Category: William Penfro Rowlands (1860 – 1937)

William Penfro Rowlands (1860 – 1937) a Welsh composer and schoolteacher was born at Llys Brân, Maenclochog, Pem­broke­shire in Wales. He died in Swan­sea, Gla­mor­gan­shire, Wales.

As a ­teach­er, Row­lands moved to Mor­ris­ton near Swansea in 1881, be­com­ing Pre­cen­tor at Be­than­ia Cha­pel. He served at the Mor­ris­ton Ta­ber­na­cle Con­gre­ga­tion­al Church (1892 – 1927), and con­duct­ed the Mor­ris­ton Uni­ted Chor­al So­ci­e­ty for ma­ny years.

Blaenwern was published in Henry H. Jones’s Cân a Moliant (1915). The tune’s name refers to a farm in Pembrokeshire where Rowlands convalesced in his youth.