Ruth Jones tears up with emotion as she discovers granddad lobbied for founding of NHS
Actress Ruth Jones is set to discover that her granddad lobbied for the founding of the NHS in an upcoming episode of BBC1’s Who Do You Think You Are?
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Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones finds out how her grandad lobbied for the founding of the NHS – only to be denied a chance to work in it.
The actress and writer makes the emotional discovery on BBC1’s Who Do You Think You Are? after saying she’d “love to know more” about her grand-fathers, who died before she was born.
Talking about growing up in Porthcawl, South Wales, Ruth, 54, says: “My grandmothers both lived around the corner and were involved in bringing me up, but I never knew my grand-fathers.
It feels like there is a missing piece because they have been these elusive figures in our family for so long.”
On her fathers’ side of the family she learns that Henry Richard Jones, born in 1897, attended to those injured in the Navy early in the 20th Century before returing to work for Neath and District Medical Aid association and then the South Wales and Monmouthshire Alliance of Medical Aid Societies.
The groups provided medical treatment to workers and families for a small subscription.
Henry lobbied Minister of Health Aneurin Bevan, a fellow Welshman, to hold talks about forming a national health service.
But when the NHS was created in 1948, Henry’s application to work in it was rejected.
In tears, Ruth says: “I find that really sad because he was really fighting for everybody and kept persisting, had that brilliant CV and they say ‘no sorry, no room at the inn’.
“Even though he did not then get a job with the new NHS, his work helped influence the development of the National Health Service.”
An obituary in a regional paper described Ruth’s grandad as “a legend in his own lifetime” in medical circles.
“Good on you, grandfather,” says Ruth. “You gave back to life and helped a lot of people. I am a big believer that there are reasons why stuff happens. If he had got a job with the NHS he may never have left Neath and moved to Porthcawl. My dad would not have met my mum and I wouldn’t be sitting here now.”
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