Welsh Journals

Search over 450 titles and 1.2 million pages

EDWARD HAMER, LLANIDLOES: 1840-191 1 E. R. MORRIS, B.A. Edward Hamer was a founder member of the Powysland Club and one of the most noteworthy contributors to the early volumes of the Alontgomeryshire Collections. His articles appear in each one of the first twelve volumes of the transactions. Among the more important of these were "A Parochial Account of Llangurig" written apparently in collaboration with Chevalier Lloyd of Clochfaen Llangurig, which appeared in volumes 2 and 3 in 1869-70 (the account was reprinted separately in 1871) "A Parochial Account of Llanidloes" written sometime between 1871 and 1878 and which appeared in volumes 4 to 1 and "A Parochial Account of Trefeglwys" — the first part of which appeared in volume 12 in 1879. This work unfortunately was never finished and Hamer contributed nothing further to the Collections. He also wrote "The Earthworks of Ancient Arwystli" for Archaeologia Cambrensis. His first work was published in 1867 by the Llanidloes printer John Pryse,- this was his Brief Account of the Chartist Outbreak in Llanidloes in the year 1839. This essay was reprinted in 1939 by John Ellis, Llanidoes, printer. It was edited by Mr. C. E. Vaughan Owen, F.S.A., who in the foreword included a brief biographical note on the author. These Accounts prove that Edward Hamer possessed in large measure the qualities of a good local historian and are characterised by painstaking and carefully sifted data. They also reveal Hamer as a man of many interests with a wide knowledge in various fields. His contributions remain among the best in the field of "Parochial Accounts". It is surprising how Hamer managed to obtain access to some of the material which appears in the Parochial Accounts but it is probable that he had the confidence of the local families and was allowed to inspect some of their papers. No doubt his friendship with Chevalier Lloyd helped considerably in this respect. Most of his work was done when he was home in Llanidloes during the school vacations and when he was between 29 and 39 years of age. One wonders why he abandoned his intention of writing A Parochial Account of Trefeglwys (his mother's native parish) unless he felt his time was more profitably spent in the