John Darwin Hinds had a successful career in Welsh politics, most notably becoming Wales’ first Black and first Muslim councillor and furthermore, becoming Wales’ first Black mayor.
1922
1981
Wales
Father was from Barbados and his mother was from Cardiff.
1958- Elected to serve Barry Council and became Wales’ first Black and first Muslim councillor
1975- Elected mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan and became Wales’ first Black mayor
John Darwin Hinds was born to Gwenllian Lloyd and Leonard Hinds, a seaman from Barbados who turned his back on the sea and went to work in coal mines, moving to Barry. Hinds Was one of six children and grew up on Morgan Street in Barry.
Hinds initially worked down the mines in Bargoed, following in his father’s footsteps. However, he had an opportunity to leave the mines, and ended up working for the Colonial Office in London which evoked his political interest and awakening.
He returned to Wales and converted to Islam following an illness and near-death experience after contracting tuberculosis. He joined the Labour Party and was involved with the community, tirelessly working to alleviate many of the social difficulties found in South Wales . In 1958 he was elected as a Councillor in Barry Council. John was Wales’ first Black and the first Muslim councillor. His monumental successes amongst Welsh politics continued as he also became the first Black mayor in Wales when he became mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan in 1975.
Elvira Gwenllian Hinds was Hinds’ elder sister and she also achieved influential success in Welsh politics by becoming Wales’ first Black female councillor.
Vale of Glamorgan, ‘Barry Community History’, 21st Century Schools (Vale of Glamorgan, revised 2016) [24 February 2022]
People’s Collection Wales, ‘Councillor Darwin Hinds greeting HRH Prince Phillip in Barry Library’ [24 February 2022]
