The Welsh in London 1500-2000
Edited by Emrys Jones

Publisher: University of Wales Press
Published: 21 Sep 2001
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0708317105 (Hardback); 978-0708316979 (Paperback)

London is home to the oldest and largest Welsh community outside Wales. From the accession of Henry Tudor the numbers of Welsh men and women living in London increased steadily. Many of the early arrivals were not permanent residents: drovers and weeders were seasonal workers and the top echelons of society divided their time between their estates and their townhouses. By the mid-eighteenth century London was something of a mecca for Welsh writers and antiquaries. This was the period that saw the establishment of the Cymmrodorion and the Gwyneddigion and the first meeting of Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain. The middle of the nineteenth century saw another surge towards London. This was the age of the dairymen and drapers and the rise of the chapel as a focus for Welsh life in London. During the Depression there was another massive influx as Welsh shop workers, industrial workers and domestic servants sought work in the metropolis, and the flow of Welsh teachers to London became even more noticeable in the 1950s. Emigration from Wales continues today but on a reduced scale. It is estimated that some 70,000 Welsh-born now live in London.
This is the human story of the London Welsh, with its focus on the comings and goings of ordinary men and women, their cultural and social life, as well as the contribution of some outstanding individuals.

The late Emrys Jones was a former Professor of Geography at the London School of Economics and published extensively on cities and ethnicity.

The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales / Gwyddoniadur Cymru yr Academi Gymreig
John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines, Peredur Lynch

Publisher: University of Wales Press
Published: 31 Jan 2008 (1st Edition)
Language: English or Welsh
ISBN: 978-0708319536 (Hardback - English); 978-0708319543 (Hardback - Welsh)

"The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales" is the most ambitious reference work ever published about Wales to be published since the 19th century. Within the covers of this book are entries on all the people, places and events which make Wales so culturally, historically and geographically rich.

"Gwyddoniadur yr Academi Gymreig" yw’r cyfeirlyfr mwyaf cynhwysfawr i’w gyhoeddi yng Nghymru erioed. Rhwng cloriau’r gyfrol odidog hon ceir erthyglau am yr holl bobl, lleoedd a digwyddiadau sydd wedi cyfrannu at greu cyfoeth diwylliannol, hanesyddol a daearyddol Cymru.

The Welsh Academy English-Welsh Dictionary
Editors: Bruce Griffiths, Dafydd Glyn Jones

Publisher: University of Wales Press
Published: 20 Nov 2003
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0708311868 (Hardback)

This volume represents the most comprehensive English-Welsh dictionary ever compiled. It opens up the immense resources of a language which not only carries a rich cultural heritage but is changing and adapting to meet increasing use in public administration, the media, education and commercial life. This dictionary is indispensable for learners and first-language speakers of Welsh alike and should find a place in homes, schools and offices throughout Wales; also in libraries and universities world-wide.

Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales
Hywel Wyn Owen & Richard Morgan

Publisher: Gomer Press
Published: 30 Nov 2007
Language: English
ISBN: 978-1843239017 (Hardback)

This scholarly and accessible dictionary, the first of its kind in Wales, deals with most of the place-names of Wales as well as prominent features of the landscape. For each name, the authors provide the evidence of historical forms and dates, identify the etymological elements, comment on the derivation, meaning and linguistic development, and explain the topographic, social or historical significance. Based on the authors' original research and that of other place-names scholars past and present, this authoritative dictionary also includes an invaluable glossary of the place-names elements.

Welsh Family History: A Guide to Research
John & Sheila Rowlands

Publisher: Genealogical Publishing Co Inc.
Published: 6 Dec 2009 (2nd edition)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0806316208 (Paperback)

Researching Welsh ancestry can be fraught with difficulties for those who are unaware of, or unfamiliar with, the very different (from England) social, cultural, religious and linguistic circumstances which have prevailed in Wales. The poor survival rate of many records, the dominance of a small stock of settled surnames, unfamiliarity with Welsh place-names, etc., can all conspire to make life difficult for even the most dedicated of researchers. This is not a "how to do it" book. The principles of genealogical method: working from the known to the unknown, developing working hypotheses, and proving everything, apply as fully in Wales as in other contexts. These aspects have been written about at length elsewhere and are not repeated here. Instead this book is a compilation of contributions by a wide range of authors. Some of the contributions are by authors with direct experience of researching Welsh ancestry; others have been written by authors with a detailed knowledge of the historical background to Wales. An understanding of this wider historical background is essential for serious research and in particular for the development of new strategies for research.