Wynne Islwyn Samuel (15 October 1911 – 3 June 1989) was a Welsh politician. Born in

Ystalyfera Ystalyfera is a former industrial village and community (Wales), community in the upper Swansea Valley, on the River Tawe, about northeast of Swansea. It is an ward (politics), electoral ward and a community (Wales), community in the unitary a ...

, Samuel became an orphan at an early age. He studied at

Ystalyfera Grammar School Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dur is a Welsh-medium comprehensive school in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The school provides education to three to eighteen-year-old pupils in Neath Port Talbot and south Powys from three campuses in Ystalyfera and ...

and then a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...

and lay preacher in the Baptist Church. Although he was given an opportunity to play with Glamorgan County Cricket Club, he was dissuaded by his aunt, and instead became a clerk for Swansea Town Council.Dr John Graham Jones,
SAMUEL, WYNNE ISLWYN
, ''Welsh Biography Online'' In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

he was a conscientious objector. Samuel joined

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 the early 1930s, and became active in the party when he lost his job, following its policy of neutrality in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. He was the party's South Wales organiser from 1940 until 1950, also editing ''The Welsh Nation'', its English-language magazine, and gaining election to Pontardawe Rural District Council. He established a base in Ystalyfera, recruiting sufficiently that it was home to the party's largest branch in South Wales, and he was the party's first Parliamentary candidate in the south, taking second place in the

1945 Neath by-election The 1945 Neath by-election, was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Neath in South Wales. Neath was considered a safe seat for the Labour Party and had been held by William Jenkins since the 1922 ...

. Samuel stood for the party on several further occasions: Neath at the

1945 general election The following elections occurred in the year 1945. Africa * 1945 South-West African legislative election Asia * 1945 Indian general election Australia * 1945 Fremantle by-election Europe * 1945 Albanian parliamentary election * 1945 Bulgarian ...

, Aberdare at a 1946 by-election and the

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...

and

general elections A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

, and Pembroke in

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...

, but was never elected. In 1954, Samuel was the Secretary of the National Eisteddfod of Wales in

Ystradgynlais Ystradgynlais (, ) is a town on the River Tawe in southwest Powys, Wales. It is the second-largest town in Powys and is in the historic county of Brecknockshire. The town has a high proportion of Welsh language-speakers. The community includes ...

, although this was not a success, due to heavy rain.''A militant muse, Harri Webb: selected literary journalism 1948-80'', p.143 In 1960/1, he was President of the

Baptist Union of Wales The Baptist Union of Wales (Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru) is a fellowship of Baptist churches in Wales. History The General Baptist minister Hugh Evans was one of the first Baptists to preach in Wales around 1646, in the parishes of Llan-hir, Cefnllys, ...

. In later life, he studied law with the

University of London External System The University of London Worldwide (previously called the University of London International Academy) is the central academic body that manages external study programmes within the collegiate university, federal University of London. All courses ...

, and then obtained a doctorate from the National University of Ireland, following which he became a barrister and law lecturer at Chester Technical College. He also set up Cymdeithas Bro a Thref Cymru, an organisation bringing together the town and community councils of Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuel, Wynne 1911 births 1989 deaths Alumni of the National University of Ireland Councillors in Wales Members of Gray's Inn People associated with University of London Worldwide People from Neath Port Talbot Plaid Cymru parliamentary candidates Welsh Baptists Welsh conscientious objectors Welsh barristers 20th-century Baptists