John Davies (composer)

John Davies was a Welsh stone mason and composer. Born at Banwen, Morriston, Glamorganshire, he began his career as a stone-mason, notably working both day and night. He married at the age of 24, and the couple moved into a house he built in Treboeth, Swansea.
He had been taught to play the dulcimer by a lodger at the age of about fourteen, but it was not until he was about thirty that he seriously began to study music, becoming both a performer and a composer.
His works include a number of anthems and hymn tunes, such as "Gethsemane", which was arranged by Rowland Huw Pritchard.
He died in 1855 in Llanelli, and was buried in Mynydd-bach cemetery.