Charles Parry (1949-2025)

Roedd Charles yn frodor o Lanfechell, Ynys Môn, ac wedi cyfnodau yn yr ysgol gynradd leol ac Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch, aeth i Goleg Prifysgol Cymru, Caerdydd a graddio gyda B.A. mewn Lladin. Wedi blwyddyn yn astudio am ddiploma mewn llyfrgellyddiaeth yng Ngholeg Llyfrgellwyr Cymru ymunodd â staff Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru yn 1971, ac yno bu hyd ei ymddeoliad yn 2009. Dan arweiniad Miss Llinos Davies daeth Charles yn arbenigwr ar gasgliad y Llyfrgell o lyfrau cynnar, ac ef a luniodd yr Atodiad i Libri Walliae, gwaith mawr Miss Eiluned Rees ar lyfrau Cymraeg a Chymreig hyd at 1820. Adeg ei ymddeoliad ef oedd Pennaeth Uned Llyfrau Prin y Llyfrgell. Wedi’i ymddeoliad aeth Charles yn ôl i Fôn i fyw. Bu farw mewn cartref gofal yng Nghricieth.

Charles was a native of Llanfechell, Anglesey, and after attending the local school and Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch, he went to the University College in Cardiff, where he graduated with a B.A. in Latin. He then gained a diploma in librarianship at the College of Librarianship, Wales. He joined the staff of the National Library of Wales in 1971, where he remained until his retirement in 2009. Under the guidance of Miss Llinos Davies Charles became an authority on the Library’s early printed books collection, and he was responsible for the supplement to Libri Walliae, Miss Eiluned Rees’s important bibliography of Welsh books until 1820. At the time of his retirement he was Head of the Library’s Rare Books Unit. After his retirement Charles went back to live in Anglesey. He died in a care home in Cricieth.

Huw Ceiriog