Lloyd Jones (socialist)
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Jones (1811 - 1886) socialist
, union activist
, advocate of co-operation, journalist and writer was born in Bandon, County Cork
in 1811. Described by Sidney and Beatrice
Webb as one of "the more thoughtful working-men leaders" and referred to by Karl Marx
as "The Tailor", he was a friend, supporter and biographer of Robert Owen
(his The Life and Times of Robert Owen was published posthumously in 1889) and aided Samuel Plimsoll
in his campaign to improve safety at sea.
in 1827 in pursuit of work. where he followed his father's trade taking employment as a fustian cutter
and soon after joining the Journeyman's Union of Fustian Cutters was appointed its Secretary.
When there was some expectation of another Peterloo Massacre
, Jones, like many thousands of others in the North, provided himself with arms, with a view to active resistance.
He joined the Salford
Co-operative Society in 1829 and ran its free school until 1831. He subsequently became the chief platform advocate for Robert Owen
's plan of village companies and later, when Owen's emphasis shifted to the utopian and religious, Jones was a paid Owenite "Social Missionary". He continued evangelising until the mission was ended in 1845. For many years these plans were vigorously opposed by the clergy who regarded Owen's theories as immoral. Jones had a good presence and a fine voice, with readiness and courage in controversy. He was regarded as the best public debater of his day, and was in more discussions than any other of Owen's supporters. When the Chartists proposal of a month's annual holiday was put forward in 1839 with a view to showing practically the importance of the labouring classes, Jones was appointed to address the chartists of the Manchester district with whom the strength of the movement rested. An audience of five thousand men assembled in the Carpenters' Hall and a further five thousand outside. After Jones' speech in opposition to the "sacred month" the project was abandoned. He was later appointed a member of the first Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress
.
in 1869. He was President of the Co-operative Congress four times including the Oldham Congress, 1885, the seventeenth annual meeting of the co-operative movement and was frequently appointed arbitrator in trade union disputes.
, London
on 22 May 1886. He is buried in Norwood Cemetery
with his wife who outlived him for only nine days.
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, union activist
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, advocate of co-operation, journalist and writer was born in Bandon, County Cork
Bandon, County Cork
Bandon is a town in County Cork, Ireland. With a population of 5,822 as of census 2006, Bandon lies on the River Bandon between two hills. The name in Irish means "Bridge of the Bandon", a reference to the origin of the town as a crossing-point on the river. In 2004 Bandon celebrated its...
in 1811. Described by Sidney and Beatrice
Beatrice Webb
Martha Beatrice Webb, Lady Passfield was an English sociologist, economist, socialist and social reformer. Although her husband became Baron Passfield in 1929, she refused to be known as Lady Passfield...
Webb as one of "the more thoughtful working-men leaders" and referred to by Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
as "The Tailor", he was a friend, supporter and biographer of Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
(his The Life and Times of Robert Owen was published posthumously in 1889) and aided Samuel Plimsoll
Samuel Plimsoll
Samuel Plimsoll was a British politician and social reformer, now best remembered for having devised the Plimsoll line .-Early life:Plimsoll was born in Bristol and soon moved to Whiteley Wood...
in his campaign to improve safety at sea.
Politicisation
Jones left Ireland for ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1827 in pursuit of work. where he followed his father's trade taking employment as a fustian cutter
Fustian
Fustian is a term for a variety of heavy woven, mostly cotton fabrics, chiefly prepared for menswear. It is also used to refer to pompous, inflated or pretentious writing or speech, from at least the time of Shakespeare...
and soon after joining the Journeyman's Union of Fustian Cutters was appointed its Secretary.
When there was some expectation of another Peterloo Massacre
Peterloo Massacre
The Peterloo Massacre occurred at St Peter's Field, Manchester, England, on 16 August 1819, when cavalry charged into a crowd of 60,000–80,000 that had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation....
, Jones, like many thousands of others in the North, provided himself with arms, with a view to active resistance.
He joined the Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
Co-operative Society in 1829 and ran its free school until 1831. He subsequently became the chief platform advocate for Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
's plan of village companies and later, when Owen's emphasis shifted to the utopian and religious, Jones was a paid Owenite "Social Missionary". He continued evangelising until the mission was ended in 1845. For many years these plans were vigorously opposed by the clergy who regarded Owen's theories as immoral. Jones had a good presence and a fine voice, with readiness and courage in controversy. He was regarded as the best public debater of his day, and was in more discussions than any other of Owen's supporters. When the Chartists proposal of a month's annual holiday was put forward in 1839 with a view to showing practically the importance of the labouring classes, Jones was appointed to address the chartists of the Manchester district with whom the strength of the movement rested. An audience of five thousand men assembled in the Carpenters' Hall and a further five thousand outside. After Jones' speech in opposition to the "sacred month" the project was abandoned. He was later appointed a member of the first Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
.
Religion
Jones was born in to an Irish family of Welsh immigrant ancestry but in 1837 dropped his forename - Patrick - as a way of distancing himself from his father who had converted to Catholicism in the Protestant town of Bandon. His views became not only anti-Catholic but also anti-Christian blaming "a great portion" of the evils in the world on Christianity. Jones however stopped short of atheism and held views which nowadays would be considered agnostic."Now what is an atheist? Is it not a man who denies the existence of God? Did I do that? Did I not tell you my knowledge was not sufficient to enable me to say that that being did not exist? Did I not tell I could not say he was there, nor positively say that he was not there?"
Co-operative movement
Until his death, Jones was officially connected with the co-operative movement and had a chief part in its organisation and development. He largely contributed to political and co-operative journalism editing periodicals in Leeds and London as well as writing many pamphlets. Jones was founder of the Co-operative Industrial and Commercial Union, was on the inaugural board of the Co-operative Union and was involved in the organisation of the first annual Co-operative CongressCo-operative Congress
The Co-operative Congress is the national conference of the UK Co-operative Movement. The first of the modern congresses took place in 1869 following a series of meetings called the "Owenite Congress" in the 1830s...
in 1869. He was President of the Co-operative Congress four times including the Oldham Congress, 1885, the seventeenth annual meeting of the co-operative movement and was frequently appointed arbitrator in trade union disputes.
Death
Jones died of cancer at home in StockwellStockwell
Stockwell is a district in inner south west London, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Kennington all border Stockwell...
, 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...
on 22 May 1886. He is buried in Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
with his wife who outlived him for only nine days.
Selected publications
- A reply to Mr. R. Carlile's objections to the five fundamental facts as laid down by Mr. Owen A. Heywood, Manchester, 1837
- The Progress of the Working Class, 1832-1867 (with John Malcolm Forbes Ludlow), A.Strahan, London, 1867
- Life, Times and Labours of Robert Owen 1889
Selected journalism
- Spirit of the Age (1848)
- Spirit of the Times (1849)
- Glasgow Sentinel (1850–63) (writing as Cromwell)
- North British Daily Mail (1859–65)
- London Reader (1863)
- Industrial Partnerships Record (1867–9)
- Bee-Hive and Industrial Review (1871–8)
- Co-operative News (1870s–80s)
- Newcastle Daily and Weekly Chronicles (1876–86)
- Miner's Watchman and Labour Sentinel (1878)