W. J. Parry.

William John Parry of Coetmor, labour leader and author, was born on the 28 September 1842 in Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. Active in politics throughout his life, he took a leading part in the famous 1868 election. He was a supporter of Home Rule for Wales and at the National Eisteddfod of 1882, he read a paper to the Cymmrodorion Society on Local, Provincial, and Imperial Government . This paper was not published in the Society's Transactions until 1917-1918, because it was regarded at the time as being too revolutionary. In it he proposed the reorganisation of local government, the reform of the House of Lords and the establishment of provincial councils for Wales, Scotland etc.

W. J. Parry was a member of the first Caernarfonshire County Council in 1889 and its chairman in 1892-1893. He took a prominent part in the creation of the North Wales Quarryman's Union in 1874 and became its first secretary. Later he became its president for some years. In 1879 he visited slate quarries in the United States at the Union's request.

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