The Daniel Owen Centre

Daniel Owen

Undoubtedly, the most famous son of Mold is the novelist, Daniel Owen. He was the youngest of six children and his father and two brothers were miners in the Argoed pit. In 1837, all three were killed in a flooding disaster at the mine. It was a tragedy that left an indelible mark on his whole life as his widowed mother struggled to bring up the family, often in abject poverty. However, in other ways, he was fortunate. He was taught to read and write in the Sunday School of the Chapel which the family attended. At the age of twelve, he was apprenticed to R tailor and witnessed arguments and debates on political and theological matters in the humble atmosphere of the tailor's workshop.

Mold of the 1840s was fortunate to have as minister of Bethesda (C.M.) Chapel, an outstanding minister – Roger Edwards. It was at the competitive and literary meetings organised by Roger Edwards that Daniel Owen was "discovered". Edwards subsequently brought him to public notice by introducing him to write "Y Dreflan" (Our Village) in monthly instalments for
"Y Drysorfa". The Methodists at the time frowned on fiction, but Roger Edwards overcame this prejudice by publishing this story in "Y Drysorfa". Everybody thought it was a true story and eagerly looked forward to each monthly instalment.

At the age of 29, Daniel Owen entered the Bala Theological College, but returned to Mold before completing his studies to take care of his family. He did, however, continue his preaching and his reputation as a novelist was enhanced with his publications, which included four novels: "Rhys Lewis", "Enoc Huws", "Gwen Thomas" and "Y Dreflan" as well as short stories, character sketches and also, a number of sermons and miscellaneous pieces. His novels are simple evocations of a chapel-dominated small-town world with the industrial revolution interacting with the agrarian life of the eighteenth century, the characters portrayed are vivid, and well-known – indeed one half expects to see Thomas and Barbara Bartley, Robert Wynn, Abel Huws and Wil Bryan on the streets of Mold today.

Daniel Owen's contribution was not only to literature and non-conformity. He served his native town in other ways. Towards the end of his life he became a member of its District Council and was elected its Chairman in 1894, he died in 1895 at the age of 59.

Today, in Mold a shopping/library/community complex bears the name of the novelist, a museum depicts aspects of his life, his statue and grave are to be seen and an annual lecture, given by a prominent academic has been instigated in his memory. Extensive books have reviewed his contribution to literature but his own words which appear in English, Latin and Welsh on his statue sum up the man:

It is for this reason, probably, that the people of the town remernber his contribution.

(Reproduced from the Town Guide {50p} - available from the Information Centre within the Complex)