Robert John Pryse was born on 4 July 1807 in Llanbadrig, Anglesey. Following the death of both his parents, he found himself, at a very young age, working as a farm labourer. He gave this up to become a very skilled weaver and it is said that he was asked to supply the mantle material presented to Princess Victoria at the Beaumaris Eisteddfod in 1857. He married Grace Williams in 1828 and they had seven children. They lived in Llanrhyddlad, Anglesey, where they had a shop. During his time as a shopkeeper Robert John Pryse began to educate himself and as a result he moved to Denbigh, Denbighshire in 1857 to work at the printing press of Thomas Gee. There, his work mainly revolved around the journal Y Gwyddoniadur . In 1862 he moved to Bangor, Caernarfonshire to try and earn a living as a writer. He competed in various Eisteddfod competitions and won several prizes. At the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff in 1883 he won £100 for his essay on the history of Welsh Literature from 1300 until 1650. In 1884 he moved to Holyhead, Anglesey to live with his daughter. His wife died in 1887 and he moved again, to Bethesda, Caernarfonshire, to live with his daughter where he died on 3 October 1889.
Robert John Pryse was given the bardic name, Gweirydd ap Rhys, at the Aberffraw Eisteddfod, Anglesey in 1849.
John Robert Pryse, also known by his bardic name Golyddan, was the son of Gweirydd ap Rhys . A poet, he was born in 1840 and attended the British School in Llanrhuddlad, Anglesey. He was sent to the Andersonian College, Glasgow in 1855, where he won two first prizes. In 1860 he went to Edinburgh University where he gained the top place in the first M.D. examination. He died of tuberculosis on 13 November 1862.
From the guide to the Gweirydd ap Rhys Papers, c 1855-1889, (Bangor University)
