Robert Jones (Labour politician)

Robert Thomas (R. T.) Jones (14 October 1874 – 15 December 1940) was a Welsh quarryman, trade unionist and Labour Party politician.[1]

Robert Thomas Jones

Born in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Jones started work in the slate quarries when was 13.[2] His first language was Welsh. As a young man he was influenced by R. Silyn Roberts (1871–1930), the Welsh poet, social reformer and early ILP supporter, who was Minister of the Calvinistic Methodist chapel at Tanygrisiau in Blaenau Ffestiniog from 1905 to 1912.[3]

He was elected at the 1922 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Caernarvonshire,[4] having unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1918.[4] He was defeated at the 1923 general election by the Liberal Party candidate Goronwy Owen, and although he stood again for Caernarvonshire in 1924 and 1929 he was never returned to the House of Commons.[4]

Jones served on the TUC General Council from 1921 to 1932. From 1908 to 1933, he was General Secretary of the North Wales Quarrymen's Union.[5]

References
  1. David Thomas, 'JONES , ROBERT THOMAS (1874–1940), Labour leader', Dictionary of Welsh Biography (1959), Welsh Biography Online accessed 18 April 2017
  2. R. Merfyn Jones, The North Wales Quarrymen 1874–1922 (Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 1981) p. 299
  3. Jones was "one of Silyn's 'young men' in Blaenau" ("un o 'ddynion ieuanc' Silyn yn y Blaenau"): David Thomas, Silyn (Liverpool, 1956) p 69, cited in R. Merfyn Jones, The North Wales Quarrymen 1874–1922, p. 299. Silyn was a leading Welsh lyric poet, who won the crown in the 1902 National Eisteddfod. His volume of poetry Telynegion (1900, with W. J. Gruffydd) marked a new beginning for Welsh lyrical poetry. In 1908 he published Y Blaid Lafur Anibynnol, ei Hanes a'i Hamcan (The Independent Labour Party, its History and Objectives) and was elected as a Labour member on the Merioneth county council. See: David Thomas, 'ROBERTS , ROBERT (SILYN) (Rhosyr; 1871–1930), Calvinistic Methodist minister, poet, social reformer, tutor': Dictionary of Welsh Biography (1959), Welsh Biography Online accessed 18 April 2017
  4. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 549. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  5. Richard Merfyn Jones, "The trade union and political activities of the North Wales slate quarrymen in relation to their social and working conditions: 1870–1905" PhD Thesis, Centre for the Study of Social History, Warwick University (1975)
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