Abel Thomas

In 1890 a vacancy arose in the East Carmarthenshire constituency following the death of David Pugh, the octogenarian member since 1885.

[1] However, within a few days all had withdrawn with the exception of Thomas and Gwilym Evans, vice-chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council.

[3] As a result, Thomas felt compelled at a subsequent meeting at Llandeilo to appeal that his lack of fluency in Welsh should not be held to support his opponent.

emphasising his prominent role as a member of Carmarthenshire County Council, and stating that he would follow in the footsteps of Mabon, David Randell and Tom Ellis.

[6] Within two years of his election there were criticisms of Thomas within the constituency, leading to a vote of no confidence by the Llandeilo Liberal Association in May 1892.

[7] At the annual meeting of the Liberal Association at Ammanford some weeks later, Thomas defended his record, insisting that he must remain free to take on legal work from whoever engaged him, as this allowed him to serve in Parliament.

It was argued that Davies would gain support from Calvinistic Methodists, who opposed Thomas's links to the liquor trade.

Few people, complained a Welshman editorial, could have concerned themselves less with the business of the constituency than Mr. Abel Thomas has done during the time he has been in Parliament.

In 1907 the miners of the constituency nominated David Morgan, secretary of the Anthracite District of the SWMF as Thomas's successor.

[12] Thomas died suddenly of heart failure on 23 July 1912 in his hotel at Swansea where he had gone for the Glamorgan Assizes.