Alfred Thomas, 1st Baron Pontypridd

Background and education

Born at Llwyn y Grant, Llanedeyrn, in what is now a part of Cardiff, Wales, Thomas was educated at Weston School, near Bath. His father was Daniel Thomas, a contractor (offices in Grangetown, Cardiff), in whose business Thomas worked as a young man. He studied as a lay student at Regent's Park College under Joseph Angus.

Early political career

Thomas became member of Cardiff Borough Council for Roath in 1875 and served on the council until 1886, being mayor in 1881-2. As mayor he was central to the decision to locate the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in Cardiff, rather than Swansea. He gave £1,000 towards the building fund. He was created a Freeman of the borough in 1887.

Parliamentary career

As a prominent public figure and through his nonconformist connections, Thomas began to be mentioned as a possible parliamentary candidate following the redistribution of seats in 1885 which led to the creation of additional constituencies in Glamorgan. In April 1885, Thomas was among six candidates nominated by the local Liberal Association for selection as candidate for the Rhondda constituency.

At the 1885 general election Thomas was elected Member of Parliament for East Glamorganshire, winning over 70% of the votes and defeating his Conservative opponent Godfrey Clark by 2,800 votes. He continued to represent the constituency until his retirement at the December 1910 general election. In 1891, Thomas, working with T. E. Ellis introduced the National Institutions (Wales) Bill, providing for a Secretary of State for Wales and a University of Wales, as well as a Welsh Parliament, to be located in Aberystwyth. The Bill did not secure a Second Reading. He was also involved with Cymru Fydd, serving as President of the Welsh National Federation, the body formed by the merger of Cymru Fydd and the North Wales Liberal Federation.

He was elected Chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary Liberal Party in 1898.

Thomas was knighted in 1902.

He was raised to the peerage as Baron Pontypridd, of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan, in 1912, with the motto "Bit Ben Bit Bont" (Let Him Be Himself the Bridge), a motto taken from the Mabinogion.

Other public positions

Apart from his political career Thomas was a Justice of the Peace for Cardiff and Glamorgan, Deputy Lieutenant for Glamorgan from December 1901, first President of the National Museum of Wales, President of Cardiff University and President of the Baptist Union of Wales for 1886. Thomas was a staunch Nonconformist, a member and deacon of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Cardiff. Despite his busy Parliamentary career, he made every effort to attend the mid-week prayer meeting, and combined his Parliamentary duties with the post of superintendent of the Sunday School, which he held for a generation. His election as a deacon of Tabernacle was one of his most prized honours, being conferred on him by those who knew him best. He composed hymn tunes and was committed to the cause of gospel temperance. He was involved in the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival.

Personal life

Lord Pontypridd never married and the title became extinct on his death in December 1927, aged 87. He left almost all of his estate, including his home, Bronwydd, Penylan, to the City of Cardiff. He is buried with his parents in Cathays Cemetery. Bronwydd no longer exists, having been demolished as part of the construction of Eastern Avenue, but a 'Bronwydd Close' nearby recalls its location.