Huw Robert Jones

{{short description|Welsh politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Huw Robert Jones (1894 – August 1930), known as H. R. Jones, was a Welsh nationalist politician.

Jones was born in Ebenezer in Caernarfonshire,John Davies et al, The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales, p.424 where he worked in the quarries from the age of thirteen,Meic Stephens, The New Companion to the Literature of Wales, p.382 and later as a travelling grocery salesman.D. Hywel Davies, The Welsh Nationalist Party, 1925-1945, pp.26, 44 He led a campaign to rename his home village as "Deiniolen", which was successful. Always a strong proponent of home rule for Wales, in 1924 he founded the Welsh Home Rule Army and, as one of its three most prominent leaders, he attended the founding meeting of Plaid Cymru.D. Hywel Davies, The Welsh Nationalist Party, 1925-1945, p.61 Saunders Lewis referred to Jones as the only Welsh nationalist who "would have received a post from Michael Collins".{{cite book|last=De Barra|first=Caoimhín|title=The Coming of the Celts, AD 1860: Celtic Nationalism in Ireland and Wales|year=2018|publisher=University of Notre Dame Press|location=Notre Dame|isbn=9780268103378}}{{rp|284}}

Plaid was founded in a hotel in Pwllheli, while the National Eisteddfod was underway. Jones was chosen as its first general secretary, but the other party founders convinced him to avoid non-violent direct action in their cause.D. Hywel Davies, The Welsh Nationalist Party, 1925-1945, p.69 In 1928, he stood for election to the county council in Upper Deiniolen, the party's only candidate, but he was not elected."[http://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/browse/viewpage/llgc-id:1277425/llgc-id:1287017/llgc-id:1287120/getText Forming Plaid Cymru]", National Library of Wales Journal (1983)

Although popular with party members, he was not regarded as an effective organiser.D. Hywel Davies, The Welsh Nationalist Party, 1925-1945, p.212 He contracted tuberculosis and in 1928, he became aware that he did not have long to live. He was compelled to scale back his role until his death in 1930.

After Jones' death, Gwenallt composed "Breuddwyd y Bardd" in his honour.