David Francis

Election material 1950-c1965; National Union of Mineworkers material 1944-1971; material regarding Onllwyn Collieries 1937-1959; Talygarn Miners' Rehabilitation Centre material 1956-1970; Communist Party material c1935-c1979; miscellaneous printed material 1903-c1976; photocopies 1899-c1920; miscellaneous personal papers (including song-sheets in Welsh and English) c1945-1985.

David Francis (often known as 'Dai') was born in 1911 in Pantyffordd, near Onllwyn in the Dulais Valley. He was the son of a miner, and in 1926 David began employment at Onllwyn No. 1 Colliery where his father also worked. He continued to work there until 1959. In 1936 he married Catherine and they had two children, Nancy who was born in 1939 and Hywel who was born in 1946.

In 1936 David Francis was elected Financial Secretary of the local lodge and in 1940 was elected Chairman. He continued in this role until 1959. In 1937 he joined the Communist Party. David Francis was a member of the Executive Council of the South Wales Miners' Federation (SWMF) 1943-1959 and visited the USSR as part of a National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) delegation. In 1959 he was appointed as Chief Administrative Officer of the NUM (South Wales Area) and in 1963 was elected General Secretary of the NUM. In 1974 he was elected First Chairman of the Wales Trades Union Congress (TUC). He retired in 1976. David Francis died in 1951.

Access unrestricted unless stated otherwise.

A hardcopy list is available in the searchroom.

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No publication without written permission from the Archivist.

See also GB 217 SWCC : MNC/PP/8 (David Francis Collection) which includes correspondence and miscellaneous personal papers of David Francis 1960-1976. A further deposit can be found at GB 217 SWCC : MNB/PP/24.