Owen Thomas (politician)

Sir Owen Thomas, JP, DL (18 December 1858 – 6 March 1923)[1] was a Welsh politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Anglesey.[2]

Sir
Owen Thomas
General Thomas
Member of Parliament
for Anglesey
In office
14 December 1918 – 6 March 1923
Preceded bySir Ellis Ellis-Griffith, Bt
Succeeded bySir Robert Thomas, Bt
Personal details
Born
Owen Thomas

(1858-12-18)18 December 1858
Anglesey
Died6 March 1923(1923-03-06) (aged 64)
Resting placeEbenezer Cemetery, Llanfechell
Political partyIndependent Labour
Other political
affiliations
Liberal, Labour
SpouseFrederica Pershouse
Children5
Parents
  • Owen Thomas (father)
  • Ellen Thomas (mother)
EducationLiverpool College
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
RankBrigadier General
Unit3rd (Militia) Battalion Manchester Regiment
2nd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment
CommandsPrince of Wales Light Horse
Battles/warsSecond Boer War
First World War

Early life and education

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Thomas was born at Carrog on Anglesey on 18 December 1858.[1] He was educated at Liverpool College, and afterwards became a farmer.[1]

Political career

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As a farmer, during 1893-7 he sat as member of the Royal Commission on Agricultural Depression; he and Lord Rendel were the only representatives of Wales on that body.[1] Thomas took an interest in politics and stood unsuccessfully for the Liberal Party in Oswestry at the 1895 United Kingdom general election.[3] At the 1918 United Kingdom general election, he was elected for Anglesey as an independent labour candidate.[4] He joined the Labour Party group in Parliament but resigned the party whip in 1920, and was re-elected in 1922 as an independent.[5] He died in 1923, causing the 1923 Anglesey by-election.[6]

Military career

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Thomas raised[1] the Prince of Wales Light Horse regiment in 1899 to serve in the Second Boer War.[7] He commanded the regiment and later became the Brigadier-General commanding the North Wales Brigade. He also served as chief officer of the Life-Saving Apparatus at Sea section of the Board of Trade, and in his spare time bred farm stock.[6]

He was knighted on 21 February 1917.[8][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Richards, Thomas (1959). "Thomas, Sir Owen (1858-1923), agriculturist, soldier, and Member of Parliament". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion.
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)
  3. ^ "1895 General Election - Oswestry". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  4. ^ "1918 General Election - Anglesey". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  5. ^ "1922 General Election - Anglesey". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b Stenton, Michael; Lees, Stephen (1979). Who's Who of British Members of Parliament. Vol. III. Brighton: Harvester Press. p. 353. ISBN 0855273259.
  7. ^ "Anglo Boer War - Prince of Wales' Light Horse". AngloBoerWar.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  8. ^ "No. 30022". The London Gazette. 17 April 1917. p. 3596.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Anglesey
19181923
Succeeded by