Bardsley Island’s crown returned to Wales

Oct 23 2009 by Hywel Trewyn, Daily Post

A CROWN belonging to the king of Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) – controversially kept in storage in a Liverpool museum – is returning to Wales as the centrepiece of an exhibition.

The exhibition at the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery in Bangor celebrates 30 years of the Bardsey Island Trust and runs from Saturday, October 24 to April 17.

Previously, the island at the tip of the Llyn Peninsula – a few miles out to sea from Pwllheli – belonged to Lord Newborough and many of his estate’s effects, including the crown, have been kept in Liverpool.

It is believed that the crown and the title of king was bestowed on the island’s oldest resident with a crowning ceremony on the narrows; the smaller part of the island between two larger land masses.

Museum curator Esther Roberts said: “I do know they were crowned with a silver snuff box, too, but we haven’t been able to locate that. But we do have the crown. It’s made of tin and some think it comes from the tradition of when Lord Newborough and his wife, Maria Stella, would visit the island and present the islanders with ribbons to put round their hats.”

The first named king was John Williams who died in 1851, just a day after his son was born. His son, John Williams II, then succeeded him as king.

The most photographed king was Love Pritchard.

Esther said: “He was the last king and was there during the great exodus from the island in 1926 and took pictures of the boats leaving.

“We’re not sure what the reasons were for this exodus. It seemed to coincide with other islands losing their population.

“Perhaps it was because they didn’t have enough men to row, although there seemed to be plenty on the island. Or perhaps they thought farming would be easier on the mainland.”

As Love Pritchard died childless, there is no longer a king of Enlli.

Esther said: “Liverpool could only give the crown to an accredited museum for safe keeping, so it couldn’t go to Bardsey. As we’re the only appropriate museum in Gwynedd, it’s come to us and we’re so glad to have it.

“It will be the only artefact in the exhibition; the rest will be photographs and stories, some from our archives and some we gathered from local people on a day’s workshop in Aberdaron. We hope to gather more.”