Historical and Art Medals, Numismatic Books

Glamorganshire, National Eisteddfod of Wales, Cardiff, 1883, a silver award medal by W. Spiridion, Prince’s plumes above conjoined shields, rev. seated and standing robed figures with musical instruments, edge named (Alfred Thomas, J.P., Ex-Mayor of Cardiff, Member of the Executive Committee), 45mm. Extremely fine and toned, very rare, particularly by association (£70-100)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Welsh and Eisteddfod Medals in Silver from the Collection of James Spencer.

View
Collection

Alfred Thomas, 1st Baron Pontypridd (1840-1927) was born at Penylan and educated at Weston School, Bath. Working as a contractor with his father Daniel, Thomas became a councillor for the Roath district of Cardiff in 1875, serving on it until 1886. On 9 November 1881 he was elected Lord Mayor of Cardiff at a salary of £300; during his term of office he played a large part in the decision to locate the University College for South Wales and Monmouthshire in the city, rather than Swansea, and gave £1,000 towards the fund to build it. He became a freeman of the borough in 1887. In 1885 he was elected Welsh Liberal MP for the new seat of East Glamorganshire, retaining the post until his retirement at the December 1910 general election. Outside his busy parliamentary career Thomas was a JP for Cardiff and Glamorgan, Deputy-Lieutenant for Glamorgan, the first president of the National Museum of Wales and president of Cardiff University. A staunch noncomformist, he composed hymns and was heavily involved in the religious revival movement which swept Wales in 1904 and 1905