Prolific author and biographer dies

Martin Shipton

Alun Gibbard, a BBC Wales journalist who became a prolific writer of books including biographies of Carwyn Jones and Carwyn James has died after a long battle with prostate cancer.

A son of the manse, his father was the late Noel Gibbard, a prominent preacher, theologian and historian. Alun attended Ysgol Gymraeg Brynsierfel in Llanelli and later Llanelli Grammar School.

After years working for the BBC as a journalist, presenter and producer, Gibbard started writing books in Welsh and English, although he preferred the former – short stories, novels, biographies. Altogether he published more than 30 books.

Sport was one of his great loves, and his titles included the official history of the Scarlets; another on the day Llanelli beat the All Blacks in 1973; books about rugby players Delme Thomas and George North; the rugby referees Nigel Owen and Derek Bevan; and one about Swansea City FC.

Others included a book about the singer entertainers Tony ac Aloma, and another about the TV presenter Arfon Haines Davies.

Former Carmarthen Labour MP Gwynoro Jones, with whom he wrote four books, said: “I first had dealings with Alun when he was writing a book about Carwyn James, the great rugby coach, who came from the same community as I did.

“From that discussion emerged a friendship that blossomed until his death. We co-authored four books together, all on political themes. I would do the research, recording accounts from my archive or whatever and Alun would then mould the material into what he regarded as a publishable narrative. He had no truck with my chronological tendencies. I can hear him saying: “Don’t write chronologically – it can be turgid and boring to the reader. Rather begin with a pivotal moment in someone’s life story.”

“There would follow endless discussions, redrafting etc so we communicated and met so much over 8 years. Sometimes I would wish to have something extra added to his final version and that would take some convincing. It would take a lot of convincing and often he’d ignore the suggestion.

“As all this was going on Alun pursued his great love which was the work and life of Dylan Thomas. For the last eight years he worked part time at The Birthplace – Dylan’s childhood home in Uplands, Swansea – meeting tourists and other visitors. Not only was he a story teller but also a guide and mentor to others. One I remember was an American student, with antecedents from Swansea, Elizabeth Suggs, now an author and publisher in her own right.

“Although I knew for three years that Alun was trying to cope with man’s ‘silent killer’, he was fighting it to the end. We were in the early stages of writing another book but in my heart I recognised it would never come to a conclusion.

“I am truly finding it difficult to accept that Alun is no longer with us. He was a multi-talented person, knowledgeable with a wide range of interests, kind, often unassuming, supportive and good company.”

Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas Birthplace posted a message to social media that said: “It was with great sadness that we learned that our friend Alun Gibbard passed away peacefully after a long illness.

“Alun was a great lover of the work of Dylan, whom he discovered as a schoolboy in Llanelli Grammar School. For the past eight years, he worked part-time at The Birthplace and was in the process of writing a book about Dylan’s early life in Swansea.

“As a colleague and friend, Alun will be irreplaceable.”

Former First Minister Lord Carwyn Jones said: “I worked closely with Alun when he was writing my biography. He was great fun to work with and had a fine turn of phrase.

“I am deeply shocked to hear of his passing and my thoughts are very much with his family.”

Gibbard is survived by his elderly mother and also by two sisters living in Cardiff, where Alun had moved to be with them when his father was poorly.