Abi Williams (died 1963) was a Welsh nationalist who briefly served as the President of Plaid Cymru.

A member of the Independent Labour Party, Williams was known for his oratory.[1] In 1936, he left the ILP and joined Plaid Cymru,[2] and as a result was victimised and dismissed from his job, surveying roads in Flintshire; he eventually received compensation for the dismissal.[3]

Despite not being a prominent figure in Plaid, he was elected President in 1943.[1][3] He was also selected as the party's prospective candidate for Merioneth.[3] However, he was unable to fulfil either responsibility, as he suffered with what was described as a "nervous condition", and the leadership of the party was in practice covered by his Vice President, Gwynfor Evans.[4]

Evans replaced Williams as the candidate for Merioneth in the 1945 general election, and replaced him as party President later in the year.[3]

Williams died early in 1963.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Gwynfor Evans, For the Sake of Wales, pp. 60, 138
  2. ^ "Abi Williams – arweinydd a gweithiwr diflino", Welsh Nation, March 1963
  3. ^ a b c d e Alan Butt Philip, The Welsh Question: Nationalism in Welsh Politics, 1945–1970, p.73
  4. ^ "Evans, Gwynfor Richard", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Party political offices Preceded byJohn Edward Daniel President of Plaid Cymru 1943–1945 Succeeded byGwynfor Evans
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