Gwenllian Vaughan Jones

The following obituary was originally written for the Monmouthshire Antiquary by Jeremy Knight FSA

Gwenllian Vaughan Jones died on 8 December 2009 after a long illness. She had been Secretary of this Association since 1986, when she succeeded Mrs Judith V L Leslie. In its 160 year history, the Association has had only nine secretaries, the first being its founder, John Edward Lee. Gwenllian did much to illuminate Lee's life and work and re-discovered his portrait, a copy of which now hangs in the Caerleon Legionary Museum. Her article ' John Edward Lee, a Monmouthshire Antiquary' appeared in the 150th anniversery number of this journal in 1997.

I first became aware of Gwenllian in the car park of the Red Lion at Avebury. Professor Richard Atkinson had just conducted the Association around Avebury. Though Judy Leslie had a considerable knowledge of archaeological field monuments, the centrepiece of our excursions at that time was always 'The House'- a stately home. Archaeology tended to be fitted in around it.  Richard Atkinson offered to take us up to West Kennet long barrow- a spectacular site shown us by one of Britain's most distinguished prehistorians, who had excavated it. ' There won't be time for the house' was Judy's response. Then Gwenllian, at that time quite a junior member, said the unthinkable ' I don't want to see the house. I want Professor Atkinson to show us West Kennet'. It says a great deal for both women that far from this causing ill will they became good friends and Gwenllian Judy's understudy and successor.

Gwenllian was born to a Welsh speaking family from north Wales in 1935, her father being a Methodist minister in Birkenhead. On leaving school, she read modern languages in Manchester University and spent a year in Strasbourg. On her return, she married David, whom she had known since her school days, the two families attending the same chapel. They first settled in the Merthyr valley, where David was in medical practice, and then in Swansea. Gwenllian retained a deep affection for Gower. Her eyes lit up when I mentioned that I was going there, and her account of the Association's field trip to Gower included  a very favourable mention of the quality of the ham in the King's Head at Llangennith. 

In about 1975 the couple moved to Newport when David was appointed to a post as Consultant Anaesthetist. Their arrival was an immense gain to many organizations in the county. Gwenllian returned to University, taking a degree in archaeology in Cardiff, took part in a number of excavations and went on to complete an M.A. She later organized a dinner in J.E. Lee's home, the Priory at Caerleon, now the Priory Hotel, on the exact 150th anniversery of the  meeting there of ' friends to the formation of a Museum of Antiquities at Caerleon', which resolved that 'a society be formed , to be called the Caerleon Antiquarian Association' Our 150 th birthday was celebrated in style. The guests included the Lord Lieutenant and the Secretaries of the Society of Antiquaries of London and the Cambrian Archaeological Association, Lord Raglan making the main speech.

Apart from her indefatigable work for this Association, latterly carried out with heroic fortitude during her illness, she was involved in a number of other societies. She became secretary of the Gwent County History Association on its foundation in 1998. Three volumes of the Gwent County History have been published under the editorship of Professor Ralph Griffiths and the final two await publication. Gwenllian's contribution was immense, as the liason between editors, publishers and the members. One committee member wrote ' without her hard work and dedication, it is difficult to imagine how the work could have been completed '  She was involved with the Gwent Local History Council, the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust and the Gwent Historic Gardens Trust, where she served as secretary. Last year she was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London for her work on nineteenth century antiquarians and her contribution to the County History. Her passing leaves a huge gap. The Association hope to commemorate her by the planting of a tree or shrub in the gardens of the Roman Legionary Museum, with which she was so closely associated.      .