Emyr Bennett-Williams Archive

Business papers of Emry Bennett-Williams, 1930-1961; North Wales Exhibition papers, 1960-1961; plans, 1948-1960; personal papers, including correspondence and records of photographic, motoring and church interests, 1939-1974; Electrical Association of Women papers, 1950-1969; Caernarfonshire County Council and Caernarfon Borough Council papers, 1904-1960; and photographs, [1921]-1964. The papers provide valuable information on the introduction of television to Caernarfon.

Emyr Bennett-Williams was born in Tremadoc, Caernarfonshire, in 1913, and served his apprenticeship in mechanical, hydraulic and electrical engineering with West Wales Electric. He was a pioneer of television installation and rental in West Wales and the creator of cable television schemes in Maentwrog, Llanfairfechan, Bethesda and Caernarfon. As well as being a successful businessman, he was a councillor for Caernarfon West Ward, where he pursued his interests in highways and housing. His most innovative proposal was the alternative by-pass scheme, based on a Swiss model, of building roads above existing railway lines. This idea was rejected on practical grounds. He proposed the concept of the North Wales Exhibition, intended to promote the business of North Wales, held in Caernarfon in 1960. Bennett-Williams was also interested in motoring, travel and photography. His wife, Mrs G. Bennett-Williams, was the secretary of the Caernarfon branch of the Electrical Association for Women, an organisation sponsored by the electricity industry, holding afternoon and evening meetings for women.

Arranged into the following: Business papers of E. Bennett-Williams; North Wales Exhibition papers; personal papers of E. Bennett-Williams; papers of the Electrical Association of Women (Caernarfon branch); papers of the Caernarfonshire County Council and Caernarfon Borough Council; photographs

Usual copyright laws apply.

Compiled by Seri Crawley for the ANW project. The following source was used to compile this description: Caernarfon Record Office, Catalogue of the Emyr Bennett-Williams Archive; The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) Archives (archives.iee.org), viewed 6 September 2004.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available in Caernarfon Record Office, the National Library of Wales and the National Register of Archives. The catalogue is available online.

No restrictions.

All records deposited at Caernarvon Record Office have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.