HYWEL TEIFI EDWARDSHistorian, author and advocate of the Welsh language Hywel Teifi Edwards died on 4 January, 2010, aged 75.Professor Edwards, father of the journalist Huw Edwards, died at the Bryngwyn House Hospice in Llanelli after a short illness.He had been at the forefront of a number of campaigns to safeguard the future of the Welsh language.The former Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Swansea, he specialised in 19th Century history and the National Eisteddfod in particular.Born in Llanddewi Aberarth, Ceredigion, Professor Edwards stood twice as a parliamentary candidate for Plaid Cymru.A councillor for the former county of Dyfed, he was also a prominent supporter of 'Y Byd' - a Welsh-language newspaper which disappeared nearly two years ago.He also wrote several books on Wales in the Victorian age.He edited 10 volumes of a series about the valleys of Wales, Cyfres y Cymoedd, with the latest volume, The National Pageant of Wales.Speaking about the death of Professor Edwards on Monday, Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said: "Few people have achieved what this great academic did - which was to analyse the history, culture and literature of Wales in such an interesting and amusing way and to make it relevant to contemporary Wales."He also succeeded in boosting our sense of national identity through his work."As a friend and colleague on the S4C documentary programme, Almanac, in the 1980s, Hywel was always good company and an inspirational performer."And as an author, he will be remembered through his literary treasures, which will be appreciated by generations to come."The greatest loss will be to his family and we all sympathise with them today."Professor Edwards was survived by his wife, Aerona and his two children.
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