麻豆社

In this 麻豆社 Wales archive recording, the late Baroness Eirene White of Rhymney, talks about the other Tom Jones, her father, Dr Thomas Jones, once described as one of the five most powerful men in Europe.

Thomas Jones was a university professor, civil servant, administrator, and author; born 27 September 1870 at 100 High Street, Rhymney, the eldest of the nine children of David Benjamin Jones, a shopkeeper, and his wife, Mary Ann Jones. He was educated in Rhymney Board School and Lewis' School, Pengam.

Dr Tom Jones ('TJ' as he became fondly known) joined the Cabinet Secretariat on its formation in 1916. He had exceptional influence in the labour party, commanding universal respect and affection and, as far as possible, kept the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George on the right path during WW1.

He wrote prolific diaries which were eventually published in three volumes - Whitehall Diaries, Vol I and II (1969)
Whitehall Diaries, Vol III (1971) on his time in the Cabinet from December 1916 to 1930. These shed much light on what happened behind the scenes in Whitehall at that time. Extract of TJ's Diary - 10 December 1916: Meeting at 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Dr Thomas Jones "We talked over the lines of Lloyd George's first speech as Prime Minister for Tuesday next and he asked me to scribble some of the points I was urging; (1) Restatement of the aims of the war using the passage quoted by Asquith from Gladstone about enthronement of public right; (2) Invitation to the Dominions and India to send representation to London to discover how best they could co-operate in the direction of the war - as they were fighting not for us but with us: (3) Social or civil conscription of all, not industrial conscription merely: (4) Recapture spirit of October 1914

Jones remained as Deputy Secretary until 1930, under four Prime Ministers, Lloyd George, Bonar Law, Baldwin and Ramsay MacDonald, during the period of the Irish Settlement and the General Strike.

Image /Location: 100 High Street, Rhymney, Tredegar, Caerphilly NP22 5NG
Programme recorded at 麻豆社 Wales in Cardiff 10 December 1987

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