Aneurin Bevan Biography and Timeline

Birth of Aneurin Bevan

Birth of Aneurin Bevan in Tredegar, Monmouthshire.

Role range: 1897-1960

Birth of Aneurin Bevan

Birth of Aneurin Bevan

Sirhowy School

Leaves school at thirteen and enters mining work.

Role range: 1897-1960

Entry into Coal Mining

Enters the South Wales labour movement through mining employment.

Ty-Trist Colliery Employment

Begins working underground at Ty-Trist Colliery.

Colliery Work

Begins work at Ty-Trist Colliery.

Role range: 1897-1960

South Wales Miners Federation

Joins the South Wales Miners Federation as a young miner.

Role range: 1897-1960

Working-Class Politics

Develops political views in the South Wales coalfield.

Role range: 1897-1960

Tredegar Medical Aid Society

Sees local mutual medical provision in Tredegar.

Role range: 1897-1960

Mining Dispute

Builds experience of union conflict and pit politics.

Role range: 1897-1960

Central Labour College

Studies at Central Labour College with union sponsorship.

Role range: 1897-1960

Return to Tredegar

Returns to South Wales after labour college training.

Role range: 1897-1960

Miners' Agent Work

Works in miners' politics and local Labour organisation.

Role range: 1897-1960

Local Labour Politics

Becomes prominent in Tredegar Labour politics.

Role range: 1897-1960

Death of David Bevan

Loses his father after illness linked to mining work.

Role range: 1897-1960

General Strike

Supports miners during the General Strike and lockout.

Role range: 1926-1926 – 1897-1960

Monmouthshire County Council

Wins election to Monmouthshire County Council.

Role range: 1897-1960

Ebbw Vale Election

Wins Ebbw Vale for Labour at the general election.

Role range: 1929-1960

Member of Parliament

Elected Member of Parliament for Ebbw Vale, 1929-60

Maiden Parliament

Enters Parliament as a young left-wing Labour MP.

Role range: 1929-1960

Unemployment Debate

Attacks government policy on unemployment and poverty.

Role range: 1929-1960

Labour Defeat

Keeps Ebbw Vale as Labour suffers national defeat.

Role range: 1929-1960

Member of Parliament

One of just 52 Labour MPs elected to Parliament

Council Return

Regains his county council seat after losing it in 1931.

Role range: 1897-1960

Tredegar Experience

Uses Tredegar medical aid as evidence for health reform.

Role range: 1929-1960

Health Politics

Draws on Tredegar medical aid experience in his health politics.

Role range: 1929-1960

Parliamentary Critic

Emerges as a forceful critic of Conservative policy.

Role range: 1929-1960

Spanish Civil War

Supports anti-fascist causes during the Spanish Civil War.

Role range: 1936-1939 – 1929-1960

Tribune

Helps launch Tribune as a socialist weekly.

Role range: 1929-1960

Anti-Appeasement

Opposes appeasement of fascist dictatorships.

Role range: 1929-1960

Expulsion from Labour

Is expelled temporarily from the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Role range: 1929-1960

Readmission to Labour

Is readmitted to the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Role range: 1929-1960

Churchill Government

Remains outside the wartime coalition government.

Role range: 1929-1960

War Critic

Criticises wartime government failures from the Labour left.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1929-1960

Civil Liberties

Warns against authoritarian habits during wartime emergency.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1929-1960

Beveridge Report

Supports ambitious implementation of postwar social reform.

Role range: 1929-1960

Beveridge Debate

Presses ministers to act more boldly on Beveridge.

Role range: 1929-1960

Beveridge Debate

Presses for more ambitious social and health reform.

Role range: 1929-1960

Health White Paper

Criticises cautious coalition health service proposals.

Role range: 1929-1960

NHS Vision

Advocates a comprehensive and publicly planned health service.

Role range: 1929-1960