235:, the ship had to avoid both storms and the Spanish Navy who were attempting to block trade with their rebel colonies in South America. When they arrived at the mine there was no work and so Abraham returned to the coast and managed to gain working passage on a ship back to Britain. After being away for thirteen months he was fortunate to regain his old job. After a slump in 1869 he was placed on short time, he switched to a tinplate works in
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356:, one of twelve Lib–Lab MPs elected that year. However, following his election, Abraham did not seek to develop a power-base beyond the Liberal association which was dominated by those who had opposed him in 1885. Although he championed the cause of labour he believed that it could be accommodated within the Liberal programme.
276:
The miners were forced back to work and the A.A.M. became bankrupt and was dissolved. This left
Abraham as the only miners' agent in the entire South Wales area, as the other agents were forced to find other forms of employment. Abraham left Waunarlwydd and travelled to the Rhondda, a rapidly growing
186:
politician, and a member of parliament (MP) from 1885 to 1920. Although an MP for 35 years, it was as a trade unionist that
Abraham is most well known. Initially a pioneer of trade unionism, who fought to enshrine the principle of workers' representation against the opposition of the coal-owners, he
272:
District of the A.A.M. in 1872, and represented the district at national conferences in
Manchester and Wallsend. Despite helping to enroll 8,000 miners into the A.A.M. for his district, funds for the union were severely stretched after a series on strikes during the early to mid-1870s. In 1875,
337:, although there was no real prospect of him standing. During a fiercely contrasted election, it was alleged, however, that Abraham was 'specially retained to influence and prejudice the colliers and other men against Mr Nevill.' These efforts were in vain, however, as Nevill won the election.
289:
it was agreed that the union should be rebuilt and contributions should be made to a
District Fund. The Cambrian Miners' Association was reorganised and with Abraham as leader the membership grew from nothing in 1877 to 14,000 members in 1885, making it the largest of the seven district in the
38:
187:
was regarded in later life as a moderate voice believing that disputes should be solved through conciliation rather than industrial action. This drew him into conflict with younger and more militant leaders from the 1890s onwards. Although the defeat of the miners in the
242:
It was around the 1870s that he became known as a singer and poet, adopting the eisteddfod name Gwilym Mabon, soon Mabon was the title by which he would be best known. Abraham continued working in the mining industry and by 1871 was working at the
Caergynydd Pit in
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In 1871 Abraham became a representative for the cause of his fellow miners, when he negotiated for the workers of the
Caergynnydd Pit in a dispute with the managers. During the dispute, Lewis Morgan of the Abergorchy Colliery, who was the
281:, one of the few union wings of the A.A.M. to survive the parent union's collapse. Despite now being a prominent unionist, the spirit of the miners' within the Rhondda Valley was so low, that when he first addressed a meeting in
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during another strike, the (mine) Owners' Association, discovering the A.A.M. was low on funds, ruthlessly switched a 10 percent wage cut to a 15 percent cut. Only the anthracite district remained loyal to Mabon.
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which was established in the wake of the dispute. Abraham was noted for his powerful speaking voice, and was a renowned orator in
English and
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227:. In 1864 Abraham, with another eleven Welsh miners, agreed to work in a copper mine in Chile for three years. Sailing to
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was a clear defeat for Mabon's strategy, his prestige was sufficient to ensure that he became the first president of the
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in 1877 only 30 people attended. Abraham continued speaking to the miners, and by April 1877, at a meeting in
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650:"David Morgan ('Dai o'r Nant'), miners' agent. A Portrait of Leadership in the South Wales Coalfield"
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A door boy opened and closed the doors regulating the passage of air for ventilation underground.
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constituency. He resigned his seat in 1920, and died two years later aged 79.
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In 1898 he was one of the chief negotiators on behalf of the colliers in the
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215:, the fourth son of Thomas and Mary Abraham. He was educated at Cwmafan
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In 1874 Abraham was briefly mentioned as a possible candidate in the
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557:(3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.
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before finding work at the local colliery as a 'door boy'
174:(14 June 1842 – 14 May 1922), universally known by his
633:(3rd ed.). Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
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He held the
Rhondda seat until its abolition at the
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677:Democratic Rhondda: Politics and Society 1885-1951
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1633:Miners' Federation of Great Britain-sponsored MPs
555:British parliamentary election results 1918–1949
1718:Liberal Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies
717:contributions in Parliament by William Abraham
695:The Dictionary of Welsh Biography Down to 1940
585:The Dictionary of Welsh Biography Down to 1940
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691:Lloyd, John Edward; Jenkins, R.T. (1958).
581:Lloyd, John Edward; Jenkins, R.T. (1958).
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805:Agent for the Anthracite District of the
374:, he and most other Lib–Lab MPs from the
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833:Agent for the Rhondda District of the
679:. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
7:
610:Rebirth of a Nation. Wales 1889-1980
277:mining area, and in 1877 joined the
219:but left at a young age, becoming a
986:Miners' Federation of Great Britain
937:Miners' Federation of Great Britain
631:Wales in British Politics 1868–1922
614:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
376:Miners' Federation of Great Britain
367:of which Abraham became president.
389:, when he was elected for the new
321:of Abraham during 1898 coal strike
14:
266:Amalgamated Association of Miners
182:, was a Welsh trade unionist and
726:Parliament of the United Kingdom
36:
863:South Wales Miners' Federation
835:South Wales Miners' Federation
807:South Wales Miners' Federation
648:Pretty, David A. (June 2001).
598:. Denbigh: Gee & Sons Ltd.
370:Before his re-election at the
365:South Wales Miners' Federation
329:constituency in opposition to
193:South Wales Miners' Federation
1:
1638:People from Neath Port Talbot
1406:Colliery Officials and Staffs
990:National Union of Mineworkers
898:American Federation of Labour
372:January 1910 general election
279:Cambrian Miners' Association
1628:British trade union leaders
340:Abraham was elected at the
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629:Morgan, Kenneth O (1991).
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699:. Cardiff: William Lewis.
589:. Cardiff: William Lewis.
361:Welsh coal strike of 1898
348:(Lib–Lab) MP for the new
255:Early trade union history
189:Welsh coal strike of 1898
165:
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675:Williams, Chris (1996).
596:Stories of Wales: Book 3
594:McCririck, Mary (1963).
576:. London: Phoenix House.
85:Constituency established
1658:Liberal-Labour (UK) MPs
1436:Lancashire and Cheshire
754:Constituency abolished
452:McCririck (1963) p. 103
443:McCririck (1963) p. 102
896:representative to the
322:
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894:Trades Union Congress
486:Lewis (1959), pg 167.
477:Lewis (1959), pg 165.
468:Lewis (1959), pg 166.
387:1918 general election
342:1885 general election
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292:South Wales coalfield
1525:Mid and West Lothian
1520:Mid and East Lothian
1384:Affiliates and areas
791:Trade union offices
655:Welsh History Review
572:Lewis, E.D. (1959).
298:Parliamentary career
207:Abraham was born in
50:Member of Parliament
26:The Right Honourable
16:Welsh trade unionist
1455:North Staffordshire
1266:General Secretaries
574:The Rhondda Valleys
515:. 13 February 1874.
429:Lloyd (1958), pg 1.
327:Carmarthen Boroughs
845:David Watts Morgan
604:Morgan, Kenneth O.
544:Books and Journals
528:Democratic Rhondda
500:. 30 January 1874.
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218:
214:
210:
202:
200:
198:
194:
190:
185:
181:
177:
173:
164:
160:
155:
152:
148:
144:
140:
131:
127:
123:
119:
114:
110:
105:
101:
98:
95:
89:
86:
83:
77:
71:
66:
61:
56:
51:
47:
43:
39:
34:
27:
22:
19:
1643:Welsh miners
1475:Warwickshire
1362:
1327:
1232:
1203:Collindridge
947:James Robson
934:
905:
902:1904
892:
860:
855:new position
854:
832:
827:New position
826:
804:
799:New position
798:
784:William John
768:Rhondda West
765:
760:
753:
737:
732:
710:
697:
692:
676:
664:. Retrieved
662:(3): 495–531
659:
653:
630:
609:
595:
587:
582:
573:
554:
527:
521:
512:
506:
497:
491:
482:
473:
448:
425:
405:
391:Rhondda West
384:
380:Labour Party
369:
358:
339:
324:
315:Western Mail
275:
258:
241:
206:
179:
171:
170:
154:Labour Party
134:(1922-05-14)
115:14 June 1842
97:William John
92:Succeeded by
84:
69:
55:Rhondda West
18:
1693:UK MPs 1910
1623:1922 deaths
1618:1842 births
1546:South Wales
1515:Lanarkshire
1491:North Wales
1357:En. Edwards
1292:Eb. Edwards
1155:Eb. Edwards
1036:Eb. Edwards
1012:En. Edwards
988:(MFGB) and
715:1803–2005:
378:joined the
317:cartoon by
245:Waunarlwydd
176:bardic name
161:(1885–1910)
156:(1910–1922)
132:14 May 1922
80:Preceded by
62:(1885–1918)
1612:Categories
1470:Shropshire
1416:Derbyshire
1411:Cumberland
1375:Richardson
1349:Treasurers
1316:Heathfield
998:Presidents
941:1904–1918
867:1898–1912
839:1898–1901
811:1898–1900
640:0708311245
526:Williams.
417:References
229:Valparaiso
203:Early life
1597:1984–1985
1551:Yorkshire
1396:Cleveland
1215:Schofield
553:(1983) .
287:Llwynypia
233:Cape Horn
221:tinplater
213:Glamorgan
143:Glamorgan
122:Glamorgan
74:1885–1920
70:In office
1536:Somerset
1530:Stirling
1505:Ayrshire
1501:Scotland
1460:Old Hill
1322:Scargill
1227:Thompson
1209:Bullough
1197:T. Jones
1191:E. Jones
1167:J. Jones
1149:Richards
1084:Scargill
1060:E. Jones
1048:J. Jones
1030:Richards
666:10 March
606:(1981).
513:Welshman
498:Welshman
1560:Strikes
1465:Pelsall
1401:Cokemen
1391:Bristol
1363:Abraham
1340:Kitchen
1328:Vacant?
1304:Paynter
1245:Stanley
1221:McGahey
1179:Lawther
1119:Smillie
1078:Gormley
1054:Lawther
1018:Smillie
1006:Pickard
740:Rhondda
712:Hansard
539:Sources
350:Rhondda
344:as the
270:Loughor
262:Rhondda
249:Swansea
247:, near
237:Swansea
209:Cwmafan
145:, Wales
124:, Wales
118:Cwmafan
60:Rhondda
1421:Durham
1369:Robson
1298:Horner
1280:Hodges
1274:Ashton
1257:Thomas
1251:Wilson
1233:Vacant
1185:Bowman
1173:Davies
1125:Harvey
1096:Wilson
1090:Lavery
1066:Machen
904:With:
685:Online
637:
618:
561:
283:Pentre
139:Pentre
1373:1921
1367:1918
1361:1904
1355:1889
1338:2007
1332:2002
1326:1992
1320:1992
1314:1984
1308:1968
1302:1959
1296:1946
1290:1932
1284:1924
1278:1919
1272:1889
1255:2012
1249:2010
1243:2002
1237:1992
1231:1989
1225:1987
1219:1973
1213:1969
1207:1963
1201:1961
1195:1954
1189:1950
1183:1939
1177:1934
1171:1933
1165:1932
1159:1931
1153:1929
1147:1924
1143:Walsh
1141:1922
1137:Smith
1135:1917
1131:House
1129:1914
1123:1912
1117:1909
1113:Woods
1111:1889
1094:2012
1088:2002
1082:1982
1076:1971
1070:1960
1064:1960
1058:1954
1052:1939
1046:1934
1040:1932
1034:1931
1028:1929
1024:Smith
1022:1922
1016:1912
1010:1904
1004:1889
992:(NUM)
397:Notes
354:Wales
197:Welsh
180:Mabon
1592:1974
1587:1972
1582:1969
1577:1926
1572:1912
1567:1893
1431:Kent
1334:Kemp
1310:Daly
1286:Cook
1239:Cave
1072:Ford
917:and
885:and
777:1920
773:1918
749:1918
745:1885
668:2014
635:ISBN
616:ISBN
559:ISBN
333:and
231:via
129:Died
112:Born
53:for
1161:Lee
1042:Lee
1614::
660:20
658:.
652:.
457:^
434:^
382:.
294:.
251:.
239:.
211:,
199:.
178:,
141:,
120:,
1532:)
1503:(
1482:)
1448:(
978:e
971:t
964:v
775:–
747:–
670:.
643:.
624:.
567:.
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