JONES, JOSIAH TOWYN (1858 - 1925), Congregational minister, and Member of Parliament

Name: Josiah Towyn Jones
Date of birth: 1858
Date of death: 1925
Spouse: Mary Jones (née Howells)
Parent: John Jones
Parent: Elizabeth Jones
Gender: Male
Occupation: Congregational minister, and Member of Parliament
Area of activity: Politics, Government and Political Movements; Religion
Author: David Thomas Jones

Born 28 December 1858 at New Quay, Cardiganshire, son of John Jones, shoe-maker, and Elizabeth his wife. He left school at 11 and after tending sheep became a cabin-boy on the smacks Elizabeth and James and Mary, trading between the southern seaports of Wales and Ireland. In 1874 he was dismissed his ship for breaking crockery. He then entered the Towyn grammar school (New Quay), and, in 1876, the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen. He was ordained minister of Gwernllwyn, Dowlais (1880), and later ministered to New Bethel, Cwmaman (1885-1906), resigning to become Home Missioner under the Union of Welsh Independents, an office which he held until 1912. In 1920 he was the chairman of the Union. Between 1885 and 1912 he developed into one of the great preachers of his denomination, and became a leading figure on the Liberal platform, in close alliance with T. E. Ellis and afterwards with David Lloyd George. In 1912 he became Member of Parliament for East Carmarthenshire, in 1917 Welsh Whip and Junior Lord of the Treasury. From 1918 he represented Llanelly in the Coalition Parliament, resigning his seat owing to ill-health in 1922. He died 16 November 1925 at Ammanford.

Author

Published date: 1959

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

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