Gwenan Jones

Gwenan Jones (3 November 1889 – 12 January 1971)^[1] was a Welsh cultural historian, and was the first woman to stand in a general election for Plaid Cymru.

Jones studied for a master's degree at the University of Wales, then received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 1918, both in Welsh literature. She then became a lecturer at University of Wales, Aberystwyth, settling in Llandre.^[2] Jones became prominent in the Undeb Cymru Fydd, and on behalf of it, was a founder of the Wales International Society.^[3]

At the 1945 general election, Jones stood for the University of Wales constituency, taking 24.5% of the vote, was the first female Plaid candidate at a general election,^[4] and the only Plaid Cymru candidate in 1945 to hold her deposit.^[5] Despite this relative success, Jones felt disappointed at the party's lack of progress, and did not stand for election again.^[6] However, she remained involved with the party; in 1949, she chaired the launch of Plaid's "Parliament for Wales in Five Years" campaign.^[7]

Jones also became the president of the Welsh teachers' union, Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru.^[8]

In 1948, Jones took in a Latvian family from a displaced persons camp in Germany. The mother of the family initially worked as Jones' housekeeper, but later became a teacher and artist.^[9]