Showing 9 results

Archival description
Griff Jones Papers
Print preview View:

Griff Jones Papers

  • GB 0210 GRIFJO
  • Fonds
  • 1867-1968

A collection, relating to the formative years of the Labour Party, including over 20 signed letters and 25 postcards from J. Ramsay MacDonald (1866-1937), who served as Prime Minister from 1929 to 1935; 7 signed letters from Philip Snowden (1864-1937), Chancellor of the Exchequer under Ramsay MacDonald; a signed photograph postcard of Keir Hardy; a copy of James Ramsay MacDonald, Labour's Man of Destiny, first edition, signed by the author; and 6 photographs, some featuring Snowden, Grenfell, and Ramsay MacDonald. Also included are letters from JRM's private secretary, Ethel Snowden, C. Rowden Buxton and Ben Tillett. The recipient of the correspondence was Griff Jones, a Labour Party activist from Swansea, who also drew satirical cartoons under the name 'Gytto'.

Jones, Griff

Labour's Early Struggles in Swansea by Stan Awbery

A copy of "Labour's Early Struggles in Swansea" by Stan Awbery JP, MP with an introduction by D. R. Grenfell and drawings by Griff Jones. The vol. also includes the Gower Society progamme for July - October 1966, the Gower Society Newsletter for June 1966, some fragments and newspaper cuttings including a story from the South Wales Evening Post dated 26 July 1988 abt a book by Sheila MacDonald, daughter of Ramsay MacDonald.

Awbery, Stan, 1888-1969

Letters from Philip Snowden

Letters from Philip Snowden along with one from his wife, Ethel, to Griff Jones between 1911 and 1923. The letters are both typed and handwritten and relate mostly to speaking engagements although one, dated 4 January 1918, refers to a prisoner named "Wallhead", possibly a conscientious objector.

Snowden, Philip Snowden, Viscount, 1864-1937

Letters from Ramsay MacDonald

Letters sent from Ramsay MacDonald to Griff Jones, Swansea between 111 and 1931. The letters and both typed and handwritten and are addressed formally "Dear Sir" and informally "My Dear Griff", "My Dear Griffith Jones" and deal with a number of subjects including arrangements for speaking engagements in Swansea, the Women's Social and Political Union, women's suffrage, representation of labour on the (teachers'?) pension committee, god wishes to Griff's wife, elections and the Labour Party along with a handwritten essay entitled "Ramsay MacDonald replies to his critics".

MacDonald, James Ramsay, 1866-1937

Newspaper cuttings

Four newspaper cuttings; front page of the New York Times dates 13 October 1929 and containing a articles on Ramsay MacDonald's visit to the United States of America, his speech for World Peace and his birthday; a cutting from an unknown newspaper dated 30 March 1978 referring to restoration of two paintings by Sir Frank Brangwyn at the National Museum of Wales, an undated newspaper cutting showing a photographs of a man receiving a degree and a newspaper cutting from an unknown paper dated 6 February 1981 with a photograph of Windfall Island in Seymour Canal, Alaska.

Other papers

Various letters and papers sent to or collected by Griff Jones including; a handwritten reference for Griff Jones by the School Board for London dated 30 August 1901, a receipt from the Swansea Burial Board dated 24 August 1867 for re-opening the grave of Mary Jones; a letter dated 17 May 1917 from Swansea Borough Council asking schools to report all staff who were conscientious objectors, a letter of thanks from Swansea Borough Council to Griff Jones dated 14 February 1942 for 40 years of service to education, a letter dated 1 September 19199 from George Lansbury in Harlech and a hand drawn map showing the voyage of a ship between Liverpool and Yokohama.

Lansbury, George, 1859-1940

Photographs

Seven photographs showing the 1st Glos. Royal Engineers at Winchcombe Camp in 1897 (names on rear), teachers at Glanmor School, Swansea ca. 1920, including Griff Jones, D. R. Grenfell addressing an open air meeting, a photograph of Ramsay MacDonald with Joe Branch, Alderman John Lewis, David Williams MP, William Jenkins MP, D. R. Grenfell MP and others and photographs showing D. R Grenfell and Philip Snowden.

Postcards from Ramsay MacDonald

A collection of 29 postcards sent by Ramsay MacDonald to Griff Jones between 119 and 1935 from various locations including Lossiemouth, Mount Kazbek, Salem Mass., Leipzig, Lake Lucerne, Monaco, Vienna, Athens, Ceylon and Constantinople. Most cards contain only a brief message such as "Kindest regards from Oberammergau, JRM" but some have more detailed messages.

MacDonald, James Ramsay, 1866-1937