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'The Quarryman's Gladstone' - third secretary of the Union

William H. WilliamsBorn at Mynydd Llandygai, William H. Williams, (1848-1917) as one of eleven children, to his friends he was always William Arafon; Arafon being the name of his boyhood home. After very little education he started work at the Penrhyn Quarry when he was ten years old. Four years later he was splitting slates, so well he head learnt the skills and techniques. He was soon a leader in the solid, but jovial monoglot Welsh society that existed in the quarries of both Arfon and Meirionydd. In the 'Caban,' (being self taught) one would see him reading 'The Times' and translating it aloud into Welsh for his fellow workers at the same time.

Union involvement.

He was influentially involved in the Strike of 1874, though not in the foreground. By 1896-97 though, he had become one of the safest and wisest leaders the workers of Northern Wales had. In essence, W. H. Williams was a Trade Unionist, and when the migratory development towards the Labour party started, he went as well, but not because of Socialism as such.

 
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