Spiritual Home

A Memory of Tanygrisiau.

My first memory of Tanygrisiau goes back to my being aged five and being taken there by my parents, Lloyd George and Catherine Owen. Dad's family had lived and worked at Tanygrisiau since almost the beginning of the slate mining industry. Dad was very proud of his slate mining ancestors, his great-great-great-grandfather James Williams being the Welsh partner in Ffestiniogs first quarry the Diphwys. My dad's family, "Tudor Roberts", had moved from Trawsffynyd in 1824 to live and work at Tanygrisiau. Dad told me that they lived in the first years at Dolrhedyn Terrace. I can remember each year returning to Tanygrisiau and going to visit Ty Gwyn, the cottage on the lower mountain where five genarations of my family had lived, my grandfather Morris John Owen having been born there.
My family left Tanygrisiau in 1903 but Dad and his brother James Tudor Owen returned to live there at Bryn Mair during the years 1914-1920 approx. They lived at Bryn Mair with their grandparents William and Ann Owen. I remember walking up to the Rhosydd Quarry with Dad and my sister, Dad telling us of how he would walk up there with his grandfather William. I find now that I am called back to Tanygrisiau time and time again and it is a call that I cannot resist. I have such wonderful memories of my childhood visits. One memory of a few years past was the honour of meeting Mrs Parry, the then oldest lady of the village. In fact Mrs Parry only died a couple of years ago at the great age of 104. She remembered my great-grandparents and was able to tell me so much about them. To me Tanygrisiau is the most beautiful amazing place on earth and indeed it is my Spiritual Home.