Thomas Stephens

Born in 1821 at Pont Nedd Fychan, a mountain village near the vale of Neath, Thomas Stephens was sent to Merthyr Tydfil at the age of 14 to serve as a chemist's apprentice. Though not born in Merthyr Tydfil, he is justly claimed as a Merthyr man, for it was here that all his literary work was done. His essays deal very fully with Welsh history, Welsh literature, and kindred subjects. He acheived his greatest triumph in 1848, when, at the Abergavenny National Eisteddfod, he carried off the prize offered by the Prince of Wales for the best essay on The Literature of Wales during the Twelfth and Suceeding Centuries. He was one of the founders of the Merthyr Library, and for 25 years acted as its secretary. He helped to make this institution a success by giving a series of lectures to young people, and in addition made a gift of many valuable books which furthered the cause he had so much at heart. He was also one of those who secured for Merthyr the advantages of a Local Board of Health, the Cefn site for a cemetry, and a Temperance Hall where it was intented the lectures on temperance and educational subjects should be delivered.

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