The Reverend Sir David Thomas Rocyn-Jones,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, K St J, DL, JP (16 November 1862 – 30 April 1953) was a Welsh medical officer of health and servant of multiple professional bodies within Wales.

Professional career

Rocyn-Jones was born in

Rhymney Rhymney (; ) is a town and a community (Wales), community in the county borough of Caerphilly (county borough), Caerphilly, South Wales. It is within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshir ...

to a notable

bonesetter Traditional bone-setting is a type of a traditional medicine, folk medicine in which practitioners are engaged in joint manipulation. Before the advent of chiropractors, osteopaths, and physical therapists, bone-setters were the main providers o ...

, Thomas Rocyn Jones and Mary Rees, who was a descendant of the preacher Rhys Davies. He was educated at Lewis School, Pengam, and later at University College, Cardiff. Rocyn-Jones gained his MB in 1897 from the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

and then returned to Wales to become a

general practitioner A general practitioner (GP) is a doctor who is a Consultant (medicine), consultant in general practice. GPs have distinct expertise and experience in providing whole person medical care, whilst managing the complexity, uncertainty and risk ass ...

Abertillery Abertillery (; ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Blaenau Gwent County Borough, Wales. It is located in the Ebbw Fach Valley, Ebbw Fach valley, and the Monmouthshire (historic), historic county of Monmouthshire. The surrounding lan ...

where he also held the post of chief surgeon at the Powell CollieriesSmith (1980), pg 310. and Honorary Surgeon to

Abertillery RFC Abertillery Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Abertillery. According to their website, they were founded in 1883 by a coal miner named Doug Wallace who was a local resident who moved from Scotland in 1882, Wallace was know ...

.Thomas, Irene and Thomas, Keith. 1983 Abertillery Rugby Football Club, the Centenary Book, Barry, Wales Stewart Williams. After passing his DPH qualification in

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, he was appointed the first Medical Officer for Health for

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

in 1908, responsible for ill-health prevention strategies within the county, with a yearly salary of £600. Retiring from this post in 1946, he was succeeded by his son, Gwyn. He was one of the founders of the King Edward VII Welsh National Memorial Association, an organisation set up in 1911 to prevent and treat tuberculosis. Rocyn-Jones continued his relationship with University College, Cardiff, becoming its vice-president, and would later become involved in the creation of the University of Wales College of Medicine. In 1920 he was appointed a

, and in 1948 was knighted.

Association to professional bodies

Rocyn-Jones served on many professional bodies, including the

British Medical Association The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union and professional body for physician, doctors in the United Kingdom. It does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The BMA ...

and

St. John Ambulance St John Ambulance is an affiliated movement of charitable organisations in mostly Commonwealth countries which provide first aid education and consumables and emergency medical services. St John organisations are primarily staffed by volunte ...

. Outside of medicine, he also had a deep love and knowledge of

rugby football Rugby football is the collective name for the team sports of rugby union or rugby league. Rugby football started at Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, where the rules were first codified in 1845. Forms of football in which the ball ...

and in 1947 became President of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ...

, taking over from

Horace Lyne Horace Sampson Lyne MBE (31 December 1860 – 1 May 1949) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales. After retiring from play, he became the longest serving ...

, holding the post until his death in 1953. In 1964, his son

Nathan Nathan or Natan may refer to: People and biblical figures *Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name * Nathan (surname) *Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible *Nathan (son of David), a biblical figu ...

would follow his father in also becoming President of the WRU.

Private life

Rocyn Jones married Alla Jones in 1901. They had four sons, two of whom, Gwyn and

, continued the family tradition of entering the medical profession. Nathan would not only follow his grandfather's profession, of working with bones, by becoming an orthopaedic surgeon, but would also continue the family links to rugby by representing

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

in 1925. In terms of religious faith Rocyn-Jones was a staunch Congregationalist, into which denomination he was ordained in addition to his medical training.Smith, D and Williams, G. 1980. Fields of Praise, the Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff, University of Wales Press He is remembered for his beliefs, but also for having a gentle sense of humour he sometimes brought to bear on his medical work, as was shown on one occasion in his Abertillery years when he was required to treat a young rugby supporter injured by a wayward ball. "Well, boy", he is recalled as saying;" you've had a knock without playing"!

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rocyn-Jones, David 1862 births 1953 deaths Wales Rugby Union officials Alumni of Cardiff University People from Rhymney Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Knights of Grace of the Order of St John Knights Bachelor 19th-century Welsh medical doctors 20th-century Welsh medical doctors Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Deputy lieutenants of Monmouthshire People educated at Lewis School, Pengam