Mary Jones and her Bible

[2] Thomas Charles then used her story in proposing to the Religious Tract Society that it set up a new organisation to supply Wales with Bibles.

Mary Jones was from a poor family, the daughter of a weaver, who lived at Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Abergynolwyn, at the foot of Cader Idris near Dolgellau.

Having learned to read in the circulating schools organised by Thomas Charles, it became her burning desire to possess a Bible of her own.

Two of Mary Jones' Bibles are known, supporting the version of the story where she buys three books from Thomas Charles.

[6] The story of Mary Jones was published in the 7 December 1878 edition of The Sunday at Home: a family magazine for Sabbath reading.

[9] Robert Oliver Rees told the story in his 1879 Welsh-language book Mary Jones, y Gymraes fechan heb yr un Beibl : a sefydliad y Feibl-Gymdeithas (Mary Jones, the Welsh girl without a Bible : The organisation of the Bible Society).

[13] Incised on front lower part of a memorial obelisk erected over the ruin of the cottage where she lived (near north end of Pont Ty'n-y-fach)is this inscription:

Mary Jones World is a heritage centre open in the summer months which tells her story.