William Henry Ellway (1900-1954) was born in Handsworth, Yorkshire the son of a miner from the Forest of Dean. He married Isabella Chalmers in 1921 and had seven daughters. He worked at Norchard Colliery and by 1941 was its representative on the FDMA Executive. In 1941 he was nominated as a Labour Party candidate for Pillowell ward of the West Dean Parish Council and was elected to the Council in 1949. He was chairman of the FDMA in 1946.