Robert Richards (British politician)

Robert Richards (7 May 1884 – 22 December 1954) was a British Labour Party politician, who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wrexham in North Wales for three periods between 1929 and 1954.

He was born at Tanyffordd, Llangynog, Montgomeryshire, and started at the Llangynog Primary Council School on the 6 May 1889. He then attended the County School at Llanfyllin, Montgomeryshire at the same time as Clement Davies, later Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire for the Liberal Party for many years.

Robert Richards had the Chair of Economics at Bangor University, Caenarfonshire and also wrote a book published in 1933 called CYMRU'R OESAU CANOL. He was first elected at the 1922 general election, and was re-elected in 1923. In 1924 he served as Under-Secretary of State for India. At the 1924 general election he lost the seat to the Liberal Party candidate, Christmas Price Williams.

Richards was re-elected at the 1929 general election, but lost the seat two years later at the 1931 general election to the Liberal Party candidate, Aled Owen Roberts. Richards regained the seat at the 1935 general election and served as Wrexham's MP until he died in office aged 70 in 1954.

At the resulting Wrexham by-election in 1955, Idwal Jones held the seat for Labour.

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Robert Richards