His parents were among the thousands of people who migrated to the South Wales Valleys from the West Country in the late nineteenth century, following the expansion of the steam coal trade.

[2] Following an accident at the colliery requiring a prolonged period of recovery, Hall replaced his relative lack of formal education with extensive reading and self-education.

[1] On his election, when he defeated sitting Liberal member J.P. Davies by 31 votes, the Aberdare Leader described him as "a young man with very sturdy views.

During the 1930s, with the Labour Party numbers in the Commons severely depleted after the 1931 General Election, Hall began to speak on a broader range of subjects having previously focused mainly on issues relating to his mining background.

[1] During his long political career, Hall remained closely tied to his native town and valley and was regarded as an effective and approachable constituency MP.

[1] He was a member of the Church in Wales and was elected to its Representative Body[1] Lord Hall died in Leicester in November 1965, aged 83, and was succeeded by his son William.