Rhys Davies (politician) facts for kids
Rhys John Davies (born April 16, 1877 – died October 31, 1954) was an important British politician and a leader in trade unions. He was a member of the Labour Party.
Early Life and Work
Rhys John Davies was born in a place called Llangennech, in Carmarthenshire, Wales. His parents were Rhys and Ann Davies. He went to elementary school, which is like primary school today.
When he was young, he worked on a farm. Later, he moved to the Rhondda Valley and worked as a coal miner for ten years.
Becoming a Union Leader
From a young age, Rhys Davies was involved in his local co-operative society. These societies were groups where people worked together to provide goods and services. He became a union official, helping to organize shop workers across South Wales.
This job led him to move to Manchester. There, he worked for the Amalgamated Union of Co-operative Employees. Later, he joined the National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers. These unions helped workers get fair pay and good working conditions.
Political Career
Rhys Davies was a member of the Manchester City Council for thirty years. This meant he helped make decisions for the city of Manchester. He also led the Manchester and Salford Trades Council and the local Labour Party group in Withington.
In 1921, a politician named William Wilson passed away. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Westhoughton. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the UK Parliament. Rhys Davies was then elected in a special election to take his place.
In 1924, he served in the very first first Labour Government. He was the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. This job meant he helped the main Home Secretary with important matters like law and order in the country. This was the only government job he ever held.
He kept his seat as the MP for Westhoughton through many elections. He finally retired from Parliament in 1951 because he was not well. At that time, he had been a Labour MP for longer than anyone else.
Key Beliefs
Rhys Davies strongly supported the temperance movement. This movement encouraged people to drink less alcohol or no alcohol at all. He also believed in pacifist ideas, which means he was against war and violence. He spoke about these beliefs in Parliament and around the country.
He was also very dedicated to his work in Parliament. He served as a joint secretary for the British group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. This group helps connect politicians from different countries.
Later Life
Rhys Davies married Margaret Griffiths in 1902. They had three sons together. He passed away at his home in Porthcawl, Glamorgan, in 1954. He was 77 years old.
