17 Facts About Jim Griffiths

Jim Griffiths was a trade union leader and became the first Secretary of State for Wales, serving from 1964 to 1966 under Harold Wilson.

Jim Griffiths was born in the predominantly Welsh-speaking village of Betws, near Ammanford in Carmarthenshire.

The youngest of ten children, his father, William Jim Griffiths, was the local blacksmith.

Jim Griffiths was a pacifist and while campaigning against the Great War met fellow socialist Winifred Rutley, and they married in October 1918.

Jim Griffiths's brother was a Welsh poet who took the bardic name of 'Amanwy' after his native valley.

Jim Griffiths continued his education by attending night school and became an active socialist.

Jim Griffiths helped establish a branch of the Independent Labour Party in Ammanford in 1908 and soon became its secretary.

Jim Griffiths introduced the Family Allowances Act 1945, the National Insurance Act 1946 and the National Assistance and Industrial Injuries Act 1948.

Jim Griffiths served as Chairman of the Labour Party, and in 1950 he became Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Jim Griffiths used his good relationship with Hugh Gaitskell to commit the Labour Party to a measure of devolution.

At Wilson's instigation, Jim Griffiths established the Welsh Office and laid the foundations for the role until the 1966 general election, whereupon he returned to the backbenches.

Jim Griffiths was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour.

Jim Griffiths remained in Parliament until the 1970 general election, by which time he was about to turn 80 and was among Parliament's oldest MPs, and among the few born in the 19th century.

Jim Griffiths was succeeded in Llanelli by Denzil Davies, who fended off the Plaid Cymru challenge.

The previous year, Jim Griffiths had published his autobiography, Pages From Memory.

Jim Griffiths died in Teddington, Greater London, aged 84, leaving two sons and two daughters.

Jim Griffiths is buried at the Christian Temple chapel in Ammanford.