Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1881-1931 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.887 cubic metres (21 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Edward Thomas (E. T.) John was born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, in 1857, but his family moved to Middlesborough, Durham, in 1871, where he began his career in the iron and steel industry. He became involved in politics following his retirement from the management of the Linthorpe-Dinsdale Smelting Company, Middlesbrough, in 1910. He became Liberal Member of Parliament for East Denbighshire, 1910-1918, and an advocate of Home Rule for Wales. Although defeated in the 1918 West Denbighshire election, when he ran as a Labour and Welsh Nationalist candidate, and a further three times between 1922 and 1924 as a candidate for Brecon and Radnor and Anglesey, John continued to be involved in issues of governmental reform in Wales and in Welsh culture. He became the elected head of the Union of Welsh Societies (from which the Celtic Congress later emerged), 1916-1926, and president of the Peace Society, 1924-1927. John also had interests in education and agriculture in Wales and wrote a number of articles for newspapers and periodicals including Y Beirniad and The Welsh Outlook. He died in Kent on 16 February 1931.
Archival history
E. T. John's correspondence (Group 1/1-5214) was originally arranged into subject categories which were not mutually exclusive. It was rearranged in 1975 into a chronological order with an index to the correspondents. Two bank books, 1929-1932, were withdrawn by the depositor, Mrs J. G. Ivor Jones, Bangor, Gwynedd, 23 September 1977.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Group 1 (1-65599): Deposited by the executors of the will of E. T. John, 1931.
Group 2 (1-170): Deposited by Mrs J. G. Ivor Jones, Bangor, Gwynedd, per Albert C. Merry, London, February 1977.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Personal and political papers of E. T. John, 1881-1931, including correspondence, 1886-1931; personal and family papers, 1882-1930; political papers, 1907-1930; papers relating to Welsh and Celtic cultural movements, 1912-1930; posters and programmes, 1881-1927; and miscellaneous papers and publications, [c. 1894]-1930.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged into the following: 1931 deposit: correspondence, arranged chronologically; personal and family papers; political papers; papers relating to Welsh cultural movements; and miscellaneous papers and publications; and 1977 deposit: a separate numerical sequence arranged as follows; correspondence; speeches, press releases, articles and publications; posters and programmes; news cuttings; and miscellaneous.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply
Language of material
- English
- Welsh
- French
Script of material
Language and script notes
English, Welsh, some letters in French.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Peace Society of Great Britain -- Records and correspondence (Subject)
- Liberal Party (Great Britain) (Subject)
- Labour Party (Great Britain) (Subject)
- Undeb Cenedlaethol y Cymdeithasau Cymraeg -- Correspondance. (Subject)
- Celtic Congress -- Archives. (Subject)
- John, Edward T. (Edward Thomas), 1857-1931 -- Archives (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
February 2003
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Catalogues of E. T. John Papers; Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940 (London, 1959).
Archivist's note
Compiled by Richard Burman for the ANW project.