Gwynedd Archives: Caernarfon Record Office

Papers of the Davies Bryan family (Caernarfon and Cairo)

Reference code(s): GB 0219 XM/8322; XS/3534

Held at: Caernarfon Record Office

Title: Papers of the Davies Bryan family (Caernarfon and Cairo)

Short title: Davies Bryan family, of Caernarfon and Cairo, papers

Dates of creation: 1790-1968 (predominantly 1866-1927)

Level of description: Fonds

Extent and medium: 0.06 cubic metres (5 boxes)

Name of creator(s): Davies Bryan family of Caernarfon and Cairo

CONTEXT

Administrative and biographical history: Robert Bryan (1858-1920) was the son of Edward and Elinor Bryan. Until 1903, he lived mainly in Wrexham and Marchwiel, Denbighshire. From this period onwards he spent the winters in Egypt, returning to his brother's house in Caernarfon in the summer. In 1901 he published a volume of poems, 'Odlau can', and 'Tua'r Wawr' was published in 1921, after his death. Robert's eldest brother was John Davies Bryan (d. 1888) who founded a small shop in Cairo in 1886, where he was joined by his second brother, Joseph (d. 1935), and in 1888 by his third brother, Edward (d. 1929). The firm expanded, eventually owning large stores in Cairo and Alexandria, with branches in Port Said and Khartoum. The business was closed in 1934. Joseph was a prominent member of the British community in Egypt. John's letters to the periodical, 'Y Genedl Gymreig', in 1887, were subsequently republished in book form with a biographical note by Robert Bryan as 'O'r Aifft'.

CONTENT

Scope and content: Letters of the Davies Bryan family of Caernarfon and Cairo, 1870-1950; financial papers, 1872-1888, 1910; poems, 1895-1920; lectures/essays etc., 1877-1885, 1951; newspaper cuttings, 1878-1945; and printed books, 1790, 1908, 1936, together with photographs, [19 century]-[20 century], including military photographs and photographs taken in Aden, Colombo and the Suez Canal, and postcards of Egypt.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/script: English

System of arrangement: Arranged chronologically into the following:: letters; financial papers; poems; lectures/essays etc.; miscellaneous; newspaper cuttings; printed books; Curios (XM8322); and photographs (XS 3534).

Conditions governing access: No restrictions

Conditions governing reproduction: Usual copyright regulations apply.

Finding aids: Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Caernarfon Record Office and the National Register of Archives
Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information: All records deposited at Caernarfon Record Office have been retained.

Accruals: Accruals are not expected

ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note: Title supplied from contents of fonds

Archivist's note: Compiled by Mair James for the HMC/NLW Family and Estates project. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, (London, 1959).

Rules or conventions: This description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) Second Edition; AACR2 and LCSH

Date(s) of description: February 2002

INDEX ENTRIES

Subjects

Davies Bryan family, | of Caernarfon and Cairo | Archives

Egypt | Description and travel

Personal names

Davies Bryan family, of Caernarfon and Cairo

Corporate names

Places