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Gathering the Jewels features over 30,000 images of objects, books, letters, aerial photographs and other items from museums, archives and libraries throughout Wales.
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Unveiling of the plaque commemorating the site where the Welsh national anthem was composed, Pontypridd, 1931
The plaque commemorating the site in Pontypridd where the Welsh national anthem was composed in 1856 by Evan James and James James was unveiled on 17 September 1931.
Evan James (Ieuan ap Iago, 1809-93) was a weaver and wool merchant by profession and owner of the Ancient Druid Inn at Argoed in the parish of Bedwellty, Monmouthshire. He moved to Pontypridd when his son James (Iago ap Ieuan, 1833-1902) was a young boy. Evan James and his son James are credited with composing the Welsh national anthem, 'Hen Wlad fy Nhadau' ('Land of my Fathers') in 1856. Evan was a poet and and it is believed that he wrote the words while his son James composed the tune. The song was published in the volume 'Gems of Welsh Melody' (1860) and soon became extremely popular. It is not certain when the song was first adopted as the Welsh national anthem. A memorial, designed by W. Goscombe John, was erected in honour of Evan and James James in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd, in 1930.
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