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Home » Articles » Dr William Price (1800-93), pioneer of cremationsDr William Price (1800-93), pioneer of cremations
A collection of items relating to Dr William Price (1800-93), Chartist, doctor, druid and pioneer of cremations.
A collection of items relating to Dr William Price (1800-93), Chartist, doctor, druid and pioneer of cremations.
Dr William Price (1800-93), Chartist, doctor, druid and cremation pioneer, was born at Tynycoedcae farm, Rudry, near Caerphilly. After graduating at the Royal College of Surgeons London, he returned to Wales and settled in the Upper Boat area, near Pontypridd. He was elected by the workers of Brown Lenox chainworks as the works' doctor and also served as a colliery doctor in Treforest. He was very well-known in the Pontypridd area not only on account of his medical work, but also for his interest in druidism and the Chartist movement. He was an unconventional man who wore a scarlet waistcoat, green trousers and a fox-fur hat when carrying out his druidic ceremonies at the Rocking Stone, Pontypridd. In 1884 he came before the law courts of Cardiff after he attempted to cremate the body of his young son, whom he had named Jesus Christ. Following this case, cremations became legal and the Cremation Act was passed in 1902. Huge crowds gathered at William Price's funeral in Llantrisant in 1893, where his body was cremated in accordance with his wishes.
This theme contains a number of items relating to Dr William Price, including photographs of his cremation and his ceremonial costume.
Sources:
Islwyn ap Nicholas, 'A Welsh Heretic' (1973)
Meic Stephens (ed.), 'Cydymaith i Lenyddiaeth Cymru' (Caerdydd, 1997)
