VAUGHAN
,
WILLIAM HUBERT
(
1894
-
1959
),
railway guard and chairman of the Welsh Land Settlement Society
;
b.
21 Mar. 1894
, son of
Henry Charles
and
Catherine
Vaughan
,
Rogerstone, Mon.
He was educated at the
Eastern School
,
Port Talbot
, and, like his father and two brothers, was
employed on the railway
, where he served for 51 years, 34 of them as a
guard
. He became a well respected figure who undertook a remarkable variety of
public voluntary work
. He was a member of
Port Talbot borough council
,
1927-48
, served as
mayor
of
Port Talbot
,
1941
, became a
J.P.
in
1949
and was
Deputy Lieutenant for Glamorganshire
,
1957
. He took an
active interest in politics
, serving as
secretary
to the
Aberavon Constituency Labour Party
from
1934
till his death. From
1939
he became a member of
the
Glamorgan Agricultural Executive
, and was a member of the
Welsh National Forestry Committee
from
1945
. In
1948
he was appointed a
forestry commissioner
, and as a
member for Wales
he did much towards the ambitious planting scheme in which he saw great hope for the country. As a member of the
National Parks Commission
from
1952
he became a prime mover in designating the
Brecon Beacons
an area of outstanding natural beauty. He was elected
chairman
of the
Welsh Land Settlement Society Ltd.
in
1953
; he was appointed to the
Welsh Advisory Council of the B.B.C.
in
1957
, and was a member of
Milford Haven Conservancy Board
,
1958
, and of the
Glamorgan River Board
. He
contributed many articles to national periodicals, and Trades Union and political journals
. For service in both
World Wars
he was
awarded several medals
, and was appointed
C.B.E.
in
1958
for his public service. In
1921
he m.
May
Bishop
, they had one daughter and resided in
Wood Street
,
Taibach
, and later at
Groeswen Ganol
,
Port Talbot
. He d. suddenly at
Paddington Station
,
17 Apr. 1959
, on his way to attend a meeting of the
Forestry Commission
.
Bibliography:
-
Who was who?
;
-
The Times
,
20 and 22 Apr. 1959
.
Author:
Dr Mary Auronwy James, Aberystwyth
