JONES, LEWIS (1897 - 1939), communist agitator and author

Born in Clydach Vale, Rhondda. He worked at the coal-face in the Cambrian Colliery, 1911-23, studied at the Labour College, London, 1923-5, and then returned to work at the coal-face. He was local leader in the General Strike and Miners' Lock-out, 1926, and was appointed miners' checkweigher in 1927. Soon he became one of the thousands of Rhondda's unemployed, and led hunger marches to public assistance committees in Bridgend, Pontypridd, and the Glamorgan County Council, and led the Welsh contingents on 'national hunger marches' to London in 1934 and 1936. Jones was elected a member of the Glamorgan County Council, 1934-9, and of the Welsh Committee of the Communist Party, 1931-9. He led campaigns in Wales against the Fascist attack on republican Spain, 1937-9, and died just after addressing street meetings for Spain at Cardiff in January 1939. He was a powerful orator with a strong personal appeal, able to arouse emotions, a master of imagery and simple visions of Socialism. In 1938 he wrote Cwmardy , a vivid novel of the famous Cambrian Combine Strike of 1910 - 11 and of the struggle of the miners up to 1926, and, later, its sequel, We Live , which was published after his death.

Author

• Idris Cox, (1899 - 1989)

Sources

• Personal knowledge

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Lewis Jones

Additional Links

• VIAF: 59893423
• Wikidata: Q6536746

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/