David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount Rhondda

David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount Rhondda (mostly DA Thomas, called; born March 26, 1856 in Ysgyborwen, Glamorgan, Wales, † July 3, 1918 in Llanwern, Monmouthshire, Wales ) was a Welsh Liberal politician, Member of Parliament and Minister of Cardiff food issues for 1917-1918, was knighted in 1916. He was the father of the woman 's rights activist Margaret Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda.

Life

DA Thomas came in 1856 as the only child of wealthy coal magnate Samuel Thomas from Aberdare and his wife Rachel to the world. He studied at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University and after graduation was a senior partner in the firm Thomas and Davey, who owned several coal mines in the region Rhondda Valley. Although Thomas came from a wealthy family and had a high income, he was very humble and lived relatively simple. In his later years there were among his party colleagues the saying: " Thomas has the income of a duke and the taste of a farmer! "

On June 27, 1882 married Thomas Sybil Margaret Haig ( 1857-1941 ), a cousin of Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig. Their daughter Margaret was born in 1883. The relationship of Thomas to his daughter shows his statement " We are less like father and daughter, we are more like friends."

Thomas, a member of the Liberal, was elected in 1888 as Member of the Parliament of South Wales County Merthyr Tydfil. Later he represented in Parliament Cardiff until 1910. Though himself an agnostic, he spoke in favor of free Kirchler and was co-founder of Soar Welsh Calvinistic Church of Cwmaman.

After the beginning of World War II, the reigning British Prime Minister David Lloyd George Thomas charged with the ammunition supply of the British troops and the development of appropriate arrangements and contracts with the U.S. government. After completion of the negotiations in April 1915 he booked for himself and his politically interested daughter, who had accompanied him on the business trip, a passage first class on the British luxury liner Lusitania to return to the UK. The Lusitania was sunk on May 7 in front of the southern Irish coast by a German submarine, more than a thousand people died. DA Thomas and his daughter were separated in the confusion on the ship apart and jumped overboard separately. Both survived the misfortune of the Thomas later said he would " never forget " can.

1916 DA Thomas was conferred in recognition of his political efforts of the noble title of Baron Rhondda. In the same year he was appointed President of the Local Government Board. He held this post not long, because in June 1917 Thomas was appointed Minister of nutrition and sat henceforth for the introduction of food rations for the duration of the war. In June 1918 he has also the title of Viscount Rhondda was granted, his wife became Lady Sybil, Viscountess Rhondda. But Thomas died shortly thereafter, on 3 July 1918 in Llanwern, Monmouthshire. The peerage went to his daughter, now Lady Margaret Mackworth, over.

• Politicians (Wales )
• Welshman
• Born in 1856
• Died in 1918
• Man
• Briton
• Politicians (19th Century )
• Politicians ( 20th century)
• Member of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)