David Williams (8 September 1865 – 22 January 1941) was a Welsh Labour Party politician. ^{[1] [2]} The second son of David and Mary Williams, his father worked at the local Kilvey Copper Works. ^[3] Williams received little education before entering service in 1877 as a pageboy for the Genfell family of Kilvey, Swansea, owners of the copper works. ^[2] By the age of 16, he was working in the copper works, but was dismissed after leading a strike. He then became an apprentice boilermaker, while attending evening classes. ^[2] In 1889, he married Elizabeth Colwill, and the couple had five children. ^[3]

Williams was involved in trade union activities and Labour politics from a young age. In 1898, he became the first Independent Labour Party councillor elected to Swansea Town Council, becoming an alderman in 1904 and was mayor of Swansea in 1912–1913. ^[2] He received the freedom of Swansea in 1924. ^[2] He was the first chairman of the Swansea Co-operative Society when it was formed in 1900. ^{[2] [3]}

He unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary constituency of Swansea East at the 1918 general election. ^[4] When the Coalition Liberal MP Thomas Jeremiah Williams died the following year, he stood in the resulting by-election, cutting the Liberal majority. ^[4] He won the seat at the 1922 general election, ^[4] and held it until he resigned from the House of Commons on 26 January 1940, due to ill health. ^{[2] [5]} He died a year later, aged 75. ^[2]

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by David Williams