Lewis Morris (1701-1765)

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For other persons named Lewis Morris, see Lewis Morris (disambiguation).

Lewis Morris (1701 – 1765) was a Welsh hydrographer, antiquary, poet and lexicographer, the eldest of the Morris brothers of Anglesey.

He was a surveyor by profession; he also worked as a Customs official. His bardic name was Llewelyn Ddu o Fôn ("Black Llewelyn [Lewis] of Anglesey"). The correspondence between him and his younger brothers is a valuable historical source. In 1751, he founded the Honorable Society of Cymmrodorion along with his brother Richard.

[edit] Career as a cartographer

Lewis Morris started his cartographic career as an estate surveyor on Anglesey and was later involved in the Cardiganshire mining industry. However, he is perhaps best known for his hydrographic surveys of the Welsh Coast.

The idea for the survey probably arose while he was working as a Customs official in Holyhead, where he would have come into contact with many seafarers. At this time there were no accurate and up-to-date hydrographic charts of the Welsh coast and many ships and lives were lost as a result.

Morris put his idea for a survey to the Admiralty, but they showed little interest and he was obliged to undertake the work at his own expense. The result of his efforts was the publication of Plans of harbours, bars, bays, and roads in St. George's-Channel in 1748.

While this work had a major impact on the safety of shipping around the Welsh coast at the time; Morris's contribution to British cartography was eclipsed by his other achievements until recently.