WILLIAMS, LLYWELYN (1911 - 1965), minister (Congl.) and politician

Born in Llanelli, 22 July 1911 one of the four children of William Williams and his wife Jessie (née Phillips). The father was a collier until he lost his health which caused him to spend the rest of his life as an insurance collector. The children were reared in a cultured home at 63 Marble Road. They were imbued with the principles of religion and education, a love of Wales and a commitment to social freedom. Olwen Williams, former headmistress of the Welsh school at Llanelli, was Llywelyn's sister. The children were heavily influenced by the society at Capel Als (Congl.) and undoubtedly the fine preaching of the minister, Daniel John Davies, led two of them into the ministry. Llywelyn was educated at Stebonheath primary school and the boys' grammar school Llanelli. He went to the University College of Swansea with a scholarship and graduated in Welsh and philosophy in 1933. After a theological course at the Presbyterian College in Carmarthen, he was ordained minister in Bethesda, Caernarfonshire, in 1936. He left in 1943 for the Tabernacl, Abertillery, and within three years was called to succeed Howell Elvet Lewis at Tabernacl, King's Cross, London. In 1950 he was elected M.P. for Abertillery in a by-election following the death of George Daggar. He won every election thereafter with a majority of over 20,000 votes. He had an opportunity in the House of Commons to channel his zeal for social justice and world peace in a wider con text. His commitment to developing welfare in Wales continued as steadfastly as ever, and his brilliant speeches made a deep impression on his fellow-members. He represented Britain at the Council of Europe in Strasburg in 1954. He went on a lecture tour to America in 1955 and spoke on a variety of subjects including the campaign against famine, the Colombo Plan, the Welfare State in Britain, and the Council of Europe. In 1957 he argued for inviting Mao Tse Tung and Chou En-lai to Britain, and in 1958 he was one of the twelve M.P. s who toured the U.S.A. He was president of the Association of Old Age Pensioners in Wales in 1963, and was chairman of the Labour Group of Welsh M.P.s. Despite leading a busy life he contributed to the Welsh press - ' Y Wers Gydwladol ' in Y Cyfarwyddwr, 1941-42, a tribute to Hugh Gaitskell in Barn in 1963, and ' Newyddion o'r Senedd ' to Y Cymro in 1964-65. He was the author of Hanes eglwys y Tabernacl, King's Cross, 1847-1947 (1947). He suffered a number of heart attacks from 1960 onwards.

He married Elsie, daughter of Lord Macdonald of Gwaenysgor on 17 August 1938 in Ashton-in-Makerfield; they had a son and daughter. He died 4 February 1965 after bequeathing his body to the Medical School, Cardiff for research; his remains were buried in the cemetery of Thornhill crematorium, Cardiff.

Author

• Evan David Jones, (1903 - 1987)

Sources

• Blwyddiadur yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg, 1966, 153-4
• Who was who?
• The Times, 6 February 1965
• information from his sister, Olwen

Further Reading

• NLW Archives: Our Candidate Llywelyn Williams
• Wikipedia Article: Llywelyn Williams

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q6662986

Published date: 2001

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