{{Short description|British writer (1921–2007)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Use British English|date=July 2012}} '''Marion Eames''' (born Gwladys Marion Griffith Eames, 5 February 1921 – 3 April 2007)<ref name="Welsh bio" >Dictionary of Welsh Biography [https://biography.wales/article/s8-EAME-MAR-1921 Retrieved 29 September 2018.]</ref> was a Welsh novelist writing mainly in Welsh.<ref>[http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2426200.ece ''The Independent'' (6 April 2007)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001131936/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2426200.ece |date=1 October 2007}}</ref> She was also a talented musician.<ref name="Welsh bio" />

==Biography== Marion was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, of Welsh parents – William Griffith Eames (1885–1959) and his wife Gwladys Mary (née Jones) (1891–1979) – but she was brought up from the age of four at Dolgellau, Merionethshire (Sir Feirionnydd), where she attended Dr Williams' School. A talented musician, who played the harp and the piano, she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Marion worked as a librarian in Dolgellau, then at Aberystwyth University, before becoming a radio producer with the BBC in Cardiff from 1955 to 1980. She also served for a time as a regional organizer for the political party Plaid Cymru. In 1955 she married the Quaker journalist Griffith Williams, with whom she moved to Pimlico, then back to Cardiff.<ref name="Welsh bio" />

Eames was an early scriptwriter for the long-running Welsh soap ''Pobol Y Cwm''. Her best-known work of fiction is the historical novel ''Y Stafell Ddirgel'' (1969), which was translated into English by Margaret Phillips as ''The Secret Room'' (1975). This was later adapted as a BBC television drama series,<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/tgau/llenyddiaeth_gymraeg/nofel_a_barddoniaeth/nofel/y_stafell_ddirgel/revision/2/ BBC Bitesize (Welsh)]</ref> and has been reprinted in both languages.

Other works by Eames include ''I hela cnau'' (1978, in English: ''The Golden Road'', 1990). A sequel to ''Y Stafell Ddirgel'' was ''Y Rhandir Mwyn'' (The Fair Wilderness).<ref>British Library [http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?ct=&pag=&indx=1&dscnt=0&scp.scps=scope%3A(BLCONTENT)&frbg=&tab=local_tab&dstmp=1490032301216&srt=rank&ct=Next%20Page&mode=Basic&vl(488279563UI0)=any&dum=true&tb=t&indx=21&vl(freeText0)=Marion%20Eames&fn=search&vid=BLVU1 Retrieved 20 March 2017.]</ref> Marion Eames was awarded an honorary degree of the University of Wales. Some of her works were for children: ''Sionyn a Siarli'' (1978), ''Huw a'r Adar Aur'' (1987), and ''Y Tir Tywyll'' (1990). Her introduction to Welsh literature for English-speaking readers, ''A Private Language'', appeared in 1997.<ref name="Welsh bio" />

==References== {{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Eames, Marion}} Category:Welsh-language novelists Category:Welsh historical novelists Category:People associated with Aberystwyth University Category:Welsh novelists Category:1921 births Category:2007 deaths Category:20th-century Welsh novelists Category:Welsh children's writers Category:People from Dolgellau