Tomos Lewis Gof Talyllychau 1759 - 1842

Ganwyd yng Nghwm Cynwal ger Hafod Bridge. Collod ei dad pan oedd yr13 eg oed a liu yr gweithio ar y fferm i helpu ei fam.
Oherwydd colled fawr ymhlith yr anifeiliaid fel canlyniad i lila, aeth Tomos Lewis yn lisentis i efail Rhydodyn. Wedi dysgur greffr, ymhen rhai lilynyddoedd, aeth ew efail eihun yn Nhalyllychau. Fel gof yr oedd yn grefftwr da yr ashenigwr ar glociau, ynddeintydd pan fyddai angen ae yn feddyg llysiau. Yr oedd wedi astudio Lladin a Groeg ac yn hyddysg yn yr ysgrythur. Cofier ef yn liennaf am ei emyn anfarwol:-

'Wrth gofio i sidd fannaur yr ardd'.

Credir mai Griffith Williams, gof yn Llansadwrn oedd mab yng nghfraith Tomos Lewis. Yr oedd gan hwn dri mab. Gweithiaur hynaf gyda Tomos yn efail Talyllychau ac ystyriau'r hen of fel taid iddo. Fei had naliyddid fel Wil Griffiths yn ol y traddordiad o fab wysiadu enw cyntaf y tad, ac fel wil griffiths yr olynodd Tomos Lewis fel gof Talyllychau, ai wyr ef oedd Morgan Griffiths y gof olaf i weithio yn yr efail yma.

Alan Morgan 24/2/1999

Tomos Lewis Talley's Smithy 1759 - 1842

Born in Cwm Cynwal near Hafod Bridge. Lost his father when he was 13 years old and worked on the farm to help his mother. Due to the loss of a great many animals, Tomos went to become an apprentice in the Edwinsford Smithy. Having learnt the craft, within a few years he started his own smithy in Talley. As a smithy he was a good craftsman, a specialist on clocks, a dentist when there was a need and a herbalist.
He'd studied Latin and Greek and was learned in scripture. He's best remembered for his immortal hymn:-

'Remembering to *********** the garden'

It is believed that Griffith Williams a smithy in Llansadwrn was Tomos Lewis's son in law. He (Griffith Williams) had three sons. The eldest worked with Tomos in Talley Smithy and thought of the old blacksmith as a grandfather to him. He was known as Wil Griffiths according to the tradition of adopting the first name of the father, and as Wil Griffiths he succeeded Tomos Lewis as Talley's blacksmith and his grandson was Morgan Griffiths the last blacksmith to work in this smithy.'

Alun Morgan 24/02/99

The hymn referred to is 'wrth gofio'i riddfannau'n yr ardd', which translates as 'While (or by) remembering his groans in the garden'.