Gwenan Jones

Gwenan Jones (1889 – 1971) was a Welsh cultural historian, also known as 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.^[1] Jones became prominent in the Undeb Cymru Fydd, and on behalf of it, was a founder of the Wales International Society.^[2]

At the 1945 general election, Jones stood for the University of Wales constituency, taking 24.5% of the vote, and becoming the first female Plaid candidate at a general election,^[3] and the only Plaid candidate in 1945 to hold her deposit.^[4] Despite this relative success, Jones felt disappointed at the party's lack of progress, and did not stand for election again.^[5] However, she remained involved with the party; in 1949, she chaired the launch of Plaid's "Parliament for Wales in Five Years" campaign.^[6]

Jones also became the president of the Welsh teachers' union, Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru.^[7]

In 1948, Jones took in a Latvian family from a displaced persons camp in Germany. The mother of the family initially worked as her housekeeper, but later became a teacher and artist.^[8]

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