The news about the death of Rachel Bromwich in the last week was hardly unexpected as she had been ill for some time. The ninety-five years of her life were distinguished by scholarly achievement that was the continuity of a tradition stretching back through her teacher Ifor Williams, and beyond him to John Morris-Jones and further back still to John Rhys. The third edition of her magnum opus, Trioedd Ynys Prydein published in 2006 was prepared for the press by her assistant Morfydd Owen from her papers as she was already at that stage unable to do it herself. This work, apart from being a definitive text for the Welsh Triads, is also major work of reference for related studies because of the extensive notes appended to the main text. Taken together with her edition of Dafydd ap Gwilym's poems, her edition with Simon Evans of Culhwch and Olwenand her collaboration with A O H Jarman and Brinley Roberts on the volume The Arthur of the Welsh, among many other works,this represents an immense scholarly achievement.
Her funeral is to be held in Aberystwyth, according to the Quaker tradition to which she adhered, on the last day of 2010.
A very sad loss. I hadn't heard.
ReplyDelete