Leifchild Jones, 1st Baron Rhayader
Encyclopedia
Leifchild Stratten Leif-Jones, 1st Baron Rhayader PC (16 January 1862
– 26 September 1939
), known as Leif Jones before his elevation to the peerage in 1932, was a British Temperance movement
leader and Liberal
politician.
, London
, the fifth of the six children of the Reverend Thomas Jones (1819-1882), an Independent clergyman, formerly of Morriston, Swansea
, and Jane Jones, daughter of John Jones of Dowlais. His older siblings were David Brynmor
(b. 1851), Annie, John Viriamu
(b. 1862) and Irvonwy; his younger brother was Morlais Glasfryn. His brothers David Brynmor Jones and John Viriamu Jones would both achieve prominence in public life. In 1867, when Leifchild was five years old, his mother died, and in 1869 his father left London, for health reasons, moving firstly back to Swansea (1870-1877) and afterwards to Melbourne
, Australia (1877-1880), where Leifchild was educated at Scotch School. Afterwards Leifchild became a student in the University of Oxford
(Trinity college
).
for Appleby
, in Cumbria
.
From December 1910 to 1918 he served as Member
for Rushcliffe
, in Nottinghamshire
. In 1917 he was sworn of the Privy Council
From 1923 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931 he served as Member
for Camborne
, in Cornwall
.
On 25 January 1932 he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Rhayader, of Rhayader in the County of Radnor. So that he might continue to be known by the familiar name of 'Leif Jones' he had earlier that month changed his surname by deed poll
from 'Jones' to 'Leif-Jones'.
Despite his long political career Leif Jones is best remembered as a temperance leader. He was President of the United Kingdom Alliance
(UKA), the leading British prohibitionist organisation, between 1906 and 1932. He had earlier been private secretary to the Countess of Carlisle
, a prominent prohibitionist campaigner. As a temperance campaigner Leif Jones was sometimes referred to as 'Tea-leaf Jones'.
Lord Rhayader died in Marylebone
, London, in September 1939, aged 77, when the barony became extinct.
Photographic portraits of Lord Rhayader my be seen at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
1862 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1862 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales — The Prince Albert Edward, son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom*Princess of Wales — vacant-Events:...
– 26 September 1939
1939 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1939 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - vacant*Princess of Wales - vacant*Archbishop of Wales - Charles Alfred Howell Green...
), known as Leif Jones before his elevation to the peerage in 1932, was a British Temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
leader and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Background and education
Jones was born on 16 January 1862 in St PancrasSt Pancras, London
St Pancras is an area of London. For many centuries the name has been used for various officially-designated areas, but now is used informally and rarely having been largely superseded by several other names for overlapping districts.-Ancient parish:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the fifth of the six children of the Reverend Thomas Jones (1819-1882), an Independent clergyman, formerly of Morriston, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, and Jane Jones, daughter of John Jones of Dowlais. His older siblings were David Brynmor
David Brynmor Jones
Sir David Brynmor Jones was a British barrister, historian and Liberal Member of Parliament.David Brynmor Jones was born in 1851 in Swansea, the first of the six children of Revd. Thomas Jones, a Congregationalist minister, and Jane Jones. His younger siblings were Annie, John Viriamu Jones Sir...
(b. 1851), Annie, John Viriamu
John Viriamu Jones
John Viriamu Jones, FRS , was a British scientist, who worked on measuring the ohm, and an educationalist who was instrumental in establishing the University of Sheffield and Cardiff University.-Early life and studies:...
(b. 1862) and Irvonwy; his younger brother was Morlais Glasfryn. His brothers David Brynmor Jones and John Viriamu Jones would both achieve prominence in public life. In 1867, when Leifchild was five years old, his mother died, and in 1869 his father left London, for health reasons, moving firstly back to Swansea (1870-1877) and afterwards to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia (1877-1880), where Leifchild was educated at Scotch School. Afterwards Leifchild became a student in the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(Trinity college
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
).
Member of Parliament and temperance campaigner
From 1905 to January 1910 Leif Jones served as Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Appleby
Appleby (UK Parliament constituency)
Appleby was a parliamentary constituency in the former county of Westmorland in England. It existed for two separate periods: from 1295 to 1832, and from 1885 to 1918....
, in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
From December 1910 to 1918 he served as Member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Rushcliffe
Rushcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 80's:-Notes and references:...
, in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. In 1917 he was sworn of the Privy Council
From 1923 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931 he served as Member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Camborne
Camborne (UK Parliament constituency)
Camborne was a county constituency in Cornwall which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
On 25 January 1932 he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Rhayader, of Rhayader in the County of Radnor. So that he might continue to be known by the familiar name of 'Leif Jones' he had earlier that month changed his surname by deed poll
Deed poll
A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention...
from 'Jones' to 'Leif-Jones'.
Despite his long political career Leif Jones is best remembered as a temperance leader. He was President of the United Kingdom Alliance
United Kingdom Alliance
The United Kingdom Alliance was a temperance movement in the United Kingdom founded on 20 July 1852. It was based in Manchester and sought to outlaw the alcohol trade.-History:...
(UKA), the leading British prohibitionist organisation, between 1906 and 1932. He had earlier been private secretary to the Countess of Carlisle
Rosalind Howard, Countess of Carlisle
Rosalind Frances Howard, Countess of Carlisle , sometimes known as The Radical Countess, was a British aristocrat and campaigner....
, a prominent prohibitionist campaigner. As a temperance campaigner Leif Jones was sometimes referred to as 'Tea-leaf Jones'.
Lord Rhayader died in Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, London, in September 1939, aged 77, when the barony became extinct.
Photographic portraits of Lord Rhayader my be seen at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
External links
- ODNB article by David M. Fahey, ‘Jones , Leifchild Stratten, Baron Rhayader (1862–1939)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, May 2006 accessed 1 July 2010
Further reading
- D.M. Fahey, 'Leif Jones', in Biographical Dictionary of Modern British Radicals, Vol. 3 (1870-1974) (1988)
- M.H.C. Haylor, The Vision of a Century, 1853-1953: the United Kingdom Alliance in historical perspective (1953)
- G.B. Wilson, Leif Jones, Lord Rhayader, Temperance Reformer and Statesman (1948)