Cyfres Cip ar Gymru / Wonder Wales: Dr William Price

English review follows Byddaf yn ymffrostion aml gan fy mod yn un or ychydig rai i gael cusan gan yr athrawes hanes wedi i mi sicrhau llwyddiant yn yr arholiad Lefel O yn Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle erstalwm. Maen debyg bod y gusan yn fwy o achos dathlu nar llwyddiant, gan nad oedd hanes yn un o fy hoff bynciau. Syndod felly oedd i mi gael cryn fwynhad o ddarllen y gyfrol ddwyieithog, Dr William Price, syn ychwanegiad gan Dean Powell ir gyfres Cip ar Gymru. Maen amlwg fod Dr William Price yn gymeriad hynod, ond wrth gyflwyno ffeithiau diddorol amdano, maer awdur hefyd yn llwyddo i roi gwybodaeth am y cyfnod ar datblygiadau a welwyd yn ystod ei fywyd. Ganed Dr William Price yn fferm Tyn-y-coedcae, Rhydri, ger Caerffili, ym mis Mawrth 1800. Roedd yn fab ir Parchedig William Price, a oedd yn offeiriad yn yr Eglwys Anglicanaidd. Hawdd gweld gallur Parchedig Price gan iddo dderbyn ei addysg yng Ngholeg Iesu, Rhydychen. Ond maen ymddangos ei fod yn wallgof erbyn ei ben blwydd yn 30 oed, ac awgrymwyd gan rai mai gwallgofrwydd oedd gwraidd llawer o syniadau Dr William Price. Yn dilyn magwraeth dlodaidd, roedd William Price yn uniaith Gymraeg pan oedd yn ddeg oed, a dim ond tair blynedd yn ddiweddarach fei derbyniwyd yn brentis ir llawfeddyg-apothecari, Dr Evan Edwards, Caerffili. Datblygodd ei yrfa feddygol, a phan oedd William Price ond yn un ar hugain oed, fei derbyniwyd yn aelod o Goleg Brenhinol y Llawfeddygon. Difyr oedd darllen am ei ddaliadau arloesol, ac er i lawer ei wrthwynebu, ni ellir anwybyddur hyn a gynigiwyd ganddo. Pan oedd yn gweithio fel prif lawfeddyg Gweithfeydd Brown Lenox, er enghraifft, creodd system oedd yn rhoi cyfle ir gweithwyr dalu pan oeddent yn iach fel y byddai triniaeth iw chael am ddim pan fyddai angen. Nid oedd yn barod i drin ysmygwyr ac, yn l Dean Powell, byddain annog llysieuaeth, bwyd da, bywn gywir, awyr iach, ymarfer corff a meddyginiaethau naturiol atgof or dadleuon a glywir gan lawer heddiw. Cysylltir Dr William Price yn bennaf Deddf Amlosgi 1902, ac wedi iddo farw ar 23 Ionawr 1893, parchodd ei wraig, Gwenllian, ei ddymuniad trwy gynnal yr amlosgiad cyntaf i gael ei drefnu o flaen llaw yng Nghymru. Roedd tua ugain mil o bobl yn Llantrisant ar gyfer yr achlysur gydag awyrgylch gwyl yn cael ei chreu yn y dref. Cymeriad unigryw yn wir, a llwyddodd Dean Powell i gyflwyno hanes Dr William Price mewn Cymraeg graenus, ac mae lluniau or hen yn ogystal r newydd yn ychwanegu at gynnwys y llyfr difyr hwn. Ioan Hughes ********************* Believe it or not, but I have enjoyed an interesting History lesson. If you still have your doubts, then join me and read the 31 page bilingual book, Dr William Price an addition by Dean Powell to the Wonder of Wales series. Dr William Price lived between 1800 and 1893, and whilst presenting information on the beliefs and achievements of this colourful character, Dean Powell also manages to introduce us to developments of the Victorian era in Wales. A person who ventured to name his child Iesu Grist (Jesus Christ) and who also worked as an apprentice to a surgeon-apothecary at the age of 13 before being accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons eight years later, could not be ignored. And whilst many might regard him as a madman, Dean Powell thinks that Dr William Price earned respect, describing him as a moral, political and social thinker ahead of his time and one of the most extraordinary individuals ever to have lived. It would be difficult to challenge such praise when we are told that Dr Price refused to treat smokers, and opted for vegetarianism, good food, clean living, fresh air, exercise and natural medicine arent these a reminder of arguments presented by many these days? The author reminds us that that the 1902 Cremation Act was Dr Prices greatest legacy, and in 1884, he planned to cremate his own five month old son. Having been arrested, Dr Price successfully defended himself and within two days he cremated Iesu Grist. Dr Price himself died nine years later, and his wifes determination to respect his wishes meant that the first pre-arranged cremation was held in Wales on 21 January 1893. An estimated 20,000 people travelled to Llantrisant to witness the event. Dean Powell has managed to present detailed information using an easy to read vocabulary which will attract young and old alike. As we also expect with the Wonder of Wales series, effective pictures have been used, and it is interesting to note that these include one of Price himself wearing a flamboyant costume which included a head-dress of a whole fox skin, and a photograph taken of his daughter Penelopen Price in 1947 when she unveiled a plaque at Llantrisant in memory of her father. Ioan Hughes Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. -- Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

The amazing story of one of Wales's true pioneers and one of her most colourful characters. He was a surgeon, archdruid, campaigner for human rights and cremation, and was accused sometimes of being a mad, heretic eccentric. The book also looks as his legacy today.