brought home a baby girl who she named Fanny.
On the return journey from Ireland after disembarking from the Irish Ferry, on the coach from Bangor to Shrewsbury in 1826 they met a Mr Croften Crocker the author and renowned Irish antiquarian and travelling with him a Mr. Thomas Keightley. He told them that in his carpet bag he had a manuscript he would later publish under the heading “Fairy Legends of Ireland”. Maria Jane would subsequently send him a collection of Fairy Tale stories from the Glynnedd area. More on this story below under the heading; Collector of songs and fairy tales:
The paternity of the young Fanny has always been questioned. In Elizabeth Belcham book “About Aberpergwm” on page 58, it states that the 14 year old Viscount Adare fell in love with Maria Jane, but as for having a love child by Adare “this must be dismissed as unproven”.
In Philips book, The History of the Vale of Neath, it mentions in a footnote on page 369, that (Viscount Adare fell in love with the Welsh harpist, but the acquaintance did not end happily.)
Other sources have confirmed the paternity of the 2nd Duke of Dunraven as being the father.
In all probability, taking into consideration the gestation period of a baby, that the 2nd Duke of Dunraven fathered the illegitimate child during “their blisses” and there is evidence to confirm local tradition that the child was fathered by the 2nd Duke of Dunraven.
(Ed note: It would be some sort of miracle that the Viscount Adare fathered the child during Maria Janes visit to Adare Abbey, as it was born two months later.)
Moving to Ynys Las:
William Williams, the elder brother of Maria Jane Williams, inherited Aberpergwm House on the Death of their father Rees Williams Snr. in 1812. William planned to get married to Matilda Suzzane Smith, the only daughter of Colonel Thomas Smith of Castellau, Llantrisant on the 2nd November 1837. In preparation for the coming wedding, Ynys Las was leased from the 2nd Earl of Dunraven in 1836 in order to free up Aberpergwm House for his new wife and their forthcoming family of four son’s.
This enabled both the spinster sisters, Maria Jane Williams along with her elder sister Elizabeth Ann to move into Ynys Las together and they both were to live there for the rest of their lives. Their younger brother Thomas (1793 – 1861), after the death of his wife in 1859 also moved from Ystradgynlais in the Swansea valley, to Ynys Las to live with his sisters.
Life and Times living at Ynys Las:
The household would become quite large with a number of servants employed. There was a housekeeper, a house maid plus another maid, Jemima Baker, plus fanny Baker who was described as a female servant and a dairymaid, but was probably Maria Jane’s daughter. There were 2 other men servants as well.
There was a poem written by the local poet Evan Bevan, which referenced Fanny the daughter of Maria Jane who also lived at Ynys Las, Fanny went on to marry Evan Stephen Jones of the Angel in Pontneddvechan. The first two lines of the poem are:
A Ffanni, deg ei dwrrudd,
Yn crynnu o dda ‘r i fynydd,
David nICHOLAS B 1693 D 1774 POET
The daily routing of the house was captured in Jane Williams’s diary, with it containing the daily chores of domestic life. Both sisters also travelled during their time at Ynys Las, they visited Dunraven Castle Llanover, Llandridnod Wells and Cheltenham. They were to travel to North Wales in 1850 at the time of the Eisteddfod at Rhyl, and a second time in 1861 in the company of Lady Llanover. Travel at this time must have been very difficult, the railway in the Neath Valley only being completed in 1851. Previous to this all travel would have been undertaken by horse drawn carriages / coach’s.
By all accounts the two sisters played a full and active part in village life, and were known in the village as “Ladis y Cottage”. They both religiously supported the local church of St. Mary’s, (Yr Capel Bach / Sy Mary’s Church) with Elizabeth Anne becoming the Churchwarden for many years.
The Merthyr Telegraph reported on the 13th April 1861, that Miss Williams had been re-appointed Churchwarden, and that:
“at her own expense, she had purchase a very handsome iron gate, with pillars, which had, on Saturday, been placed at the entrance into the churchyard”
On their walks to the church on Sundays they were followed by their pet cat. The local bard Evan made a song which shows the “puss” joining in the music.
Y gath tu-fas yn canu’r bas
Maria Jane Williams along with her sister used Ynys Las as a focus for Celtic Renaissance in the valley. There they organised annual feasts for the singers and dancers of the Upper Neath valley, these annual get togethers going on until late in the night.
There are other antidotes and eccentricities of their time living at Ynys Las captured in D.Rhys Philips book, “The History of the Vale of Neath”.
One mentions a visit by their brother William and his small son to Ynys Las captured in one of Williams letters, which talks about the child eating Strawberry Jam ay Ynys Las and calling it “nice Bopa”, Nice referring to the jam.
Another incident talks about meeting the sisters at the Glynneath Toll gate (Ed note: situated on the Chain Road) and described their attire as:
“dressed in long coats with staffs which they grasped around the middle after the fashion of their old friend Iolo Morganwg”.
A further antidote describes how the children of the village brought to Ynys Las on the 6th January 1850 the Mari Lywd, it was also noted that they did not come on the 6th January 1853.
There is also mention of a visit to Belli Glas the farm close to Rhigos. The sisters had walked to Belli Glas from Ynys Las a distance of a few miles for dinner. Unfortunately the dinner was ruined as the dog of the farm had stolen and run off with the Leg of Mutton.
Maria Jane Williams died at Ynys Las cottage on the 10th November 1873 and was buried in the family chapel at Aberpergwm church. There is a plaque in the church dedicated to her and her sister . See photo below.
Her estate was divided between her nephew Morgan Stuart Williams and her servants, the majority of her estate going to Fanny Baker and Fannies three daughters (her assumed illegitimate daughter by the 2nd earl of Dunraven), Fannies two sons only inherited £100 each.
For more information on Ynys Las click on link; Ynys Las
Welsh Cultural activities: (Collector of songs and fairy tales)
Folklorist:
It was mentioned above that Maria Jane was to visit the home of the 2nd earl of Dunraven ancestral home in Ireland to give birth to their illegitamate daughter Fanny in the July and August of 1826. On the way back to Wales she met on the carriage between Bangor and Shrewsbury the author Thomas Croften Crocker who was accompanied by the author Thomas Keightley.
They both had visited Ireland to collect Irish songs and Folk tales as they were considering publishing a book of comparative Folklore. Thomas Keightley was to suggest to Maria Jane that she should also collect Fairy tales from Wales.
In 1826–7 she was to make a collection of fairy tales from South Wales and the Neath valley, in total the collection consisted of 19 Welsh stories or ancedotes. The tales were collected from already existing sources such as the collection of the Rev. Edmund Jones of Pontypool, one story cam from Giraldus Cambrenis, but the majority of the tales were collected orally by Maria Jane and were one of the earliest collections of Fairy tales.
These tales were published in the supplemental volume of Crofton Croker‘s ‘Irish Fairy Legends’ and subsequently reprinted in an abridged form in the ‘Fairy Mythology’ of Thomas Keightley who had suggested that she should make the collection. The three tales in Thomas Keightley book are: Rhys at the Fairy Dance; Gitto Bach; and The Fairies Banished, the tales can be found in The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley on pages 134 – 136. (ISBN 9781974468621)
Letters between Thomas Croften Crocker and Maria Jane:
There are series of correspondence between Maria Jane and Thomas Croften from December 1826 to March 1844, the first ten letters discussed Fairy legends, the eleventh covered the period of the publication of Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg and the last was a letter of condolence to Mrs Croker on the death of her father.
In the first letter she discusses the difficulty of collecting these Fairy stories, as the roads and education had meant that the older generation, and therefore the stories, were now extinct in Wales. Although she went on to say she new a number of people from more isolated mountainous regions in the Neath romantic valley who only spoke Welsh and therefore still knew the old superstitions and of their ancestors.
There is mention of these older generation still seeing the fairies, hearing their enchanted music, and sometimes joining in their dances. They also see ghosts and hear strange noises, see lights, and can foretell death by signs and groans and bites for example. She say’s that these country folk communicate with the “Old gentleman” who visits them in all shapes, and his favourite spot is near the Roman road in none of the fields behind Aberpergwm house where there is supposed to be treasure buried.
Another letter refers to the death of a local man, Shone Thomas or as he was know locally Cobbler Jig, who passed on a number of old stories to Maria Jane. On his death at 91 his body was carried by the workmen of Rees Williams Esq. of Aberpergwm, a distance of seven miles, to Crynant to be buried alongside his wife who had died 20 years earlier.
Al these letters can be read in the attached link, pages 19 to 36 held at The National Library of Wales.
https://journals.library.wales/view/4718179/4751353/14#?xywh=-4000%2C-237%2C10514%2C4378
Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morgannwg:
Maria Jane and her sister fell under the influence of Lady Llanover, (Augusta Hall) who brought about her a circle of friends with similar cultural influences. They founded the Abergavenny Cymreigyddion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymreigyddion_y_Fenniand) and organised a series of eisteddfodau before the introduction of the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Both sisters were to visit Lady Llanover many times and Maria Jane’s harp playing and singing would come to the attention of the other patrons of the society.
Lady Elizabeth Coffin Greenly of Titley Court, Herefordshire was to support Maria Jane by offering a prize for the “best collection of original unpublished Welsh airs, with the words as sung by the peasantry of Wales” which was then to be awarded at the Abergavenny eisteddfod in 1837. There were two entries for the competition, a gentleman from ?? And Maria Jane Williams who was to win the first prize of £3. At the 1838 eisteddfod she also won a prize for her arrangement of a Welsh air for four voices.
A number of the Maria Jane’s collection of songs from the eisteddfod were later published in a few publications , such as;
* The Welsh Harper in 1838 by John Parry (Bardd Alaw) which was an extensive collection of Welsh music which would have helped her songs to become know nationally.
* Another was the four volumes of Welsh melodies published between 1856 and 1874 by John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia).
In 1844 the airs were published under the title, “Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morgannwg”, with words to the tunes included, a dedication of the book to the young Queen Victoria was secured by Lady Llanover. There were a total of 43 airs in the collection, and it was the only collection of Welsh tunes with accompanied lyrics published until the 20th century, and along with the groundbreaking notes on who were the original singers.
The songs were collected from various sources, some from other collections, some from Cwm Tawe and some from Llanover, she also lists the songs from the Neath valley and if it wasn’t for Maria Jane we may have lost many songs from the valley. The most famous songs being Y Deryn Pur (The Gentle Dove) and Y Ferch o’r Sger (The Maid of Sker). The songs collected in the Neath valley are: Callyn Serchus, Myfi sydd Ganiedydd, Llawen Glan Awen Glyn Nedd, Yr Oes, Glyn Nedd, and Y Milwr.
There have been later editions of the book re-issued by the Welsh Folk Song Society.
The Title page of the book reads as follows:
“Dedicated by special permission to her Majesty the Queen. Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg; being a collection of Original Welsh Melodies, hither unpublished, which obtained the prize at the Eisteddfod held in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Abergavenny Cymreigyddion, October 1838. To which are added the words usually sung thereto. Collected and arranged for the harp or pianoforte, by M. Jane Williams of Aberpergwm. Llandovry: William Rees; London: D’Almaine and Mackinlay, Soho Square, 1844.
Despite many criticismsat the time, that the folklorists of the day and the mass of traditional so called druidic songs that were published, didn’t stand up to critical investigation. Lucy Broadman a leading light of the Folk Song Society and collector of folk songs claimed that Maria Jane Williams was one of only two people in Wales who were the exception to this rule.
Maria Jane Williams claimed in the book “The songs were given as … obtained… in their wild and original state; no embellishment of the melody have been attempted, and the accompanying words are those sung to the airs”.
Nevertheless, Ancient National Airs did come under some later scrutiny and criticism’s, but there is no denying that the book has made an important contribution to the understanding of traditional Welsh music of the time. The criticisms were mainly to do with how much was original work and how much was maybe written by other hands. There is no doubt that Maria Jane collected the songs herself around the Upper Neath valley, during social gathering and visiting the farm houses in the area. We have to remember that there was no Radio, TV or social media in those days, so any entertainment had to be put on by themselves, and the playing of the harp and singing local songs would have played a major part of this entertainment.
For those wishing to better understand the details of the songs and who had an input to the words of the songs, then see the link below from the National Library of Wales, journals.
Welsh dress
Maria Jane and Elizabeth Ann also supported the wearing of traditional Welsh costume, the eleven maids employed at Ynys Las wore Red, Black and White checked cloth, a cloth that was woven at the Aberpergwm Mill which was situated at the end of Mill Row in the Lamb and Flag. Unfortunately only a dress front now survives.
There are twelve letters sent to Miss Jennet Williams the dairy maid at Ynys Las from the sisters. The extract from two below sent from 11, Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham in 1885 discuss the wearing and purchase of welsh garments.
….we have at last found where theses capes are to be had. We send this one down and beg you to wear it every morning and evening (during) this wet weather and were a shawl under it….
….Let me know when your fair is, that I may send you leave to go to it and perhaps you would like some money to go home, for though you are very prudent, yet you may want a little more cash to buy the Paish [pais?] and Goon Bach which I like so much….. (could Goon Bach be Gwn Bach which means short gown)
The passing of the Sisters:
There was some confusion on the Death of Elizabeth Ann in 1871, as Mr Chorley
the well known English Literary, Art Music critic, writer and Editor believed Maria Jane had died. He wrote a short memoir to Maria in the Athenaeum in which he had a regular slot, wrote in her memory to the athenaeum. see page 368
On Maria Jane’s death in 1873, Mr Chorley who had by this time also passed away, but his memoir of the previous year was reprinted in memory of Maria Jane Williams. Below you can see a transcript of this piece which Mr Chorley has highlighted her “ability and character”.
“Miss M. J. Williams was born with that inherent genius for music which has distinguished so many of her countrymen. Nature had given her, beside her ready and delight in gathering such knowledge as liberally lay around her, one of the most exquisite voices I have ever heard – to be compared, without disadvantage, to those of Mesdames Sontag and Stockhausen…. Her articulation was singularly clear and refined. By no one could the placid airs of Handel, and the less ambitious Italian songs of the great masters, be delivered with greater purity, finish and feeling.This was all the more excellent and rare, because her speciality was in singing to the harp the national music Wales and Ireland…. She was lovely ij conversation, shrewd in observation, quick in temper – sympathetically kind an generous to those around her, but without that domineering spirit which has spoiled many circumstances like herself…. On these grounds she deserves honourable record in the golden book of Great Britain’s gifted and accomplished women” ( Athenaeum, Nov. 22, 1873 )
High praise indeed for the “Ladis y Cottage”.
The plaque in Aberpergwm church to the memory of the sisters, say’s the following:
In memory of Elizabeth Anne; died 1871. And of Maria Jane, born 1795; died 1873; spinsters, daughters of Rees Williams, Esq. , of Aberpergwm.
What of the Legacy of Maria Jane Williams:
(Impact of her life on the culture of Wales)
She certainly left her mark on the village of Blaengwrach, with her cultural activities carried out at Ynys Las, her support of the Welsh culture through language and dress; her support along with her sister of St Mary’s church and their charitable work in the community. But probably her greatest contribution to the village and Wales is through her collection of traditional Welsh Folk songs and Folklore stories.
The famous Neath valley Author B. L .Coomes in comparing to other’s her influence on Welsh culture said the following:
Pride of place is given to “Llinos” Maria Jane Williams of Aberpergwm who had made a collection of Fairy tales from the Neath valley in 1828, later to be published in Thomas Keightley’s Fairy Mythology. After winning a prize at the 1837 Eisteddfod in Abergavenny for her collection of popular folk songs – words and music – from the Vale, it was subsequently published in 1844 under the title Ancient national airs of Gwent and Morgannwg including such well known airs as “Y Deryn Pur” and “The Maid of Sker”. Coombes felt that her contribution to the preservation of the Welsh folk-song tradition had been sadly undervalued.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Chorley
Reference and Resources:
The History of the Vale of Neath by D. Rhys Philips (Facsimile edition 1994) pages 367-70; 372-3; 459; 551, 556.
The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley (ISBN 9781974468621) Pages 134-6.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Jane_Williams
Letters from Crocker and Williams.
https://journals.library.wales/view/4718179/4751353/14#?xywh=-4000%2C-237%2C10514%2C4378