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Thomas Daronwy Isaac (died 2 March 1903), often known simply as Daronwy, was a
Thomas Daronwy Isaac (died 2 March 1903), often known simply as Daronwy, was a Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
politician and trade unionist.
Born in western Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...
, Isaac moved to Aberdare
Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...
in his youth, to find work at a coal mine. By 1876, he was an experienced miner, and moved to Treorchy
Treorchy ( cy, Treorci; ) is a town and community (and electoral ward) in Wales. Once a mining town, it retains such characteristics. Situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Rhondda Fawr valley. Treorchy is also one of the 16 c ...
, where he met William Abraham William Abraham is the name of:
* William Abraham (Irish politician) (1840–1915), Irish Parliamentary Party Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons
* William Abraham (trade unionist) (1842–1922), Welsh Liberal-Labour Member of Parl ...
. The two initially found themselves on opposite sides of a legal matter, but soon became friends, and worked together in the Cambrian Miners' Association
The Cambrian Miners' Association, also known as the Rhondda District Miners' Association, was an early trade union representing coal miners in the Rhondda Valley, in Wales.
The Amalgamated Association of Miners (AAM) began recruiting members in ...
.
Miners in the area were paid according to a sliding scale, which rose and fell in line with the export price of coal. Daronwy was elected to the important sliding scale committee in 1889, and consistently spoke in support of the concept, even after it was abandoned, in 1898.
In 1889, Daronwy was elected as vice-president of the Rhondda Labour and Liberal Association, and he later succeeded T. P. Jenkins as its president. He was elected in the Treorchy ward at the 1892 Glamorgan County Council election
The second election to the Glamorgan County Council was held on 8 March 1892. The 1889 election was the first contest and the next was the 1895 election. Glamorgan County Council had been established by the 1888 Local Government Act, and the fir ...
, defeating an official Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
candidate, and remained on the council until 1901.
The Cambrian Miners' Association became part of the South Wales Miners' Federation
The South Wales Miners' Federation (SWMF), nicknamed "The Fed", was a trade union for coal miners in South Wales. It survives as the South Wales Area of the National Union of Mineworkers.
Forerunners
The Amalgamated Association of Miners (AA ...
(SWMF) in 1898, and Daronwy was elected to its first executive committee. In 1900, Mabon resigned his secondary position as agent to the Anthracite District of the SWMF. Daronwy was elected as his replacement, taking 2,805 votes, narrowly beating David Morris and Morgan James. He moved to Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
to take up the post, but by this time his health was in decline, and he died early in 1903.
References