REMEMBERING O.P. HUWS
On behalf of the members of the Nantlle Valley Branch.
O.P. was an inspiration to us all; a leader by instinct and full of fun and mischief. He worked tirelessly on councils and in the community for the welfare of the people of the Valley, to promote work opportunities and to protect the Welsh language and our heritage. A man of the people who did the ‘small things’ but one who saw far. The Nebo and Dyffryn Nantlle area were fortunate to have such a lively character among us.
O.P. was never still. There was too much to do. One of his frequent sayings was, “If you want something done, ask a busy man.” And O.P. was a busy man.
His great hero was Wmffra Roberts, – County Councilor and Dafydd Wigley’s Agent in the 1974 General Election. A charismatic man and an inspiration to many. O.P. had enough fire in his belly as a Welshman but Wmffra showed him how to channel that to win votes, win elections and win the hearts of the country’s folk.
And O.P. was a people person. And a man of the people; he got on with everyone. And O.P.’s was not some ‘look-at-me’ nationalism. – but a practical one. A man who always had his feet on the ground.
Immigrants to Nebo? One solution was to create Cymdeithas Fro to try to assimilate the new arrivals. And start a learners’ class.
House prices rising unreasonably? Organize a protest in Nebo and then occupying the land of a nearby house that was for sale at a bargain price and sleeping in a tent on the lawn to draw attention to the crisis. And of course that raises neighbours’ fears.
He noticed when canvassing a certain village that the population was aging and there was a lack of young families. What did we do? Establish Antur Nantlle and years of committee and organizing. But now over a hundred people work in Antur’s offices and workshops.
But that’s not all. When there was a campaign for the establishment of a Welsh Television Channel he refused to pay the license fee, – he and his friend Bryn Mosely from Nebo, and both had a period in Walton. The stories would flow about his short stay in prison and the ‘characters’ among his fellow lodgers. But there was also a deep sympathy with those who were caught in an endless cycle of being in and out of prison. “What hope did they have?” was his question.
But O.P. was not a man to despair. There was too much to do and ideas to realize! I called to see him in Bryngwyn when he was confined by the cancer and despite his pain the conversation flowed. As I was leaving he said, “Thank you for calling. Thank you for the conversation. Where did the years go?” Of course I had no answer. But I do know one thing, that Owen Pennant Huws made full use of his years in his adopted Valley surrounded by his family and his neighbourhood. He will leave a big gap behind him.
Alun Fred