Farr, Thomas George (Tommy "The Tonypandy Terror" 19l4-l986): born in Clydach Vale. He began boxing in l926 and had his last fight in l953. He defeated Max Baer in 1937, but gallantly lost to the world champion Joe Louis in New York.City in a fight broadcast around the world. Fenton, Richard (l747-l82l): b. St. David’s; wrote A Historical Tour through Pembrokeshire (l8l0) and Tours in Wales 1804-l3. Ferris, Paul (b. l929): from Swansea, journalist and author writing for television and The Observer, with biographies of Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton as well as many investigative novels. Finch, Catrin (b. l98l): b. Aberystwyth, one of her nation’s top harpists. Trained by Elinor Bennett, and at the Royal Academy of Music, she was chosen by Prince Charles to be Royal Harpist, a position established especially for Catrin after a lapse of 125 years. Catrin has won many awards for her skills; at age ten, she performed in the BBC Promenade Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Firbank, Thomas (b. l9l0): Canadian-born author of the enormously popular book of life during the late l930's on a Welsh farm: I Bought a Mountain (l940). Fisher, George (l909-70): dramatist whose work with Theatr Fach Llangefni (l950's) contributed a great deal to the development of modern drama in Wales. Fitzwarine, Fulk (d. l256): outlaw whose exploits are recounted in folklore and contemporary poetry. Fluellen: a Welsh character in Shakespeare's Henry V, who remarks on the ancient custom of wearing a leek on St. David's Day (March lst) probably a misspelling of the name Llywelyn or an English approximation. Ford, Trevor: (b. l923): forward with Cardiff and Wales, banned from British football for writing his controversial I Lead the Attack. He was converted from fullback after scoring six games for an army team during W.W.11. Foster, Idris Llewelyn (l911-l984): b. Bethesda, distinguished professor of Celtic at Liverpool 1936-47; he served with British Intelligence during W.W.11; Chaired Celtic Studies at Oxford: researched early Welsh poetry, medieval Welsh prose, the Mabinogian, and religious manuscripts. Five distinguished professors of Welsh language and literature studied under him at Jesus College, Oxford. Fothergill family: influential iron-masters at Abernant, Penydarren, and Sirhowy (l794 to the l870's). Foulkes, Isaac (Llyfrbryf, l836-l904): from Llandwrog, Denbigh; publisher, biographer, and editor who gave Welsh literature a wide audience. Fowkes, Robert A (l9l3-l999): b. New York State, a master of languages. Bob was Head of the Intelligence Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in W.W.ll. President of the St. David’s Society of New York from l955-l958, he wrote a beginner’s guide to the Welsh dictionary, numerous scholarly articles on linguistics, Celtic, and Welsh studies, helped create Welsh language courses: admitted to the Gorsedd for his contributions to Welsh culture. Francis, Dai (Dai o’r Onllwyn, l9ll-l980): from Blaendulais; influential miners’ leader, and fervent supporter of Welsh nationalism and Welsh culture. As chief administrative officer of the S. Wales area of the National Union of Mineworkers, he helped establish the Welsh Council of Trade Unions. Francis, John Oswald (l882-l956): playwright whose one-act comedy The Poacher (l9l4) introduced Dici Bach Dwl as an ignorant, country bumpkin. Freeman, Kathleen (Mary Fitt, l897-l959): Cardiff born classical scholar and novelist. French, Dawn (1957): the Holyhead-born half of the TV duo French and Saunders, Dawn taught drama in London where she met Jennifer with whom she later starred in Absolutely Fabulous before becoming the Vicar of Dibley in the TV series. Frere, Sir Bartle (l8l5-l884): Breconshire-born, colonial administrator in India and S. Africa; helped suppress the Indian Mutiny of l857; served as governor of Bombay for five years. In South Africa, he provoked a war with the Zulus leading to the Isandhlwana disaster and his recall to Britain. Frost, Bill (1850-1935): from Pembs, he designed a flyning machine that he claimed to have flown at Stammer Hill, Saundersfoot, on September, l895. The machine hit a tree after take off; documentary proof is missing. Frost, John (l784-l877): in January, l840, following the Newport Rising, former town councilor, magistrate, and mayor, he was found guilty of high treason, along with William Jones, and Rees (Jack the Fifer). Death sentences were reduced to penal servitude in Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania). Frost returned in l856 to a hero's welcome. Still denouncing the Government, he spoke at a public meeting in Merthyr in l857. Fyfe, Sir David Maxwell (1st Earl of Kilmuir): The 1st Minister of State for Welsh Affairs in 195l. Called Dai Bananas (after the Fyfe fruit company), he was British Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi leaders following the Second World War Fflach Trad: Cardigan based folk music company with three different recording
labels that began in l978 as a band, setting up a studio in l983. |