Ted Breeze Jones
Hes was born in 1929 in the Cae Clyd area, Manod, Blaenau Ffestiniog. He attended Manod and Maenofferen schools before moving to Ffestiniog Grammar School in 1940. He lost his parents when he was only 9 years old and was adopted by Martha and Humphrey Williams, 8 Stryd Dorfil, Blaenau Ffestiniog.
He was a keen reader and it seems that the book "The Natural History of Selbourne" had a considerable influence on him and awakened his interest.
He was impressed by the writings of the naturalist from Anglesey, T G Walker, and the two in time became lifelong friends. In fact T G Walker persuaded Ted Breeze Jones to buy his first camera.
After leaving college, he got a job as a teacher in Trawsfynydd in 1950, and then at Ysgol Maenofferen, Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1952 and then moved to Ysgol Manod in 1962.
It was through his contact with T G Walker that T B Jones came to know Charles F Tunnicliffe the artist. Later he would take pictures of Tunnicliffe's paintings before he sold them.
Nature photography developed to be his main interest and he would develop the photos himself. In time his photographs came to prominence appearing in magazines such as "Cymru'r Plant," "Yr Athro," and later in magazines such as "Birds Monthly Illustrated" and "Country Life" between 1955 and 1960.
When Blaenau Ffestiniog Camera Club was established TB Jones was elected as its Chairman.
There was a great demand for his services as a lecturer and he travelled the length and breadth of North Wales in particular showing slides to local societies.
Between 1966 and 1997 he published around 30 volumes and countless articles in various magazines.
He held WEA and External Studies classes at Bangor University and in time became a very familiar voice on radio and television.
Here is an entry from D O Jones Padog praising some of T B Jones's talent:
We owe a long life to his talents - and his craft
Which is full of grain, we get
Here now see and enjoy
Happy, all the excitement of the photos.
Through his attitude and way of thinking, T B Jones was a medium to generally influence people's way of thinking about the natural world, especially the Welsh-speaking Welsh, so that today we are much more prepared to protect and respect wildlife.
Another important contribution by T B Jones, together with Peter Hope Jones, was the publication of a list of Welsh names of Welsh birds in 1974 under the auspices of the National Museum.
In 1974 he married Anwen and settled in Llandecwyn.
Through the 1970s up to the 1990s was a period of effervescence in the interest in the world of nature among the Welsh-speaking Welsh. T B Jones played a leading role in this development. Courses were held at Urdd Glanllyn Camp, in Plas Tanybwlch and Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd was established in 1978. There was an increase in the publication of Welsh magazines and nature books, and a buzz in radio and television programmes in particular after the establishment of S4C in 1982.e
T B Jones retired early from his job as a teacher in 1982 and concentrated on photography, publishing and broadcasting. This was his most productive period as a writer, publishing a large number of books and articles in magazines such as "Y Faner," "Y Naturiaethwr," "Cynefin," "Dan Haul" etc.
He was in great demand as a broadcaster who also contributed to Seiat Byd Natur on Radio Cymru. For the television program "Awyr Iach" he filmed in Kenya, Spain, Morocco, Gambia and India. Experiences that he greatly appreciated, and which were the basis, more than likely, for him to create a list of standard Welsh names for the birds of European countries.
His contribution to the natural world was very significant and he managed to awaken and arouse the interest of a large number of Welsh-speaking Welsh in the natural world around them. He left a rich natural legacy of pictures and writings that will be with us, as treasures for a long time.