Sir Robert Thomas, 1st Baronet

For other people named Robert Thomas, see Robert Thomas (disambiguation).

Sir Robert John Thomas, 1st Baronet (23 April 1873 – 27 September 1951) was a Welsh businessman and Liberal Party politician, who was twice elected to Parliament.

Sir Robert Thomas

Thomas was a ship and insurance broker.^[1] In 1918 he was created a Baronet, of Garreglwyd in the County of Anglesey.^[2][3]

Politics

He was elected at the 1918 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the new constituency of Wrexham. Standing as a Liberal, with the official backing of the David Lloyd George led Coalition Government, he faced only a Labour Party opponent and won 76% of the votes.

General election 1918: Wrexham^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert Thomas	20,874	76.3	n/a
	Labour	Hugh Hughes	6,500	23.7	n/a
Majority			14,374	52.6	n/a
Turnout				69.7	n/a
	Liberal win

At the 1922 general election he stood as a National Liberal Party candidate for Anglesey, losing by a margin of 9% to the sitting Labour MP Sir Owen Thomas.

1922 General Election: Anglesey^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Owen Thomas	11,929	54.2	+3.8
	National Liberal	Robert Thomas	10,067	45.8	−3.8
Majority			1,862	8.4	+7.6
Turnout				80.5
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.8

However, Owen Thomas died in January 1923, and at the resulting by-election in April Robert Thomas won a 3-way contest with 53% of the votes, and a 23% majority over the second-placed Labour candidate.^[6]

1923 Anglesey by-election^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert Thomas	11,116	53.3	+7.5
	Labour	Edward John	6,368	30.5	−23.7
	Unionist	Richard Owen Roberts	3,385	16.2	n/a
Majority				22.8
Turnout				76.4
	Liberal gain from Labour		Swing	+15.6

He was returned unopposed at the general election in December 1923. He was returned by a majority of 28% over his Labour opponent at the election in 1924.

General election 1924: Anglesey^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert Thomas	13,407	63.9
	Labour	Cyril O Jones	7,580	36.1
Majority			5,827	27.8
Turnout				74
	Liberal hold		Swing

He stood down from Parliament at the 1929 general election.

Arms

Coat of arms of Sir Robert Thomas, 1st Baronet

Crest On the waves of the sea Proper between two anchors Sable a ship in full sail Proper. Escutcheon Per pale Gules and Azure on a chevron Argent between in dexter chief a sower scattering seed and in sinister chief on eagle displayed both Or and in base a garb of the last three fleurs-de-lis Sable. Motto Fac Recte Et Nil Time[9]

References

1. Kidd, Charles; Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, ^{[page needed]}
2. "No. 30876". The London Gazette. 30 August 1918. p. 10173.
3. Leigh Rayment's list of baronets
4. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
5. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
6. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
7. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
8. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
9. Burke's Peerage. 1959.

Further reading

• Richards, Emlyn. Syr Robert John Thomas, y Garreglwyd (Sir Ifor Williams Memorial lecture.) Given in Anglesey, 31 October 1997

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Robert Thomas

Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Wrexham 1918 – 1922	Succeeded by Robert Richards
Preceded by Sir Owen Thomas	Member of Parliament for Anglesey 1923 – 1929	Succeeded by Megan Lloyd George
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Baronet (of Garreglwyd) 1918 – 1951	Succeeded by William Eustace Rhyddlad Thomas