sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alun Talfan Davies, Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn, Rhys Hopkin Morris, Welsh Liberal Democrats, Welsh Liberal Party

Liberal Party Archives in the Welsh Political Archive at the National Library of by Rob Phillips

he National Library of Liberal Democrat parties, but I have education and the investiture of the Wales was established by highlighted the main collections and Prince of Wales in 1911, as well as TRoyal Charter on 17 March give the NRA Code where available to the Irish Question and the First 1907. This was the culmination to aid further research. Full details World War. of many decades of work and fol- are available from the library’s ’s fam- lowed a commitment by the gov- online catalogue, or from the find- ily correspondence includes let- ernment in 1905 to provide funds ing aids noted below. ters between David Lloyd George for the library. Over the subsequent and his wife Margaret, from David century a wide-ranging and var- Lloyd George to his uncle Richard ied collection of published material David Lloyd George Lloyd and to David Lloyd George in the form of books, newspapers, The Welsh Political Archive holds from his brother William George. periodicals and maps has been cre- a significant collection of archi- Other family correspondence ated as a result of the library’s status val material relating to David includes letters to Margaret Lloyd as a legal deposit library, however Lloyd George, Liberal MP for George, from various correspond- the library also holds substantial the Caernarfon Boroughs, 1890– ents, and from Margaret Lloyd collections of non-published mate- 1945, Chancellor of the Excheq- George mainly to her daughter rial such as photographs, paintings, uer, 1908–15, and Prime Minister, Olwen Carey-Evans. manuscripts and archives. 1916–22. At the beginning of 1910, ’s cor- The papers of political figures after Lloyd George, as Chancel- respondence and papers include and organisations were of course lor of the Exchequer, had agreed letters to and from Labour politi- amongst those collected, but in 1983 to a government grant of £4,000 cian Philip Noel-Baker and from the Welsh Political Archive was to the National Library of Wales, other correspondents, including established to provide a focus for his close political associate Sir her parents, together with a tour the collection and promotion of this John Herbert Lewis, Liberal MP journal, and diary, 1947. Gwi- material, along with an advisory for Flintshire wrote to thank him lym Lloyd George’s correspond- committee comprised of representa- for this ‘courageous act’, adding, ence and papers include typescript tives from the main political parties ‘The Library will be at, I hope, draft of his (unpublished) in Wales, civic society and academ- a very distant date your literary autobiography. ics. This committee meets annually mausoleum’. David Lloyd George’s speech to review the work of the archive The Lloyd George Manu- notes, notebooks and miscellane- and make arrangements for the scripts GB 0210 MSLLOYD- ous papers, together with and cor- annual lecture. The members also GEORGE contain the papers of respondence and papers relating to act as ambassadors for the archive the Lloyd George family. The col- Mair Eluned Lloyd George are also and assist in attracting new material. lection is comprised mainly of cor- included. Much of the research behind respondence, the bulk of which is The William George Papers this article was undertaken by Dr addressed to David Lloyd George, GB 0210 WILGEORGE comprise John Graham Jones, who was for- mostly from contemporary politi- 3,292 letters from Lloyd George to merly the head of the Welsh Politi- cal figures and from members of William and ten pocket diaries kept cal Archive. It would be impossible his family. The political corre- by the young Lloyd George from to comprehensively cover all the spondence relates largely to Welsh 1878 to 1888. material held in the Welsh Political affairs, including disestablishment, The Olwen Carey-Evans Papers Archive relating to the Liberal and the Welsh Church Commission, GB 0210 CAREYEVANS mainly

34 Journal of Liberal History 85 Winter 2014–15 comprise her correspondence, many prominent Liberal poli- Department, 1907. GB Government Board, 1916– notebooks, scrapbooks, other ticians of his generation. The 0210 OMELLYF 17; Food Controller, 1917– personal papers and papers, papers of Sir Samuel T. Evans • Thomas Edward Ellis 18. GB 0210 DATMAS press cuttings, memorabilia, include correspondence with (1859–99). MP for Merio- • H. D. Acland (1847–1926). diaries, notes, essays and other David Lloyd George. nethshire, 1886–99; second MP for Rotherham, 1885– items relating to members of Liberal whip under Glad- 99, and for the Chiltern her family but include a small stone, 1892; chief whip Hundreds, 1899–1919; cre- group of papers relating to under Rosebery, 1894. ated 13th Baronet in 1919. David Lloyd George. Lloyd George is not the only There is also a substantial • Sir Alfred T. Davies Albert James Sylvester Liberal Party leader whose group of papers relating to (1861–1949). Permanent was Lloyd George’s princi- papers are held at the National T. E. Ellis among those of Secretary to the Welsh pal private secretary. The A. J. Library of Wales: a substan- his close friend and confi- Department of the Board Sylvester Papers GB 0210 tial archive of the political and dant D. R. Daniel (1859– of Education, 1907–25. GB AJSYLTER include many files personal papers of E. Clem- 1931), and among those of 0210 ALFTDAVIES of correspondence and papers ent Davies GB 0210 CLEIES his son Dr T. I. Ellis (1899– • Sir (b. including shorthand diaries is also available to consult. 1970). GB 0210 TELLIS 1913). Independent can- and notebooks, files relating to Davies was the Liberal MP for • Sir Samuel T. Evans didate in the University the First World War, the Paris Montgomeryshire, 1929–62, (1859–1918). MP for of Wales by-election in Peace Conference, Germany and party leader, 1945–56. Mid-Glamorgan, 1890– 1943; stood as a Liberal in and the Second World War, The archive comprises Liberal 1910; Solicitor-General, the Carmarthenshire divi- material relating to the Liberal Party papers, papers relating to 1908–10; president of the sion in the general elec- Party, politics and elections, Davies’s political career, Welsh Divorce, Probate and tions of 1959 and 1964, and Lloyd George family letters affairs, peace movements, for- Admiralty Court, 1910–18. Denbighshire in 1966; an and papers. There is also a long eign affairs, constituency work GB 0210 SAMANS activist within the Welsh series of very detailed type- and home affairs. They also • Thomas Gee (1815–98). Liberal Party. GB 0210 script diaries which include contain the papers and corre- Liberal journalist, author ALUIES much important material spondence of Jano Clement- and publisher. Editor of the • Ellis W. Davies (1871– beyond that published by Colin Davies, 1873–1969, and papers highly influentialBaner ac 1939). MP for the Eifion Cross in 1975. of Stanley Clement-Davies, Amserau Cymru. GB 0210 division of Caernarfon- The Frances Stevenson Fam- 1920–1963. MSTGEE shire, 1906–18; unsuc- ily Papers GB 0210 FRASON Among the many promi- • Sir John Herbert Lewis cessfully contested are a more recent acquisition nent Liberals who feature in (1858–1933. MP for Flint Caernarfonshire in 1918; and were used by Ruth Long- the list of correspondents are Boroughs, 1892–1906, MP for the Denbigh ford used as the basis of her Lady , Flintshire, 1906–18, and division of Denbigh- graphic and vivid study of her , Gilbert Mur- the University of Wales, shire, 1923–29. GB 0210 grandmother published in 1996. ray, Philip Rea, Sir Herbert 1918–22; Junior Lord of EWDAVIES Ruth Longford loaned addi- Samuel, Sir John Simon and the Treasury and a Liberal • Sir Joseph Davies. Com- tional material – including let- Sir Archibald Sinclair (Lord Party whip, 1905; parlia- mercial statistician; close ters, miscellaneous items and Thurso). mentary secretary to the associate of D. Lloyd photographs – which has been Local Government Board, George. digitised. 1909–15; parliamentary • Matthew L. Vaughan Also closely associated with Personal papers of other secretary to the Board of Davies (1840–1935). Unsuc- Lloyd George was Thomas Jones MPs and prominent Education, 1915–22. GB cessfully contested Cardi- (1870–1955), who was appointed Liberals 0210 HERBLEW ganshire as a Conservative Secretary to the National Health The library holds papers from • C. Humphreys-Owen in 1885; MP for Cardigan- Insurance Commissioners in many prominent Liberals, (1836–1905). MP for Mont- shire, 1895–1921; created 1910, and, largely through Lloyd including; gomeryshire, 1894–1906. Baron Ystwyth, 1921. George’s influence, became • David Davies, Llandinam • Stuart Rendel (1834–1913). • Sir E. Vincent Evans (1851– Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (1880–1944). MP for Mont- MP for Montgomeryshire, 1934). Prominent Lon- in 1916. The Dr Thomas Jones gomeryshire, 1906–29; 1880–94, first chairman don Welshman, notable CH papers consist of 295 bound parliamentary private sec- of the Welsh Parliamen- eisteddfodwr, and presi- volumes and twenty-six boxes retary to D. Lloyd George tary Party from 1888; close dent of the Honourable of papers and volumes concern- when he was Minister of friend to W. E. Gladstone. Society of Cymmrodo- ing many aspects of governmen- Munitions and Prime Min- • J. Bryn Roberts (1847– rion. GB 0210 VINANS tal activity and Welsh life. ister, 1916–17; founder of 1931). MP for the Eifion • J. Victor Evans (1895–1957). The diaries of John Wil- the New Commonwealth division of Caernarfon- Liberal candidate for Pon- liam Morris, the Lord Morris Association; created the shire, 1906–18. GB 0210 typridd, 1929, and Mer- of Borth-y-Gest, also include first Baron Davies of Lla- JBROBERTS thyr Tydfil in the 1934 many revealing references to ndinam, 1932. GB 0210 • D. A. Thomas (1856–1918). by-election. GB 0210 David Lloyd George. There is LLANNAM MP for , VICANS some material relating to Lloyd • Sir Owen M. Edwards 1888 – January 1910, and • Sir Ellis Jones Ellis-Griffith George among the papers of (1858–1920). MP for Meri- for , January– (1860–1926). Unsuccess- his early biographer W. Wat- onethshire, 1899–1900; December 1910; Baron fully contested the Tox- kin Davies (1895–1973) and in first chief inspector of Rhondda, January 1916; teth division of Liverpool, the papers of T. J. Evans (1863– schools in Wales under Viscount Rhondda, June 1892; MP for Anglesey, 1932), who corresponded with the new Welsh Education 1918; president of the Local 1895–1918; chairman of

Journal of Liberal History 85 Winter 2014–15 35 Liberal Party Archives in the Welsh Political Archive at the National Library of Wales

the Welsh Parliamen- joined the Liberal Party in MP and Sir 1987–1991, the formation of the tary Liberal Party, 1912; 1959; Liberal Party presi- Henry Hussey Vivian MP. Social and Liberal Democrats, parliamentary secre- dent, 1963–64. GB 0210 The library has also pur- the Brecon and Radnor Liberal tary to the Home Office, LORORE chased complete microfilm Democrats, local elections, and 1912–15; unsuccessfully • Emrys O. Roberts (1910– copies of the most exten- application forms of prospec- contested the Univer- 90). MP for Merioneth- sive archives of the Glad- tive parliamentary candidates. sity of Wales, 1922; MP shire, 1945–51. GB 0210 stone Papers in the custody The story of the Welsh for the Carmarthen Dis- EMRRTS of St Deiniols Library, Liberal Democrats since the trict, 1923–24. GB 0210 • J. Herbert Roberts, Baron Hawarden, and the British merger can be found in the Lib- ELLITH Clwyd (1863–1951). MP for Library as published in the eral Democrats Wales Records • Professor W. J. Gruff- West Denbighshire, 1892– microfilm series The Papers GB 0210 LIBDEMS. These ydd (1881–1954). MP for 1918. ‘Some Memories of of the Prime Ministers of comprise minutes and agenda the University of Wales, my Life’ (1937 typescript) Great Britain (MFL 54). of the Liberal Democrats 1943–48; prominent Welsh (NLW MS 16861C). Wales meetings, constituency poet and literary critic. GB • Viscount Tenby (Gwi- papers, financial papers, corre- 0210 WJGRUFFYD lym Lloyd-George) Papers of parties, groups spondence, conference papers, • Emlyn Hooson (Lord – See Lloyd George and campaigns election material, party mem- Hooson). MP for Mont- Manuscripts GB 0210 The library is fortunate to have bership, press and media rela- gomeryshire, 1962–79. GB MSLLOYDGEORGE many records relating to the tions, party policy, published 0210 HOOSON • Arthur John Williams , Welsh materials and miscellaneous • Mrs Mary Garbett- (1830–1911), MP for South Liberal Democrats, the Social papers. Edwards (1893–1986). Local Glamorgan, 1885–95, and Democratic Party in Wales and Further papers relating to Liberal agent in Mont- Eliot Crawshay-Williams numerous local associations. the gomeryshire to Clement (1879–1962), assistant pri- Records of the Welsh Lib- can be found in the Peter Black Davies and Emlyn Hoo- vate secretary to Winston eral Party between 1966 and (Liberal Democrats Wales) son. GB 0210 MARRDS Churchill at the Colonial 1988 GB 0210 WELLIBPAR Papers GB 0210 PETBLA. • E. Morgan Humphreys Office, 1906–08, and MP comprise Executive Commit- The Library is also home to (1882–1955). Prominent for Leicester, 1910–13, tee and General Council min- a number of local party records, Liberal journalist and when he served as parlia- utes, Annual General Meeting and papers of a number of local author; corresponded mentary private secretary papers and correspondence, councillors and activists: regularly with many Lib- to David Lloyd George. correspondence and papers • Cardiganshire Liberal eral politicians. GB 0210 GB 0210 ELICRAAMS relating to local government Association GB 0210 EMHUMPH • Councillor Cecilia Bar- reform and electoral reform, CARLIB • E. T. John (1857–1931). ton Papers – Ceredigion transport, economic policy and • Montgomeryshire Lib- MP for East Denbigh- Councillor and prominent nationalisation, Welsh affairs, eral Association GB 0210 shire, 1910–18; introduced Liberal activist GB 0210 devolution, and Welsh Liberal MONTLA the Government of Wales BARTON Party structure and finance, • Monmouth Liberals and Bill in the House of Com- • Dr George Morrison GB papers relating to annual con- SDP Papers GB 0210 mons in 1914; joined the 0210 GEOSON ferences, papers relating to MONLIB Labour Party, 1918, and • Merfyn Jones GB 0210 parliamentary and other elec- • Vale of Glamorgan was defeated in East Den- MERNES tions, correspondence and SDP Records GB 0210 bighshire in the ‘coupon’ • Mr Gwyn Griffiths. The papers relating to individual VALSDP general election; stood in last chairman of the Welsh parliamentary constituencies, • Vale of Glamorgan Lib- Brecon & Radnor in the Liberal Party before it Local Government and Par- eral Association GB 0210 general elections of 1922 merged with the SDP in liamentary Boundary Com- VALEGLA and 1924 and in Anglesey 1988. GB 0210 GWYITH mission submissions, Standing • Ceredigion Lib Dem Asso- at a by-election in April • Mr Peter Sain ley Berry. Committee and Policy Direc- ciation Papers (including 1923. GB 0210 ETJOHN A former Liberal who torate papers, press releases, SDP) • Dr Ben G. Jones (1914–89). was a founder member of party publications, records of The library has also purchased Liberal candidate for Meri- the SDP in 1981, and who county Liberal Associations and from the Newport Library a onethshire, 1959. GB 0210 stood as the party’s can- records of Caernarfon Division photocopy of the minute book, BENJONES didate at West in Liberal Association. 1886–89, of meetings of the • Sir Henry Haydn Jones 1983, Pontypridd in 1987, The Welsh Liberal Dem- Welsh Liberal MPs (NLW Fac (1863–1950). MP for Meri- and Pembroke in 1992. GB ocrats papers GB 0210 627). NLW MS 21,171D is the onethshire, 1910–45. GB 0210 PETBER WELSHLIBS consists of minute book, 1886–91, of the 0210 HAYNES • Rev. Roger Roberts. Lib- material from the time of the North Wales Liberal Federa- • Sir eral candidate at Conwy SDP/Liberal merger and com- tion. The library also holds a (1888–1956). Independent in the general elections of prise papers from the Interim small group of records deriv- Liberal MP for Cardigan- 1987, 1992 and 1997. GB Federal Policy Committee, ing from the 1955 Liberal Party shire, 1923–32; MP for 0210 ROGROB the Association of Social and conference held at Llandudno Carmarthenshire, 1945–56. • There are also some letters Liberal Democrat Council- GB 0210 LIBABLY. GB 0210 RHYSRIS written by W. E. Gladstone lors, the Federal Executive of • Lord Ogmore (1903–76) (1809–98) in a number of the SLD, copies of the Federal (formerly archives including those of Green Papers, the Social and Ephemera collection Rees-Williams). A former Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn Liberal Democrats, 1986–1989, The library holds a substan- Labour MP, 1945–50, he MP, Stuart Rendel MP, the Welsh Liberal Democrats, tial collection of electoral

36 Journal of Liberal History 85 Winter 2014–15 Liberal Party Archives in the Welsh Political Archive at the National Library of Wales ephemera. Copies of election org.uk. The extension of legal archive for off-air broadcasts website. You will need two addresses and political leaf- deposit to cover websites means and concentrates on recording proofs of identification such as lets from parliamentary and that the library will be able to material of Welsh interest. The a passport, bank card or driving by-elections after 1945 may be collect more widely in future, entire programme archive of licence, one of which will need found among the papers of the but the websites will only ITV Wales, comprising 250,000 to show your address. Rev. Ivor T. Rees of Swansea be available to consult in the items including cans of film, It is also advisable to order GB 0210 IVTRES. library itself. tapes, etc. and dating back over material before you arrive, Since the 1983, the Welsh fifty years was recently added either by phone or through the Political Archive has collected to this collection. online catalogue. If you are a near complete set of the elec- Digitised material The library’s photographic visiting on a Saturday, you will tion addresses and leaflets The library has a large-scale and artwork collections include need to order material before issued by Liberal candidates in digitisation programme, portraits of Liberal politicians, 4 pm on Friday. Welsh constituencies, as well as designed to open up its collec- as well as events from Welsh Most archives are fully national literature in general, tions for wider use, much of political history. accessible, however some mate- Assembly and European elec- which is of interest to politi- rial remains under embargo tions and by-elections as well cal historians. The Campaign! under exemptions in the Free- as referenda on devolution in Exhibition has items relating to Welsh Political Archive dom of Information Act. You Wales GB 0210 EPHEMERA. the 1906 general election, when lectures are advised to check before vis- the Liberals almost swept the The Welsh Political Archive iting the library. Much mate- board in Wales, the 1921 Car- has held an annual lecture since rial has been catalogued and is Microfilms diganshire by-election fought 1987. The earlier lectures were available through the library’s Among the extensive micro- between Liberal and National published in printed form while online catalogue, however form holdings of the National Liberal candidates, and the more recent lectures are pub- some material may need to be Library which are of political 1985 Brecon and Radnor lished on the library’s website. traced through the library’s interest are: by-election. The following would be of par- Annual Reports which have • MFC 9–10 Archives of the The letters of David Lloyd ticular interest to students of been published ever since 1909, British Liberal Party (Har- George to his brother William the history of the Liberal Party: and which are now available for vester Microfilms) George have also been digit- • John Grigg, ‘Lloyd George searching on a free-text data • MFC 9 Pamphlets and ised, along with David Lloyd and Wales’ (1988) base. Some recent acquisitions Leaflets Parts 1–4 1885– George’s 1886 diary. The large • Lord Blake, ‘An Incon- may not yet have reached the 1974; four boxes of collection of Illingworth’s gruous Partnership: Lloyd catalogue. microfiche political cartoons from the George and Bonar Law’ The Welsh Political Archive • MFC 10 National Lib- Daily Mail, as well as images (1992) newsletter is available on the eral Federation Annual from the collection of the pho- • Lord Hooson, ‘Rebirth Welsh Political Archive pages Reports, 1877–1936; one tojournalist Geoff Charles can or Death?: Liberalism in of the library’s website, and lists box of microfiche also be viewed on the library’s Wales in the Second Half all major acquisitions. • MFL 36 British Political website. The above resources of the Twentieth Century’ We’re happy to help with Party General Election are all available at www.llgc. (1994) enquiries, which can be made Addresses org.uk. • Lord Prys Davies, ‘Welsh by letter, phone or email: • The Another resource for politi- Political Developments in http://www.llgc.org.uk/welsh- Collection from Bristol cal historians is Welsh News- the Twentieth Century’ politicalarchive. Enquiries: University (Harvester papers online, which contains a (2000). [email protected]; +44 (0)1970 Microfilms): Part 1: Gen- large number of digitised news- 632800 eral Election Addresses, papers from 1804–1919 which 1892–1922 (twelve reels); are free-text searchable. The Using the archives Rob Phillips is Assistant Archivist Part 2: General Election collection is available at http:// All digitised materials are freely with responsibility for the Welsh Addresses, 1923–31 (sixteen welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk. available via the library’s web- Political Archive at the National reels). The library has also con- site. To consult other material Library of Wales He graduated from tributed collections to the you will need to register with the University of Wales, Lampeter Cymru1914 digitisation pro- the library as a reader and visit in 1999 with a BA in Welsh, and in Electronic material ject of material relating to the us in Aberystwyth. 2008 with an MPhil in Welsh. He The library makes snapshot First World War. This material The library has a pay and has worked at the National Library archive copies of the websites can be found at http://www. display car park, and a frequent of Wales since 2001, on a number of of the main political parties cymru1914.org. bus service from Aberystwyth digitisation projects including a col- in Wales, including the Welsh Town Centre and the bus and lection of political cartoons by Leslie Liberal Democrats on an ongo- railway stations. The reading Illingworth and letters from David ing basis. Copies are also made Film, sound and images rooms are open 9.30 am – 6.00 Lloyd George to his brother as well of the websites of MPs, AMs The National Screen and Sound pm Monday to Friday and 9.30 as acting as project manager for the and candidates and additional Archive of Wales, based at the am – 5.00 pm Saturdays. The Welsh Experience of World War 1 copies are taken in the run up to library, holds a substantial col- exhibition opening hours may Digitisation Project. He was head elections. This activity has been lection of video and audio tapes vary. There is also a café in the of the Official Publications Section dependent on securing permis- of programmes of Welsh politi- library serving drinks, sand- between 2006 and 2012, and was sion from the copyright holder, cal interest, including news bul- wiches, cakes and snacks. appointed to his current role in 2013. so the collection is incomplete letins, discussion programmes, You can register as a reader but the websites can be viewed debates and election broad- at the library when you arrive, remotely at www.webarchive. casts. The NLW is a designated or beforehand on the library’s

Journal of Liberal History 85 Winter 2014–15 37