George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy

Thomas George Thomas 1st and last Viscount Tonypandy, politician: born 29 January 1909; MP (Labour) for Cardiff Central 1945-50, Cardiff West 1950-83; PPS to Minister of Aviation 1951; member, Chairman's Panel, House of Commons 1951-64; Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office 1964-66; Minister of State, Welsh Office 1966-67; Minister of State, Commonwealth Office 1967-68; Secretary of State for Wales 1968-70; PC 1968; deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means, House of Commons 1964-76; Speaker of the House of Commons 1976-83; created 1983 Viscount Tonypandy; chairman, Bank of Wales 1985-91; died Cardiff 22 September 1997.

George Thomas was the first Speaker of the House of Commons to be known by the whole nation; known, and loved too. In 1978, two years after his appointment, the BBC began broadcasting Today in Parliament and its opening call Order! Order!, declaimed in Thomas's rolling Rhondda accent, became a national catchphrase.