He stood unsuccessfully as Labour candidate for the Clitheroe constituency in the general elections of 1931 and 1935. He was elected a member of Barry Borough Council in 1931, and became an alderman in 1939; he held his seat until he resigned in Nov. 1945, having served as mayor of Barry in 1941-42. He also served as Port Labour Inspector, South Wales Ports, during 1941-42. In March 1937 he was made a J.P. for Glamorganshire. He also became Deputy Sheriff for the county and in 1951 was elevated chairman of Glamorgan magistrates. In the 1945 general election he was elected M.P. (L.) for the Bristol Central constituency. He was re-elected with a large majority in 1950, 1951, 1955 and 1959, but decided to resign in 1964. He was a member of a parliamentary deputation to Malaya in 1948 and a member of the Select Committee on Estimates in 1950-51.

He was an enthusiastic prolific local historian and author of several important works including Labour's early struggles in Swansea (1949), Let us talk of Barry (1954), Llancarfan: the village of a thousand saints (1957), The story of St. Athan and Aberthaw (1959), I searched for Llantwit Major (1965), St. Donat's Castle and the Stradlings (1966), The Baptists in Barry for 150 years (1967), and Fourteen talks about Barry (1968). He also published many articles on aspects of local history.

He m. in 1911, and he and his wife Elizabeth Jane had two sons and three daughters. His wife d. in Apr. 1969 and he d. 7 May 1969.