University fellowship for Denbigh

mastermind Bobi
Published date: 21 July 2010 |
Published by: Adele Forrest

HONOUR for Denbigh historian Bobi Owen

A RESPECTED and much loved historian from Denbigh was made an Honorary Fellow of
Bangor University last week in a subject he studied by chance!

Robert Morris Owen or Bobi Owen as he is better known was awarded for his services to local
history at the university's graduation ceremony on Monday, July 12.

A former primary school headmaster, Bobi is an authority on the town of Denbigh and its history
and also on Welsh country life and especially that of the Vale of Clwyd.

Bobi went to Bangor with family members, he said it was very exciting and was a day full of colour
and pageancy.

"I was invited in letter in May, I was so surprised, there are so many more people far more worthier
than me," said Bobi.

He has collected and saved many books, images and artefacts relating to the town's history and
has lectured widely and written countless articles and papers and is frequently consulted and
interviewed on the subject of his native town.

Mr Owen is also the editor of the Denbighshire Local History Society's magazine, since its
inception over 25 years ago and a keen follower of the National Eisteddfod and a member of the
Gorsedd of the Bards.

Mr Owen, who made his speech in Welsh at the awards ceremony, was nominated for the
honorary fellowship by, among others, Denbigh Rotary Club and Denbigh Town Council.

"The day as a whole I was overwhelmed by the kindness and hospitality of the university,” he said.
"It was wonderful being a part of something that is primarily for young people and mingling with
them."

Bobi said he got into history by chance after his first day at Caernarfon University where he
enrolled to study Welsh.

"Back then there was not as much dialogue between the north and the south (of Wales) and so I
could not understand a word in South Wales.

"So when I left my first class I walked out and the next department happened to be the history
department."

And so Bobi studied there for the next three years and the rest as they say is history.

"But prior to that the whole reason for being interested in local history came from when I was a
small child."

Bobi, the eldest of four children, said his grandparents owned a business in Denbigh which
mended harnesses for horses and here he worked alongside a gentleman called Elias Grovenor
Roberts.

Mr Roberts was a mine of information on Denbigh and was always telling Bobi stories about the
area.

"He was very much a character in Denbigh, he was my inspiration as a child."

Now Bobi is back to work concentrating on writing his fourth instalment of Pictorial of Denbigh and
has plans to write a history on St Hilary's Church in Denbigh, which he said is 'much needed.'

"But I still have no idea who nominated me for the fellowship but I would like to thank them very
much, I am very proud and very humble."

A former classmate paid tribute to Bobi, who was educated at Denbigh's County School, recalling
that he and the historian, were kicked out of a Latin class as 'ineducable'.