Granville West, Baron Granville-West
Daniel Granville West, Baron Granville-West (17 March 1904 – 23 September 1984) was a British Labour politician. After establishing a successful solicitors practice, guided by Welsh baptist principles, he became a leading socialist in the post-war era. Baptised at the Tabernacle English Baptist Church, Monmouthshire, he remained a dedicated member all his life. Prominent in the opposition party during the Gaitskell period in 1950s and early 1960s, he remained committed to law and order in Wales, and nationalisation of the rail industry. He was horrified by the legacy of Imperial decline which he blamed for growing unemployment in the valleys.

Born to John West and Elizabeth Bridges in Newbridge, Monmouthshire. West was educated at Newbridge Grammar School studied law at the University College of Wales where he took the departmental first prize. Qualifying in 1929, he worked as a solicitor. A successful practice in Newbridge and Pontypool, Chivers and Morgan Solicitors acted as a financial and legal springboard for a political career. A strong Baptist tradition continued to have a significant presence in the Liberal and Labour parties during the early part of Twentieth century. Granville-West was an advocate of nonconformist education as Sunday School Superintendent; and in his practice was the Solicitor to Monmouthshire Welsh Baptist Association. When war broke out he was already a prominent local personage serving as a councillor on Monmouthshire County Council 1939–47. During World War II, he served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, being promoted Flight Lieutenant.

West gained political experience between the wars on Aberdarn Urban District Council from 1934 to 1938, before being made a County Councillor. After the war ended he was demobilised, and returned to the legal profession. He was rejoined by partner Emrys Morgan forming the firm Granville-West and Morgan. Encouraged by the Attlee government to seek a seat in parliament, he alighted on Pontypool because the firm had taken over Harold Saunders practice in 1943, providing a unique opportunity in a safe Labour area.

West was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontypool in a by-election in July 1946. He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to James Chuter Ede, Home Secretary, in 1950, but the next year Labour lost the general election. He was also president of the South Wales and Monmouthshire branch of the Probation Officers Association and chairman of the Advisory Council on Civil Aviation in Wales. During the Suez Crisis he was strongly in favour of supporting Israel's stance against Egypt proposed by the Eden government. In the House he persistently asked questions about employment, the levels of unemployment, the jobless statistics and how the valleys might benefit from Development areas. He sought compensation for miners, their tenancies and, National Assistance for pensioners.

On 12 January 1937 he married Vera, daughter of J.Hopkins of Pontypool. They moved into Brynderwen, Abersychan, Pontypool, and had a son and a daughter.

In 1958 he was one of the first three Labour nominees chosen by leader Hugh Gaitskell to be created a life peer as Baron Granville-West, of Pontypool in the County of Monmouth by letters patent, and was succeeded as MP for Pontypool by Leo Abse. Lord Granville-West's maiden speech on 26 November 1958 tackled the issue of the Welsh language in schools. He was a strongly committed Welshman, passionate about 'Welshness' and the rights of countrymen. An advocate of industrial expansion in the South Wales valleys he opposed decline, promoting the cause of railway maintenance to the British Transport Commission. He hoped to attract new industries in the 'white heat of technology', having opposed the Beeching cuts. During 1970s industrial decline was accompanied by a shortage of decent housing. Lord Granville-West evolved into a moderniser supporting the enfranchisement of leaseholders to allow more working-class people to aspire to own their own home. Baron Granville-West died in Pontypool aged 80, and was buried at Panteg Cemetery, Pontypool.
Q9630
Labour
Concept
Q3401149
Newbridge
LOC
Q1245075
Monmouthshire
LOC
None
Newbridge Grammar School
UNK
Q319761
University College of Wales
ORG
None
Chivers and Morgan Solicitors
UNK
Q1245075
Monmouthshire
LOC
Q4321471
County Council
Concept
Q362
World War II
EVE
Q17053865
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
MEDIA
None
Aberdarn Urban District Council
UNK
None
Emrys Morgan
UNK
Q16707842
Member of Parliament
PER
Q7228406
Pontypool
LOC
Q3477321
Parliamentary Private Secretary
PER
Q334318
James Chuter Ede
PER
Q2484309
Home Secretary
Concept
None
Probation Officers Association
UNK
Q206814
Civil Aviation
Concept
Q2914468
life peer
Concept
Q1021164
Pontypool
LOC
Q1245075
County of Monmouth
LOC
Q333876
Leo Abse
PER
Q3246355
British Transport Commission
MEDIA
Q1160939
Granville West, Baron Granville-West
PER
1904-03-17T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
17 March 1904
DATE
1984-09-23T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
23 September 1984
DATE
1950-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1950
DATE
1960-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1960
DATE
1929-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1929
DATE
1939-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1939
DATE
1934-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1934
DATE
1938-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1938
DATE
1943-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1943
DATE
1946-07-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
July 1946
DATE
1950-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1950
DATE
1937-01-12T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
12 January 1937
DATE
1958-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1958
DATE
1958-11-26T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
26 November 1958
DATE
1970-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1970
DATE
+47^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
47
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+80^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
80
NUMBER
member of political party
date of birth
date of death
place of death
historic county
position held
historic county