NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Gwynfor Evans

Richard Gwynfor Evans (1 September 1912 – April 21, 2005), was a Welsh politician and the first Member of Parliament to represent Plaid Cymru at Westminster (1966-1970; 1974-1979). September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales for ever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) English, Welsh Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056 Area - Total 20,779 kmÂ² (3rd... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... Plaid, also known in full as Plaid Cymru (pronounced IPA: ) â€“ The Party of Wales, is the principal nationalist political party in Wales. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Early life

Gwynfor Evans was born to an English-speaking family in Barry, near Cardiff, and did not learn to speak Welsh until adulthood. He was educated at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and St John's College, Oxford, from where he qualified as a lawyer. He was also a market gardener. He was a teenager when the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru was founded in 1925, and he founded a branch of the party while he was at Oxford. He became the party's president in 1945 and retained the office until 1981. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Barry (Welsh: Y Barri) is a town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. ... Cardiff (Welsh: ) is the capital of Wales and its largest city. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, a Member Institution of the federal University of Wales, was the first university institution to be established in Wales. ... College name St Johns College Named after Saint John the Baptist Established 1555 Sister College Sidney Sussex College President Sir Michael Scholar KCB JCR President Martha Burgess Undergraduates 381 MCR President {{{MCR President}}} Graduates 184 Homepage Boatclub St Johns College is one of the constituent colleges of the... Operation Market Garden was an Allied military operation in World War II, which took place in September 1944. ... Plaid, also known in full as Plaid Cymru (pronounced IPA: ) â€“ The Party of Wales, is the principal nationalist political party in Wales. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A committed Christian and pacifist, he declared himself a conscientious objector in the Second World War and was required to appear before a tribunal which, recognising the firmness of his beliefs, unusually unconditionally dismissed him. Evans is credited with keeping Plaid Cymru going through the lean years of the 1940s and 1950s — in the 1950s he fought unsuccessfully for a Welsh parliament, and failed to prevent the damming of the Tryweryn river and consequent inundation of the Welsh-speaking community of Capel Celyn in order to supply the city of Liverpool with water — a cause célèbre in Wales in the early 1960s. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Christianity. ... Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes. ... A conscientious objector is a person whose beliefs are incompatible with military service - perhaps with any role in the armed forces (in which case he or she is either pacifist or antimilitarist) - or who objects to a particular war. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... The 1950s were the decade that traditionally speaking, spanned the years 1950 through 1959. ... The 1950s were the decade that traditionally speaking, spanned the years 1950 through 1959. ... The Tryweryn is a river in North Wales. ... Capel Celyn was a rural community to the North West of Bala in North Wales, in the Tryweryn Valley. ... Liverpool waterfront by night, as seen from the Wirral. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ...

Electoral record

Local Government and first parliamentary contests

Evans was elected to Carmarthenshire County Council in 1949, keeping his seat for the next 25 years, usually as the lone Plaid Cymru representative, acquiring the nickname "Evans dual carriageway" for his emphasis on improving transport links. He contested Merioneth at the general elections of 1945, 1950, 1955 and 1959, and the Aberdare by-election, 1954. Carmarthenshire (Welsh: ) is a county in Wales. ... Clement Attlee Winston Churchill The United Kingdom General Election of 1945 held on 5 July 1945 but not counted and declared until 26 July 1945 (due to the time it took to transport the votes of those serving overseas) was one of the most significant general elections of the 20th... The United Kingdom general election in 1950 was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. ... The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on May 26, 1955, four years after the previous general election. ... This United Kingdom general election was held on October 8, 1959, and marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative party, led by Harold MacMillan. ...

Carmarthen by-election, 1966

On 14 July 1966, Evans won the parliamentary seat of Carmarthen from Labour in a by-election caused by the death of Lady Megan Lloyd George, daughter of the former Liberal Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, having come third in the general election just a few weeks before. He had also contested the seat at 1964 general election. His by-election victory is regarded as a seminal moment for Plaid Cymru. He was shown around the House of Commons by Emrys Hughes, the son-in-law of Keir Hardie; on being pointed out the Welsh table in the Commons' tea room, Hughes warned him, "You’d better not sit down there, your name’s mud among that lot." [1] The Carmarthen by-election, in Carmarthen, Wales, held on 14 July 1966, was a milestone in the politics of Wales. ... July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro in Welsh) is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... The Lady Megan Arvon Lloyd George (22 April 1902 to 14 May 1966) was a British politician, the first female Member of Parliament for a Welsh constituency, and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. ... This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 â€“ 26 March 1945) was a British statesman and the last member of the Liberal Party to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... The UK general election in 1966 was called by Harold Wilson because his government, elected in the 1964 election, had an unworkably small majority. ... The United Kingdom general election of 1964 result was a very slim majority for the Labour Party, of 4, and led to their first government since 1951. ... Emrys Hughes (10 July 1894 - 18 October 1969) was a Welsh Labour politician, best known for being the biographer and son-in-law of Keir Hardie, the Scottish politician. ... James Keir Hardie (August 15, 1856 - September 26, 1915) was a Scottish-born socialist and labour leader, and the first Labour MP to be elected to the UK Parliament. ...

Later electoral record

In the 1970 General Election Evans lost his Carmarthen seat to Labour's Gwynoro Jones, and failed to regain it in the February 1974 General Election by only three votes. He regained the seat - with a majority of 3,640 votes - in the October 1974 General Election, when he returned to Parliament accompanied by two other Plaid Cymru MPs, Dafydd Wigley and Dafydd Elis Thomas. The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on June 18, 1970, and resulted in a surprise loss of power for Labour under Harold Wilson, who was replaced as Prime Minister by the Conservative leader, Edward Heath. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... Gwynoro Glyndwr Jones (born 21 November 1942) is a British Labour Party politician. ... The UK general election of February 1974 was held on February 28, 1974. ... The UK general election of October 1974 took place on October 10, 1974. ... Dafydd Wigley The Right Honourable Dafydd Wigley (born April 1, 1943) is a Welsh politician. ... Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas AM is a UK politician from Wales. ...

Evans lost Carmarthen once more at the 1979 general election - to Dr Roger Thomas (also Labour). He was unsuccessful in the 1983 General Election, and did not contest any further elections, but the Plaid's Adam Price won Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (one of the existing seats that corresponds to the one which Evans represented) at the 2001 general election and retained it (with an increased majority) at the 2005 election. Margaret Thatcher James Callaghan David Steel The UK general election, 1979 was held on May 3, 1979 and is regarded as a pivotal point in 20th century British politics. ... Dr Roger Gareth Thomas (14 November 1925 â€“ 1 September 1994) was a British Labour Party politician. ... The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... Adam Robert Price (born September 23, 1968, Carmarthen) is a politician in Wales, and Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr. ... Carmathen East and Dinefwr is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ...

Career as an MP

In the House of Commons, Evans was true to his pacifist principles in being one of the few MPs to oppose the British government's support of the Nigerian federal government with supplies of weapons in the civil war against Biafra (1967-1970). He also opposed the Vietnam War: after being denied entry to the country as part of an inspection group, he instead protested outside a US air base in Thailand. The House of Commons is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the House of Lords. ... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight for political power or control of an area. ... National motto: Peace, Unity, Freedom Official language Igbo, English Capital Enugu Largest city Port Harcourt Head of State Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Chief of General Staff (VP) Philip Effiong Area ?- Total ?- % water Population;- Total 13,500,000 (1967) Currency Biafran pound (BIAP) Created May 30, 1967 Dissolved January 15, 1970 National... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines Democratic Republic of Vietnam National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Peopleâ€™s Republic of China Commanders William Westmoreland Ho Chi Minh Strength ~1,200,000 (1968) ~520,000 (1968) Casualties South Vietnamese dead...

Evans was first (and last) president of the Celtic League from 1961-71. Dr. Robert McIntyre of the SNP was vice-president at the time. The Celtic League is a political and cultural organisation in the modern Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man, as well as their Celtic languages // Aims The fundamental aim of the Celtic League is to contribute, as an international organisation, to the struggles of... Robert Douglas McIntyre was the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 1947-1956 and a doctor by profession. ... In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ...

Later life

In 1980, his threat to go on hunger strike to ensure that the Conservative government did not renege on its election promise of a Welsh language television channel was instrumental in bringing about an early U-turn on the part of Margaret Thatcher, and S4C began broadcasting on 1 November 1982. 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance in which participants fast as an act of political protest or to achieve a goal such as a policy change. ... The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru - Channel Four Wales) is a Welsh-language television channel broadcasting in Wales, United Kingdom, which was established in response to demands for a channel to cater for the Welsh-speaking minority population in Wales. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In his political retirement he became a prolific writer, mainly on Welsh subjects and writing in Welsh with simultaneous or later English editions.

In 1941 Gwynfor Evans married Rhiannon Prys Thomas, who survived him. They had seven children. His widow, Rhiannon, died on January 13th 2006. For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ...

Tributes

On his death the Welsh political establishment united in paying its respects to Gwynfor Evans:

Dafydd Iwan (born August 24, 1943) is the president of Plaid Cymru -- The Party of Wales. ... Rhodri Morgan, pictured while on an eve of poll visit during the National Assembly of Wales election in 2003. ... The First Minister of Wales is the leader of Wales and of the Welsh Assembly Government, Waless devolved administration. ... The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) (Welsh: Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru, LlCC) is the executive body of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of the First Minister and his Cabinet. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party of the United Kingdom. ... Peter Gerald Hain (born February 16, 1950, Nairobi, Kenya) is a British Labour Party politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Secretary of State for Wales. ... The post of Secretary of State for Wales came into existence in October of 1964, the first incumbent being Jim Griffiths, MP for Llanelli. ... ... The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ... Michael German (born 1945) is leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, and Member of the Welsh Assembly for South Wales East Region. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ...

Bibliography

1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An autobiography, from the Greek auton, self, bios, life and graphein, write, is a biography written by the subject or composed conjointly with a collaborative writer (styled as told to or with). The term dates from the late eighteenth century, but the form is much older. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Encyclopedia > Gwynfor Evans

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