Personal Life
Thomas was made a Freeman of Newport in 1924. In May 2011 a casket given to him to celebrate the occasion was purchased at auction for Newport Museum.
Despite his humble origins he had a reputation for mixing well with all levels of society. Winston Churchill is said to have been in tears during Thomas' resignation speech, and Thomas is reputed to have said to King Edward VIII, as he handed in his seals of office, ‘Thank God your old Dad isn’t alive to see this.’
Thomas was known as a natty dresser, and was caricatured by the cartoonist David Low as "Lord Dress Suit".
Thomas died in London in 1949. His son Leslie Thomas became a Conservative Member of Parliament.
Read more about this topic: James Henry Thomas
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“when this life is from the body fled,
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—Fulke Greville (1554–1628)