Alfred Thomas, 1st Baron Pontypridd
Encyclopedia
Alfred Thomas, 1st Baron Pontypridd (16 September 1840 – 14 December 1927), was a Welsh
Liberal Party
politician.
, Cardiff
, Wales
, Thomas was educated at Weston School, near Bath. His father was Daniel Thomas, a contractor, in whose business Thomas worked as a young man.
in 1875 and served on the council until 1886, being mayor
in 1881-2. As mayor he was central to the decision to locate the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in Cardiff, rather than Swansea
. He gave £1,000 towards the building fund. He was created a Freeman
of the borough
in 1887. At the 1885 general election
Thomas was elected Member of Parliament for East Glamorganshire
, and represented the constituency until his retirement at the December 1910 general election. In 1891, Thomas, working with T. E. Ellis
introduced the National Institutions (Wales) Bill
, providing for a Secretary of State
for Wales and a University of Wales
, as well as a Welsh Parliament, to be located in Aberystwyth
. The Bill did not secure a Second Reading. He was also involved with Cymru Fydd
, serving as President of the Welsh National Federation, the body formed by the merger of Cymru Fydd and the North Wales Liberal Federation. He was elected Chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary Liberal Party in 1898. Thomas was knight
ed in 1902, and raised to the peerage
as Baron Pontypridd, of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan, in 1912, with the motto "Bit Ben Bit Bont" (Let Him Be Himself the Bridge), a motto taken from the Mabinogion
.
for Cardiff and Glamorgan, Deputy Lieutenant
for Glamorgan
, first President of the National Museum of Wales, President of Cardiff University
and President of the Baptist Union of Wales
for 1886. Thomas was a staunch Nonconformist, a member and deacon of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Cardiff. Despite his busy Parliamentary career, he made every effort to attend the mid-week prayer meeting
, and combined his Parliamentary duties with the post of superintendent of the Sunday School
, which he held for a generation. His election as a deacon
of Tabernacle was one of his most prized honours, being conferred on him by those who knew him best. He composed hymn tune
s and was committed to the cause of gospel temperance
. He was involved in the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival.
. Bronwydd Penylan no longer exists, having been demolished as part of the construction of Eastern Avenue, but a 'Bonwydd Close' nearby recalls its location.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Background and education
Born in PenylanPenylan
Penylan is a district in the east of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, known for its Victorian era period houses and spacious tree lined roads and avenues....
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Thomas was educated at Weston School, near Bath. His father was Daniel Thomas, a contractor, in whose business Thomas worked as a young man.
Political career
Thomas became member of Cardiff Borough Council for RoathRoath
Roath is a district in the east/north-east of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales.It lies just east/north east of the city centre, stretching from Adamsdown in the south to Roath Park in the north. Roath contains the Plasnewydd electoral ward. The name is believed to originate from Irish ráth,...
in 1875 and served on the council until 1886, being mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1881-2. As mayor he was central to the decision to locate the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in Cardiff, rather than Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. He gave £1,000 towards the building fund. He was created a Freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in 1887. At the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
Thomas was elected Member of Parliament for East Glamorganshire
East Glamorganshire (UK Parliament constituency)
East Glamorganshire was a parliamentary constituency in Glamorganshire, Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...
, and represented the constituency until his retirement at the December 1910 general election. In 1891, Thomas, working with T. E. Ellis
T. E. Ellis
Thomas Edward Ellis , usually known as T. E. Ellis, was a Welsh politician who was the leader of Cymru Fydd, a movement aimed at gaining home rule for Wales.-Life:...
introduced the National Institutions (Wales) Bill
National Institutions (Wales) Bill
National Institutions Bill was introduced into Parliament in 1891 by Alfred Thomas, MP for East Glamorgan. This Bill, supported by T. E. Ellis, proposed the creation of a Welsh Office, a Welsh National University, and a National Museum of Wales as well as a Welsh Parliament, to be based in...
, providing for a Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
for Wales and a University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
, as well as a Welsh Parliament, to be located in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
. The Bill did not secure a Second Reading. He was also involved with Cymru Fydd
Cymru Fydd
The Cymru Fydd movement was founded in 1886 by some of the London Welsh, including J. E. Lloyd, O. M. Edwards, T. E. Ellis , Beriah Gwynfe Evans and Alfred Thomas. Initially it was a purely London-based society, later expanding to cities in England with a large Welsh population...
, serving as President of the Welsh National Federation, the body formed by the merger of Cymru Fydd and the North Wales Liberal Federation. He was elected Chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary Liberal Party in 1898. Thomas was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1902, and raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Pontypridd, of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan, in 1912, with the motto "Bit Ben Bit Bont" (Let Him Be Himself the Bridge), a motto taken from the Mabinogion
Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
.
Other public positions
Apart from his political career Thomas was a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Cardiff and Glamorgan, Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, first President of the National Museum of Wales, President of Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
and President of the Baptist Union of Wales
Baptist Union of Wales
The Baptist Union of Wales is a fellowship of Baptist churches in Wales.-History:The General Baptist minister Hugh Evans was one of the first Baptists to preach in Wales around 1646, in the parishes of Llan-hir, Cefnllys, Nantmel and Llanddewi Ystradenny, as well as in districts across the upper...
for 1886. Thomas was a staunch Nonconformist, a member and deacon of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Cardiff. Despite his busy Parliamentary career, he made every effort to attend the mid-week prayer meeting
Prayer meeting
A prayer meeting is, as its name describes, a meeting of people for the purpose of prayer as a group. Prayer meetings are normally conducted by one or more members of the clergy....
, and combined his Parliamentary duties with the post of superintendent of the Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
, which he held for a generation. His election as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
of Tabernacle was one of his most prized honours, being conferred on him by those who knew him best. He composed hymn tune
Hymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
s and was committed to the cause of gospel temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
. He was involved in the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival.
Personal life
Lord Pontypridd never married and the title became extinct on his death in December 1927, aged 87. He left almost all of his estate, including his home, Bronwydd, Penylan, to the City of Cardiff. He is buried with his parents in Cathays CemeteryCathays Cemetery
The Cathays Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in the United Kingdom, located just north of the Cathays suburb of Cardiff, Wales. The cemetery gateway, forecourt walls and mortuary chapels are Grade II listed structures...
. Bronwydd Penylan no longer exists, having been demolished as part of the construction of Eastern Avenue, but a 'Bonwydd Close' nearby recalls its location.
Sources
- Dictionary of Welsh BiographyDictionary of Welsh BiographyThe Dictionary of Welsh Biography is a dictionary of biographies of Welsh men and women who have made a unique contribution to Welsh life over seventeen centuries...
- 'Great Welshmen of Modern Days' by Sir Thomas Hughes.
- Thomas Family Monument, Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff
- Alfred Thomas Papers, Cardiff Central Library