WILLIAMS, Sir EVAN (1871 - 1959), BARONET and colliery owner

Born 2 July 1871, son of Thomas Williams, colliery owner, of Llwyn Gwern, Pontarddulais, Glamorganshire. Educated at Christ College, Brecon, and Clare College, Cambridge, he returned to Carmarthenshire in 1892 to assist in his father's colliery company. His election in 1913 as chairman of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coalowners Association marked the beginning of a long period of prominence for him in the coal industry both in south Wales and in Britain in general. Serving on the 'Sankey' Coal Industry Commission in 1919, he was a key figure during the troubled years of 1919-21 and of 1925-26, principally because of his position as president of the Mining Association of Great Britain, a post to which he was elected in 1919 and which he was to hold for the record period of twenty-five years. He was a determined negotiator who was successful in securing district-based wages and hours of work instead of the national wage agreement canvassed by the Miners' Federation of Great Britain.

He remained in active control of his family business, Thomas Williams and Sons (Llangennech), Ltd., until the mid-1940s and became a director of some large industrial and commercial concerns such as Powell Duffryn, Rhymney Iron and Coal, Welsh Associated Collieries, Great Western Railway and Lloyd's Bank. He was also a vice-president of the Federation of British Industries and served on a number of official or technical organisations connected with the coal industry.

He married in 1903 Charlotte Mary, daughter of David Lackie, J.P. of Montrose. There were no children. In 1922-23 he was High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire and subsequently he was Deputy Lieutenant and a J.P. for the county. He was created a baronet in 1935 and died 3 February 1959.

Author

• Graeme Holmes

Sources

• Dictionary of Business Biography (London 1986), vol. 5
• Mon. & S. Wales Coalowners' Assocn. Minute Books (at N.L.W.) MG12 et seq.
• Julian Symons, The General Strike a historical portrait (1957)
• Colliery Guardian, 197 (1959), 208

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Sir Evan Williams, 1st Baronet

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q15999400

Published date: 2001

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/