Fonds GB 0210 ELWYNES - Lord Elwyn-Jones Papers

Frederick Elwyn Jones (1909-1989) was born in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire; in 1927 he went to the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and in the following year to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, to read history. He was President of the Cambridge Union in 1931. He was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in 1935 and began to practice on the Welsh circuit in 1936. During his time in London he became involved in Labour politics and was introduced to many Fabians, including the Webbs, the Mitchisons and the Coles. In 1934 he visited Vienna, Austria, to assist the beleaguered Austrian Socialists and trade unionists who were being harassed. In 1936, as a representative of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, he visited Germany, Greece, Romania and Hungary. His publications during the 1930s, Hitler's Drive to the East, The Battle for Peace and The Attack from Within were based upon these travels. In 1937 he married the artist and writer Pearl Binder. In the Second World War he was appointed Staff Captain in the Department of Legal Services and was involved in cases in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Whilst in the army he was adopted as the prospective Labour Party candidate for the Plaistow division of West Ham and was elected in the 1945 General Election. In August 1945 the Attorney General asked him to appear for the prosecution in the Nuremberg War Trials and he was delegated to prepare the prosecution case against Admiral Raeder. During the period of Conservative rule from 1951 to 1964 he built up his legal practice, being particularly interested in trades union and negligence cases. He also attended trials abroad on behalf of various organizations, such as the International Commission of Jurists. During the years 1950-1974 he represented West Ham South, London. Following the Labour victory in the 1964 General Election he was appointed Attorney General and, in this capacity, was involved with the discussions over Rhodesia. He prosecuted the Moors Murder case and opened inquiries into the Aberfan and Torrey Canyon disasters. He was also responsible for establishing the Law Commission under Sir Leslie Scarman. In 1974, following Labour's general election victory, Harold Wilson appointed him Lord Chancellor, a post he retained until 1979. He adopted the title Lord Elwyn-Jones of Llanelli and Newham. When Labour lost the 1979 General Election he became a Lord of Appeal. In 1983 his memoirs, entitled In My Time, were published. Lord Elwyn- Jones died on 4 December 1989, at the age of 80.
His brother, Dr Walter Idris Jones (1900-1977), was a distinguished scientist and sportsman. He captained the Welsh international rugby team in 1925. In 1933 he became the research manager of Powell Dyffryn Limited and was appointed director-general of research at the National Coal Board in 1946. In 1962 he became director-general of research and development (Coal Processing and Combustion) at the National Coal Board. He died unmarried in 1977.