King Edward VII Welsh National Memorial Association facts for kids

The King Edward VII Welsh National Memorial Association, often called the WNMA, was a special group in Wales. It was a voluntary association, meaning people joined it because they wanted to help, not because they had to. Their main goal was to fight and get rid of a serious illness called tuberculosis in Wales.

How the WNMA Began

In 1910, a very important meeting happened in Shrewsbury. The lord mayor of Cardiff, John Chappell, called this meeting. They wanted to decide how to remember King Edward VII after he passed away. The people at the meeting decided that the best way to honor the King would be to start a big effort to stop tuberculosis in Wales.

Raising Money for a Good Cause

People across Wales helped raise a lot of money for this important cause. They collected £300,000! That's a huge amount, especially back then. Half of this money came from a kind person named David Davies. He was a philanthropist, which means he loved to help others by giving money to good causes. David Davies was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Montgomeryshire. He cared deeply about fighting tuberculosis.

The WNMA Becomes Official

Because of his strong interest and generous donation, David Davies became the first president of the WNMA. The association officially started on May 17, 1912. This is called being "incorporated." David Davies also asked his good friend, Thomas Jones, to be the WNMA's first secretary. Thomas Jones was a trusted guide and friend throughout his life.

WNMA's Official Role

Later, in 1921, a new law was made called the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Act 1921. This law said that local governments had to help treat and prevent tuberculosis. But in Wales, the WNMA was already doing this important work. So, the new law gave the WNMA an official job, or "statutory responsibility," to lead the fight against tuberculosis across all of Wales. This meant they were legally in charge of this vital health mission.