Edgar Rees Jones
Encyclopedia
Sir Edgar Rees Jones was a Welsh barrister and Liberal Party
politician. He was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Merthyr Tydfil
from 1910 to 1918, and then for Merthyr
from 1918 to 1922. During World War I
he served as head of the Priorities Division of the Ministry of Munitions.
. A Welsh speaker, he was educated in law
at the University of Wales
and Cardiff University
College, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1900 and Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1903; his M.A. thesis was on "Political theories in England in the Seventeenth Century". In September 1919, he married Lillian Eleanor May, daughter of George Brackley. He was known to reside at 28 Westminster Mansions, Great Smith Street, Westminster
.
's education revolt campaign in 1903, and was elected at the January 1910 general election as one of the two MPs for Merthyr Tydfil
. He held that seat until the constituency was abolished at the 1918 general election
, when he was elected as a Coalition Liberal for the new Merthyr division
. He did not stand for re-election in 1922
, and although he stood in Salford South
in 1923
and Gower
in 1931
, he never returned to the House of Commons.
He was once a civil servant in the Ministry of Munitions and served as head of the Priorities Division of this ministry during World War I
. He was chairman of the NFCC.
Along with fellow Coalition Liberal Lewis Haslam
of the Newport constituency
, Jones played a minor role in the discussions behind the Government of Ireland Bill
. Haslam in particular was strongly opposed to giving the Irish Parliament control of its own taxes.
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. He was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr Tydfil was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan. From 1832 to 1868 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and in 1868 this was increased to two members...
from 1910 to 1918, and then for Merthyr
Merthyr (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr was a borough constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1918 to 1922. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served as head of the Priorities Division of the Ministry of Munitions.
Early life and background
Edgar Rees Jones was born on 27 August 1878, the son of Reverend Morgan Humphrey Jones, a Baptist Minister and Margaret Ann Jones of Gorwel, RhonddaRhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
. A Welsh speaker, he was educated in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the 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...
and 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...
College, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1900 and Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1903; his M.A. thesis was on "Political theories in England in the Seventeenth Century". In September 1919, he married Lillian Eleanor May, daughter of George Brackley. He was known to reside at 28 Westminster Mansions, Great Smith Street, Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
.
Career
Jones came to prominence during David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
's education revolt campaign in 1903, and was elected at the January 1910 general election as one of the two MPs for Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr Tydfil was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan. From 1832 to 1868 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and in 1868 this was increased to two members...
. He held that seat until the constituency was abolished 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 he was elected as a Coalition Liberal for the new Merthyr division
Merthyr (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr was a borough constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He did not stand for re-election in 1922
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 although he stood in Salford South
Salford South (UK Parliament constituency)
Salford South was a parliamentary constituency in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester from 1885 until 1950. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- History :...
in 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
and Gower
Gower (UK Parliament constituency)
Gower is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....
in 1931
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
, he never returned to the House of Commons.
He was once a civil servant in the Ministry of Munitions and served as head of the Priorities Division of this ministry during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was chairman of the NFCC.
Along with fellow Coalition Liberal Lewis Haslam
Lewis Haslam
Lewis Haslam , was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in Wales, representing Monmouth Boroughs from 1906 to 1918 and then Newport from 1918 until his death in 1922...
of the Newport constituency
Newport (UK Parliament constituency)
There have been four Newport constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom:* Newport , split into Newport East and Newport West in 1983* Newport , disenfranchised in 1832* Newport There have been four Newport constituencies of the House of Commons of the...
, Jones played a minor role in the discussions behind the Government of Ireland Bill
Government of Ireland Act 1920
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 was the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which partitioned Ireland. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill or as the Fourth Home Rule Act.The Act was intended...
. Haslam in particular was strongly opposed to giving the Irish Parliament control of its own taxes.