User:Johnleighdavies/sandbox

12:02, 18 June 2020 (UTC)Leopeasy

Jack Davies's  actual name was John Leigh Davies and he was sometimes called 'Jack The Bolshie' because of his membership of the Communist party of Great Britain (CPGB). He used his actual name for formal purposes such as Election Addresses.

He became chairman of the Glamorgan ('Scotch') Colliery Lodge Committee in 1915 and was a Rhondda District Councillor from 1935 to 1946.

Early Years
John Leigh Davies (known as Jack Davies)was born in 1882 at Heol Fach, Ogmore Vale South Wales He moved to Llwynypia, Rhondda with his family around 1900. At 11 he began work as a coal miner at Glamorgan Colliery known locally as 'Scotch Colliery'. Through his parents he was influenced by religion and attended Calvary chapel situated nearby in Ynyscynon where he developed the art of public speaking.

Political Awakening
Jack was a committed Christian and continued to attend Calvary chapel after his marriage to Mary Ann Carter in 1907. However his activism within the miners struggle, for better working conditions and higher wages, led him to dismiss his religious belief and develop an understanding of political radicalism and Socialism. Soon after he started work he became an active member of the South Wales Miners Federation(SWMF) and supported the Unofficial Reform Committee which campaigned for a greater say for grassroots members of the SWMF. He was a founder member of the Communist party of Great Britain and remained a member up until his death in 1950.

Trade Unionism
His involvement in the Cambrian Combine Miner's Strikes of 1910/11 which led to the Tonypandy Riots propelled Jack into positions of responsibility in the dispute and his election to the Glamorgan "Scotch" Colliery Lodge Committee. In 1912 he joined the Cambrian Combine Committee and was elected Llwynypia Lodge chairman in 1917.

Jack was imprisoned for 'sedition' in Nottingham in 1926. He was there to campaign against the breakaway union headed by George Spencer.

In 1930 he was expelled from the Cambrian Joint Committee having served for 18 years. As vice-chairman he would have become Chairman the next year.

He became Miner's Agent for Rhondda after being elected to the Executive Committee of the SWMF in 1935. He served in this capacity for 12 years.

Politics
Jack's trade union work and his admiration for the Russian revolution led him to join the Communist Party of Great Britain as a foundation member in 1921. He was an unsuccessful Communist candidate in local elections in 1925. He was nominated as the Communist Party parliamentary candidate for the Pontypridd constituency by election in February 1931 but despite a Daily Worker campaign the deposit could not be raised and he stood down. The same year he stood for parliament in the Rhondda West constituency. This time he polled 4,296 votes and saved his deposit. At the same election Arthur Hornerwas the Communist candidate in the neighbouring Rhondda East constituency. Horner and Jack maintained party unity but there were clear political differences emerging. Along with other party veterans 'hard-liner' Jack disagreed with Horner's willingness to compromise his militant principles.

Retirement
In line with his long held views about the retirement age Jack retired from public life in 1947 when he was 65. He died unexpectedly when undergoing a minor prostate operation in Porth hospital in 1950.