David Thomas

David Thomas (16 July 1880 – 27 June 1967) was a Welsh educationalist, Welsh language writer and Labour Party pioneer in Wales. Born in Llanfechain, Montgomeryshire, he taught mainly in Wales, initially as a non-certificated teacher, but he obtained a teacher's certificate in 1905. Thomas was active in the Labour Party and labour movement in North Wales. His first book, Y Werin a'i Theyrnas (The People and Their Kingdom, 1910), was influential on trade unionists and Welsh Labour members.

Family and teaching Thomas was the son of David Thomas, a mason and farmer, and his wife Elizabeth (née Jones) of Llanfechain. He attended school there and in Llanfyllin and Oswestry, before starting work in a Llanfyllin draper's shop. As a conscientious objector, Thomas spent the First World War working on a farm at Bersham, near Wrexham. On 19 July 1919, he married Elizabeth Ann Williams (died 1955) of New Broughton, Wrexham, with whom he had a son (Arial M. Thomas) and a daughter. He died at his daughter's house at 2 Pen-y-bryn, Burry Port, outside Llanelli on 27 June 1967.

Thomas spent the years 1895–1899 as a pupil-teacher at the British School in Llanfyllin and then took up uncertified teaching at Pen-sarn, near Amlwch, Anglesey, at Bridgend, Glamorganshire, and at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. He obtained a teacher's certificate in 1905 after attending classes in London, and taught further at Cradley, Herefordshire, in Nantlle Valley, Caernarfonshire (1905–1920), and at Bangor Central School (1922–1945).

Thomas was an effective public speaker and a prolific writer in Welsh of articles on political, literary and historical subjects. His autobiography, Diolch am gael byw. Rhai o f'atgofion (Thanks for Living), Liverpool, 1968), was published posthumously. His papers are held by the National Library of Wales.