Owen Thomas (politician)

Sir Owen Thomas JP DL
General Thomas
Member of Parliament for Anglesey
In office 14 December 1918 – 6 March 1923
Preceded by	Sir Ellis Ellis-Griffith, Bt
Succeeded by	Sir Robert Thomas, Bt
Personal details
Born	Owen Thomas (1858-12-18)18 December 1858 Anglesey
Died	6 March 1923(1923-03-06) (aged 64)
Resting place	Ebenezer Cemetery, Llanfechell
Political party	Independent Labour
Other political affiliations	Liberal, Labour
Spouse	Frederica Pershouse
Children	5
Parents	Owen Thomas (father) Ellen Thomas (mother)
Education	Liverpool College
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	3rd (Militia) Battalion Manchester Regiment 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment
Commands	Prince of Wales Light Horse
Battles/wars	Second Boer War First World War

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]

Early life and education

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

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

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

1. 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. 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.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Owen Thomas

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Sir Ellis Ellis-Griffith, Bt	Member of Parliament for Anglesey 1918 – 1923	Succeeded by Sir Robert Thomas, Bt