The daughter of a Welsh politician who strove against the social and legal restrictions of women in both politics and business in the early twentieth century to become a leader in both fields.
Dr Russell Deacon writes...
Margaret Haig Thomas was the only daughter of the David Alfred Thomas the Liberal MP for Merthyr Tydfil and later Cardiff. He was also the proprietor of the Cambrian Coal Combine and various other businesses.
Margaret was born into a life of substantial luxury and alternated her upbringing between London, Scotland and her family's mansion in Llanwern, Newport. Yet Margaret did not care of the social conventions or restrictions of the time and her ambition at school was to be none other than the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
There was still no place for women in Welsh politics let alone national government during Margaret's formative years. Therefore her political ambitions would have to be set in a different direction. Margaret was initially a Liberal who followed in her father's reforming footsteps. She then married the Welsh Conservative Humphrey Mackworth in 1908.
She soon, however, rejected the social life of Mackworth linked to hunting and within four months of marriage had engaged herself fully into the suffragette movement. She joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and took part in its campaign to help secure votes for women.
Margaret now threw herself into the heart of the protest movement which included the protest marches with the Pankhursts, jumping onto the running board of Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Asquith's car in St Andrews and setting fire to pillar boxes. These activities resulted in serving a period of time in Usk prison where she was only released after going on a hunger strike. From 1908 until 1914 Margaret took the campaign for women's suffrage across South Wales, often to hostile and stormy meetings.
During the First World War she loyally supported her country, visiting the United States with her father, now ennobled Viscount Rhondda, to promote the British cause. On her return in 1915 she survived the sinking of the Lusitania, which ironically would eventually lead America's entry into the war on the Britain's side. Margaret now became the commissioner for national women's service in Wales and later in 1918 was made the chief recruiting officer for women in the United Kingdom
None of this campaigning however, prevented Margaret, a successful woman in her own right, becoming a politician. Upon the death of her father in 1918 she was allowed by the King (through a Special Remainder) to become a Peeress in her own right - Baroness Rhondda of Llanwern. Margaret was now one of the few peeresses for whom the title could pass down through the female line.
By the time of her ennoblement Margaret had already taken over the directorships of some 30 of her father's companies, when he had joined the war-time government as food controller. She now became an even more prominent figure and role model in the advancement of women's political and employment rights. In 1922 she led an unsuccessful campaign to allow women to sit in the House of Lords. They would not be allowed to sit there until 1958, the year of her death.
Although she was never to sit in the House of Lords Margaret did become the first female President of the Institute of Directors in 1926 and in 1922 established and from then on edited the influential weekly paper Time and Tide.
Margaret divorced in 1924 and had no children, so the title ended with her. With no children to carry on her legacy or political party to support her memory the 2nd Viscountess Rhondda is now a somewhat forgotten figure in Welsh politics. Her achievements, particularly in a time in which the social restrictions severely limited female involvement in politics are now perhaps an even greater cause for her to be remembered.
Politician and businesswoman
