John Edward Jones (10 December 1905 – 30 May 1970), known as J. E. Jones, 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 ...

political organiser. Born in Melin-y-Wîg near

Corwen Corwen is a town and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales. Historically, Corwen is part of the county of Merionethshire. Corwen stands on the banks of the River Dee beneath the Berwyn mountains. The town is situated west of Llango ...

Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...

, Jones studied at

Bala Grammar School Ysgol y Berwyn is a high-school situated in the town of Bala, in Gwynedd, north Wales. According to the 2013 Estyn report, 79% of pupils are from Welsh-speaking homes. In 2017, 80% of pupils achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C. In Septemb ...

and the

University College of Wales, Bangor , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...

. There, he was elected leader of the Students' union, and conducted a successful campaign to have

made an official language there, alongside English. Jones was active in Y Tair G, which in 1925 became a component of the new

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...

. In 1928, he became a teacher in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and he founded a successful branch of Plaid there; as a result, in 1930, he was appointed General Secretary of the party and returned to Wales. In this role, he was responsible for organising

party conference The terms party conference (UK English), political convention ( US and Canadian English), and party congress usually refer to a general meeting of a political party. The conference is attended by certain delegates who represent the party membe ...

s and rallies, and supporting local branches. Jones only stood for election once – at the 1950 general election in

Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...

, but was publicly best known for putting together party

press release A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...

s, and also for his broadcasting on the topic of gardening. He stood down in 1962, becoming an official adviser to the party. While campaigning in the 1970 general election, Jones was killed in a car accident.Kenneth O. Morgan, ''Rebirth of a Nation: Wales, 1880-1980'', p.393

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, John Edward 1905 births 1970 deaths Alumni of Bangor University Politicians from Denbighshire Plaid Cymru politicians