How a Radical Group in Wales Shaped Aneurin Bevan's Path to Power

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In the 1920s, the south Wales town of Tredegar was largely controlled by private collieries and iron works, which wielded significant power over the lives of its working residents. It was in this environment that Aneurin Bevan, the son of a miner, began his journey toward influencing societal change. Bevan and his contemporaries formed the Query Club, an organization dedicated to understanding and achieving political and social transformation within their community.

Dr. Nye Davies, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University who has written extensively on Bevan, explained that the club's core strategy evolved into a pursuit of power. "I think they decided what we need to do is be on every single committee, every single board, every single institution that has some level of influence in the community and we need to get like-minded socialists on to those boards," Davies stated. This belief that change required occupying positions of influence was central to the Query Club's mission.

One prominent member of the Query Club was Walter Conway, who, despite being raised in a workhouse, developed a profound love of learning. Conway became the secretary of the Tredegar Medical Aid Society in 1915. Under his leadership, the society grew from 5,000 members to 20,000 by his death in 1933, encompassing 95% of the town's population. Initially a workers' health service funded by wage contributions, it expanded to cover families and non-miners, transforming into a universal healthcare model for Tredegar.

The Query Club also targeted the town's governing bodies, which were dominated by individuals associated with the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company. As socialists and members of the emerging Labour party, they aimed to shift this power dynamic. John Morgan, Bevan's great-nephew and a local councilor who has researched the club's history, noted that the Query Club's members were "radicals."

In 1922, the club supported Bevan's election to the town council. By 1929, 10 of the 16 members of the council were Labour, with five of those being from the Query Club. Bevan then moved to the county council in Newport, but he realized that ultimate power still eluded him. "Bevan said 'power is still eluding us, it's still elsewhere'," Davies recounted. "And that's what led him to go to Parliament as the ultimate place where power lay."

Bevan's election as MP for Ebbw Vale in 1929 marked his entry into Parliament. His time in Westminster saw him develop a reputation as a powerful orator. Davies suggests the Query Club played a role in shaping this skill. "These debates and arguments over ideas were really important in shaping Bevan's outlook as well," he said. "One of Bevan's strengths was his debating skills and his ability to deconstruct arguments."

The Query Club's legacy is preserved in the Tredegar Medical Aid Society Heritage Centre, which houses a small meeting room dedicated to the group. The club's strategic approach to gaining influence and its focus on intellectual debate are seen as foundational to Bevan's political trajectory, culminating in his pivotal role in establishing the National Health Service.