James Ewart Edmunds (5 May 1882 – 1962) 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 ...
trade unionist
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...
and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
.
Born in
Gilwern
Gilwern is a village within the Brecon Beacons National Park in Monmouthshire, Wales. Historically in Brecknockshire, it extends to either side of the River Clydach, Monmouthshire, River Clydach on the south side of the River Usk, Usk valley. It ...
in
Breconshire
, image_flag=
, HQ= Brecon
, Government= Brecknockshire County Council (1889-1974)
, Origin= Brycheiniog
, Status=
, Start= 1535
, End= ...
, Edmunds' parents were both teachers. Educated at Howard Gardens Secondary School and at
University College Cardiff
, latin_name =
, image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University
, motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord
, mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord
, established = 1 ...
, he qualified as a teacher in 1903 and worked at schools in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
. Edmunds was also involved in trade unionism, and became secretary of Cardiff Trades Council in 1911, serving until 1922. In 1913, he was elected as a
Labour Party member of the Cardiff
Board of Guardians
Boards of guardians were ''ad hoc'' authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930.
England and Wales
Boards of guardians were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish overseers of the poor ...
, and he stood unsuccessfully in
Cardiff Central at the
1918
This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide.
Events
Below, the events ...
,
1922
Events
January
* January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes.
* January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...
and
1923 general elections.
[Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, ''Who's Who of British Members of Parliament'', vol.3, p.104]
In 1920, Edmunds quit teaching to take up a post as the
Newport District Secretary of the
Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...
. He was elected as President of Cardiff Trades Council in 1924, serving for four years, and in 1926, he was appointed as a
magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
. He stood for
Cardiff East at the
1929 general election and finally won a seat, but he lost it at
the following election, in 1931.
References
1882 births
1962 deaths
Alumni of Cardiff University
Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Cardiff constituencies
People from Brecknockshire
Transport and General Workers' Union-sponsored MPs
UK MPs 1929–1931
Welsh Labour Party MPs
Welsh trade unionists
{{Wales-politician-stub