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TRIBUTE.
From when I was in my early teens Gwenllian Wynne was one of my best friends. She came from a very privileged background and was brought up on the infamous Garthewyn estate in Llanfairtalhaiarn, the ancestral home of the Watkin Wynne family. They welcomed me into their home as one of the family and I spent many happy weekends, holidays and Christmases there. I consider myself to be very privileged to have experienced living in such an historic home with such an historic family.
Gwenllian was a very fun loving person, what she wanted to do she did and what she wanted she got! She became quite a patriot and likened herself to be like Countess Markiewicz in Ireland's struggle for independence. On many an occasion she would come to my bedroom adjoining hers and spring it on me when staying there, that we were going to paint slogans at maybe 2 am! There was no getting out of it, she would not take no for an answer but she always made it fun.
She was one of the first members of the FWA and proudly wore her uniform on any occasion be it shopping in Chester or going to church!
She taught me how to shoot with an airgun aiming at the chapel bell in Garthewyn. That was my training for the FWA. She adored and looked up to Caio Evans who used to turn up to stay occasionally in Garthewyn in full uniform.
I lost touch with Gwenllian over the last decade through lives and situations drifting in different directions but never forgot her. I spoke to her on the phone a few years ago and she still had her spark of adventure and we were going to have a weekend in Dublin and revisit the old haunts. All good plans that never came to fruit but great memories. On Saturday night I watched the documentary of Tryweryn and saw Robert Wynne and Gwenllian charging down the side of the dam in the opening ceremony demonstration - I vowed I would try and find her the following week. Sadly on Tuesday morning I heard the sad news that Gwenllian had passed away - the day I watched the film.
I regret so much that I did not make more effort to find her. Having just got over lung cancer myself, the time goes and so does the energy but never the memories. I will never forget her, she was a special person who perhaps now we realize we did not appreciate enough.
My sincere sympathy go out to her children Naomie and Daniel, Lloyd and Rury.
Her funeral is at St Michaels Church, Bettws yn Rhos, followed by burial in LlanfairTH, then at Kinmel Manor, Abergele.
Mair ap Gruffydd. (nee Huws.)
Mair, who wrote above touching tribute with Gwenllian were to the fore in Patriotic Front Activism against the Investiture, here Mair is seen at the Temple of Peace (pieces) Protest and was also at the Welsh Office protest against visit of Carlo at which Gwenllian threw the third Smoke Bomb. You can see from foto at top of post a good result, an excellent Agit - Prop Action, the other two Smoke Bomb throwers were mysef and Philyp ap Siarl who later was to marry but in time become separated from Gwenllian.
COFIWN GWENLLIAN.
In memory of Gwenllian who Seized The Time, the 'Sixties'. Best of Times and Gwenllian amongst the best of Patriots, not to be forgotten but ever a name on our Patriot Roll Call of those who were part of our Adfywiad Gwladgarol Fawr. One day, we will all be together in Ogof Glyndwr to recall the struggle we strived so hard to win against many odds but at least we did not fail to try!
Gethin.
Freind and Former NPF/FWA Activist.
This Day in History 1969.
