Ness Edwards facts for kids

Ness Edwards (born 5 April 1897 – died 3 May 1968) was an important Welsh politician and a leader for workers' rights. He was a member of the Labour Party and served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Caerphilly. He held this job from July 1939 until he passed away.

Edwards was born in Abertillery, Monmouthshire, Wales. He was one of six children in his family.

Early Life and Work

Ness Edwards began working at the Penybont coal mine on his 13th birthday in 1910. He quickly became a leader among the miners. By the age of 17, he was chosen as the chairman of the miners' group at the Arriel Griffin coal mine. This showed his early skills in leadership and his dedication to helping workers.

Standing Up for Beliefs

During the First World War, Ness Edwards was a conscientious objector. This means he believed it was wrong to fight in the war and refused to join the military. His beliefs came from his strong ideas about trade unions and fairness for all people.

Because of his beliefs, he was put in prison when he was 20 years old. He faced tough conditions in prisons like Dartmoor and Wormwood Scrubs. Even though it was difficult, he stood firm in his principles.

Political Career

Ness Edwards became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Caerphilly in 1939. He won a special election held after the previous MP, Morgan Jones, passed away. Edwards continued to represent Caerphilly in Parliament for many years, until his death in 1968.

During World War II, he played a part in helping miners from Czech areas escape danger.

He held important jobs in the government. From 1945 to 1950, he was a Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Labour. This role meant he helped the main minister with important tasks related to jobs and workers. From 1950 to 1951, he was the Postmaster General, in charge of the country's postal services. In 1948, he became a member of the Privy Council, which is a group of important advisors to the King or Queen.

Family Life

In 1925, Ness Edwards married Elina Victoria Williams. They had a daughter named Llinos, who later became known as Llin Golding. Llin followed in her father's footsteps and also became a Labour MP. She represented the area of Newcastle-under-Lyme from 1986 to 2001. After that, she was given the title of Baroness Golding and became a member of the House of Lords.

Ness Edwards passed away at Caerphilly Miners' Hospital on 3 May 1968, when he was 71 years old.

Written Works

Ness Edwards also wrote books and articles, sharing his thoughts and knowledge. Some of his works include:

• (1920) "Some Thoughts on Tactics" in Workers' Dreadnought
• (1938) History of the South Wales Miners' Federation; Volume 1
• (1958) "Is this the road?"