Ronald Cavill Mathias (1912–1968) was a Welsh trade union leader.

Personal life

Mathias was born on 21 September 1912 at Pontarddulais, Swansea,

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. He attended

Gowerton Grammar School Gowerton ( cy, Tregŵyr) is a large village and community, about 4 miles north west of Swansea city centre, Wales. Gowerton is often known as the gateway to the Gower Peninsula. Gowerton's original name was Ffosfelin. The village falls within ...

. In 1938 he married Annie Ceridwen Hall and they had one daughter. He died on 15 April 1968 on a Mediterranean cruise and was buried at sea.

Career

Mathias began his career as a clerk in 1924 for the Richard Thomas Co south Wales iron and steel manufacturers. In 1938, he received the MBE In 1945, Mathias became organiser for the Transport and General Workers' Union in

Merthyr Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Ty ...

and the district. We worked as Cardiff district organiser 1949–53 and South Wales Regional Secretary 1953–67. Though he retired in 1967, he was that year made full-time member of the National Board for Prices and Incomes. Ronald Mathias was an active member of public life, holding the public office of Vice-Chairman of the Welsh Economic Council, secretary of the South Wales T.U.C. Advisory Committee, treasurer of the Welsh Council of Labour, and governor of the Welsh College for Advanced Technology. In 1965, he was appointed chairman of the

Welsh Labour Party Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...

, and he received an

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in 1967.

Academic career

Mathias lectured on economics and industry and was thought to be a popular lecturer. He also published articles in journals relating to this matter.

Personal life

Career

Academic career

References

Further reading