David Grenfell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable David Grenfell CBE
Father of the House
In office 8 October 1952 – 8 October 1959
Preceded by	Sir Hugh O'Neill
Succeeded by	Sir Winston Churchill
Member of Parliament for Gower
In office 15 November 1922 – 18 September 1959
Preceded by	John Williams
Succeeded by	Ifor Davies
Personal details
Born	David Rhys Grenfell (1881-06-16)16 June 1881 Penyrheol, Swansea, Wales
Died	21 November 1968(1968-11-21) (aged 87) Swansea, Wales
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Beatrice May Morgan ​ (m. 1905)​
Children	1

David Rhys Grenfell (born June 16, 1881 – died November 21, 1968) was a Welsh politician. People sometimes called him Dai Grenfell. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Gower area. He represented the Labour Party from 1922 to 1959.

Early Life and Education

David Grenfell was born on June 16, 1881, in Penyrheol, Gorseinon, Swansea, Wales. He was one of ten children. His father, William Grenfell, was from Blaenavon, and his mother, Ann Hopkins, was from Aberavon. His grandfather, John Grenfell, had moved to Blaenavon and worked as a coal miner.

David went to Penyrheol Board Elementary School. When he was 12 years old, in 1893, he had to leave school to start working as a coal miner. Even while working underground, he kept learning. He went to night school to study mining, geology, and mathematics.

In 1903, he traveled to Nova Scotia, Canada, for work. There, he met people from many different countries. This experience helped him love learning new languages. While in Canada, he earned a certificate to be an Under Manager in mines. He returned to Britain in 1905 and got a First-Class Managers qualification.

From 1907 to 1911, Grenfell taught evening classes himself. In 1916, he became a miners' agent for the Western Region of the South Wales Coalminer's Federation. This job involved looking out for the rights and safety of miners.

Family Life

In December 1905, David Grenfell married Beatrice May Morgan. She was the daughter of John and Emma Morgan from Gorseinon. They had one daughter named Eileen.

Political Career Highlights

David Grenfell worked as a miner until 1916. That year, he became a miners' agent. He also became very involved with the local Labour Party. In 1920, he was chosen to be a candidate for the Gower area.

He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in a special election in 1922. He held this important position for many years, until 1959. In 1935, he was given an award called Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his public service.

Important Roles and Views

"DR," as his friends called him, served on several important committees in Parliament. He was part of the Forestry Commission, which looks after forests. He also worked on the Royal Commission of Safety in Mines in 1936. This group worked to make mines safer for workers.

Grenfell became the chairman of the Franco/British Parliamentary Party. This group helped improve relations between the parliaments of France and Britain. For his efforts, he received a special award from France called the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

He strongly spoke out against the agreement between Germany and Russia in 1939, known as the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. He believed Russia's actions against Poland were wrong and cowardly.

Government Service

During World War II, David Grenfell served in Winston Churchill's government. From 1940 to 1945, he was the Secretary for Mines at the Board of Trade. In this role, he strongly believed that the coal industry should be owned and run by the government. He wrote a book in 1947 called Coal, where he repeated this idea.

From 1948 to 1951, Grenfell was the Chairman of the Welsh Tourist Holiday Board. During this time, the Gower Peninsula became the first area in Britain to be named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This means it's a special place with beautiful landscapes that needs protecting.

In 1951, Grenfell became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of important advisors to the King or Queen.

Father of the House

In 1953, David Grenfell became the first Labour politician to be called the "Father of the House". This special title is given to the MP who has served in Parliament for the longest continuous time. Even though Winston Churchill was older and had been an MP before, Grenfell had served without any breaks.

In 1954, at Churchill's 80th birthday party, Grenfell, as Father of the House, gave Churchill a special book signed by almost all the MPs. Grenfell spoke highly of Churchill, saying he had "deep respect for a great colleague." He added that Churchill was "a great leader in our greatest national trial."

Grenfell was also involved in many local groups. He was made an Honorary Freeman of Swansea for his dedication to public service. A statue of him can be seen in the Swansea Guildhall today.

David Grenfell's former agent, Ifor Davies, took over his seat as MP for Gower. Ifor Davies continued to represent Gower until he passed away in 1982.

Later Years and Death

David Grenfell lived in Swansea, Wales. He passed away on November 20, 1968, at the age of 87. He is buried in Brynteg Cemetery in Gorseinon. His wife, Beatrice, who was a local judge, died in 1976. Their daughter, Eileen, passed away in 1992.

Sources

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs