ANEURIN BEVAN Tredegar's most famous son and Architect of the National Health Service. Click for Bevan biography

NEIL KINNOCK Ex Labour party Leader and former MP for Islwyn - Elevated to the House of Lords in 2005 as Baron Kinnock of Bedwellty. According to the Tory Press Neil had two major failings: 1. Being Welsh 2. Being Ginger An amusing anecdote from Bryan Morgan tells of the time a party of Japanese tourists were visiting the House of Commons. Neil happened to be entering the Lobby at the same time when one of his aides,wishing to attract his attention, called out loudly " Neil !" The entire Japanese party immediately dropped to their knees and remained there until the great man had passed by.

MICHAEL FOOT Another ex Labour Party leader. Not strictly a Tredegar native but lived in the town for many years as M.P.for Ebbw Vale ( Now Blaenau Gwent ) Much respected for his intellect but not for his taste in green donkey jackets.

CHARLES EVANS HUGHES 1862-1948 Son of a Tredegar immigrant, Charles Evans Hughes was Governor of New York 1910 - 1916 and rose to one of the highest offices in the U.S.A. becoming Chief Justice 1930 - 1941 Click for biography

JAMES JOHN DAVIES U.S. Republican Senator 1930-1945 Born in Tredegar Oct. 27 1873 One of the founders of the Loyal Order of Moose organisation which led to Tredegar acquiring the status of No.1 Lodge Click for biography    See also: "The Iron Puddler" ( Suggested by Danny )

ARCHIBALD JOSEPH CRONIN Doctor,writer,novelist A.J.Cronin was born in Cardross, Dumbarton on July 19 1896 He came to Tredegar in the early 1920's where he practised as a G.P. His Valley experiences inspired one of his most famous novels, 'The Citadel' Other works include 'The Stars Look Down' and 'Keys of the Kingdom' He also created the Dr.Finlay stories, later turned into a popular T.V.series

SIR DANIEL GOOCH 1816-1889 Engineer and Locomotive designer Originally from Northumberland, as a young man Daniel Gooch was apprenticed at the Tredegar Ironworks. He left in 1837 to take up the position of Locomotive Superintendent, Great Western Railway where he worked under Isambard Brunel. Later, he became Chairman of the Great Western Company, overseeing such projects as the Great Western steamship and the construction of the Severn Tunnel. ( Suggested by Tom Begley Jones )

RAY REARDON Born in Tredegar. Ex Miner and policeman. World Snooker Champ six times during the 1970s.

DAVID MORGAN Tredegar born. Former Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, succeeding Lord MacLaurin in this influential and prestigious role. (Suggested by Danny)

BRADLEY DREDGE Born in Tredegar, 6 July 1973 . He turned professional in 1996 and became a member of the European Tour in 1998. He has won twice on the European Tour, at the 2003 Madeira Open and at the 2006 European Masters, and also has two wins on the second tier Challenge Tour. In 2005 he achieved a career best Order of Merit position of 16th, and in the post-season he won the WGC-World Cup for Wales in partnership with Stephen Dodd. (Suggested by Danny)

BABS HORTON Prize-winning Author Babs Horton was born in 1953 in Tredegar. Babs' first book, 'A Jarful of Angels', won the Pendleton May First Novel Award and she was short-listed for the Authors Club Award. 'Dandelion Soup' was published in 2004, 'Wildcat Moon' in 2006 and her new novel, 'Recipes for Cherubs', has now been published. (Suggested by Danny)

PHILIP WEEKES Mining Engineer and Administrator Born in Nantybwch, near Tredegar, the son of a pharmacist, Weekes was educated at Tredegar county school, and gained a scholarship from the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company to University College, Cardiff, where he graduated in mining engineering. He was appointed manager of Wyllie colliery on his 26th birthday, and in 1948 moved to be manager of the giant Oakdale mine nearby. Early successes in labour relations led to secondment by the Colonial Office to the Enugu coalfield in Nigeria to deal with riots and their aftermath. Back in the UK he was appointed director of studies at the NCB's staff college. In 1967 he was made production director in the South Midlands area before moving to London as Chief Mining Engineer and Director-General of Mining. He returned to his homeland in 1973 as South Wales area director, where the challenge was to mitigate the closure of time-expired pits by investing in new projects at others. As the 1984 strike loomed he helped to ensure that in South Wales it was policed by local officers, so avoiding the violent clashes that occurred elsewhere. He also worked quietly with union representatives to see that safety work and maintenance kept the idle mines in good shape. His career ended without a word of thanks from his chairman. Kim Howells, an NUM official in Weekes's day, says: There were many who believed that Phil Weekes, a brilliant mining engineer and communicator, should have been made Chairman of the Coal Board in the early Eighties. If that had come about the story of mining in Britain would be very different. (Suggested by Tom)