David Williams (Swansea politician)
Encyclopedia
David Williams was a Welsh
Labour Party
politician.
The second son of David and Mary Williams, his father worked at the local Kilvey Copper Works. Williams received little education before entering service in 1877 as a pageboy
for the Genfell
family of Kilvey
, Swansea
, owners of the copper works. By the age of 16 he was working in the copper works, but was dismissed after leading a strike. He then became an apprentice
boilermaker
, while attending evening classes. In 1889 he married Elizabeth Colwill, and the couple had five children.
Williams was involved in trade union activities and Labour politics from a young age. In 1898 he became the first Independent Labour Party
councillor elected to Swansea Town Council, becoming an alderman
in 1904 and was mayor
of Swansea in 1912–1913. He received the freedom of Swansea
in 1924. He was the first chairman of the Swansea Co-operative Society
when it was formed in 1900.
He unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary constituency of Swansea East
at the 1918 general election
. When the Coalition Liberal MP Thomas Jeremiah Williams
died the following year, he stood in the resulting by-election
, cutting the Liberal majority. He won the seat at the 1922 general election
, and held it until he resigned from the House of Commons
on 26 January 1940 due to ill health. He died a year later, aged 75.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
The second son of David and Mary Williams, his father worked at the local Kilvey Copper Works. Williams received little education before entering service in 1877 as a pageboy
Page (servant)
A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
for the Genfell
Francis Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell
Field Marshal Francis Wallace Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell, GCB, GCMG, PC was a British Army officer.-Military career:Francis Wallace Grenfell was descended from Pascoe Grenfell...
family of Kilvey
Kilvey Hill
Kilvey Hill is a hill in Britain. It rises in south Wales, to the east of Swansea city centre. Kilvey Hill is high and is classed as a Sub Marilyn...
, 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...
, owners of the copper works. By the age of 16 he was working in the copper works, but was dismissed after leading a strike. He then became an apprentice
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
boilermaker
Boilermaker
A boilermaker is a trained craftsman who produces steel fabrications from plates and sections. The name originated from craftsmen who would fabricate boilers, but they may work on projects as diverse as bridges to blast furnaces to the construction of mining equipment.-Boilermaking:Many...
, while attending evening classes. In 1889 he married Elizabeth Colwill, and the couple had five children.
Williams was involved in trade union activities and Labour politics from a young age. In 1898 he became the first Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
councillor elected to Swansea Town Council, becoming an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1904 and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Swansea in 1912–1913. He received the freedom of Swansea
Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885
The Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that gave the councils of municipal boroughs in England and Wales the power to award the title of honorary freeman to "persons of distinction and any persons who have rendered emininent services to the...
in 1924. He was the first chairman of the Swansea Co-operative Society
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
when it was formed in 1900.
He unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary constituency of Swansea East
Swansea East (UK Parliament constituency)
Swansea East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :The constituency comprises the electoral wards of Bonymaen, Cwmbwrla, Landore, Llansamlet, Morriston, Mynydd-Bach, Penderry, and St.Thomas...
at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
. When the Coalition Liberal MP Thomas Jeremiah Williams
Thomas Jeremiah Williams
Thomas Jeremiah Williams was a Welsh barrister and Liberal politician.-Family and Education:Thomas Jeremiah Williams was the eldest son of William Williams who was Liberal Member of Parliament for the Swansea District from 1893-1895. He was educated at University College School, London, Sheffield...
died the following year, he stood in the resulting by-election
Swansea East by-election, 1919
The Swansea East by-election, 1919 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Swansea East on 10 July 1919....
, cutting the Liberal majority. He won the seat at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, and held it until he resigned from the House of Commons
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
on 26 January 1940 due to ill health. He died a year later, aged 75.