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Thomas Jones's Lloyd George THOMAS JONES’s LLOYD GEORGE Dr J. Graham Jones discusses the classic biography of Lloyd George written by Thomas Jones, the eminent Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet from 1916 until 1930. In this unique capacity he served four very different Prime Ministers at the hub of British political life. His closeness to Lloyd George (and Baldwin) was proverbial – yet his biography was unpopular with Frances, Lloyd George’s wife. Published by Oxford University Press in 1951, how has Jones’s Lloyd George stood the test of time? 22 Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008 THOMAS JONES’s LLOYD GEORGE h o m a s J o n e s philosopher Sir Henry Jones. David Lloyd George, since 1908 (1870–1955), a nota- During his period at Glasgow he the Chancellor of the Exchequer ble civil servant and joined the Independent Labour in Asquith’s government. When public benefactor, was Party and helped to found the Lloyd George succeeded Asquith born at Rhymney in local Fabian Society. In Decem- as Prime Minister in December Tnorth-west Monmouthshire on ber 1902, Jones married Eirene 1916, Tom Jones was appointed 27 September 1870.1 He received Theodora Lloyd, one of his fel- first a member, and subsequently his early education at the Upper low students at Aberystwyth. Deputy Secretary, of the Cabi- Rhymney board school and the The marriage was to produce net Secretariat, where he was fee-paying Lewis School, Pen- three children, one of whom, to remain until 1930. His origi- gam. His undoubted early aca- Mrs Eirene White, served as the nal hope for the position was demic promise seemed to come Labour MP for Flintshire East to develop himself into ‘a fluid to an abrupt end when, at just from 1950 until 1970. person moving among people fourteen years of age, he left Although the strength of Tom who mattered and keeping the school to take up a position as a Jones’s religious beliefs waned PM on the right path as far as is clerk in the local ironworks. But somewhat during his years at possible’. 2 In this unique capac- the young Tom Jones continued Aberystwyth and Glasgow, his ity he was to serve four very dif- reading avidly and excelled at social conscience grew and con- ferent Prime Ministers – David scripture examinations, eventu- vinced him of the importance Lloyd George, Andrew Bonar ally winning the highly-coveted of social improvement work. Law, Stanley Baldwin and James ‘Gold Medal’ of the Calvinistic His close friends included Sid- Ramsay MacDonald – at the Methodist denomination. ney and Beatrice Webb and hub of British political life. Dur- In the autumn of 1890, with George Bernard Shaw. In 1909 ing the post-war coalition gov- the avowed aim of becoming he became the first Professor of ernment, Jones dealt especially a nonconformist minister, he Political Economy at Queen’s with industrial and labour ques- entered the relatively new (it University, Belfast, but he was tions and also played a key role had been established in 1872) soon to be persuaded by David in achieving the partial settle- University College of Wales, Davies, of Llandinam, to return ment of the vexed Irish question Aberystwyth. Ironically, how- to Wales to take up the post of in 1921. He was also a trusted ever, although displaying aca- Secretary of the King Edward adviser to Baldwin at the time of demic potential, Jones’s abject VII Welsh National Memo- the General Strike of May 1926. failure in mathematics, a core rial Association, which the His closeness to both Lloyd subject, meant that he could multi-millionaire Davies had George and Baldwin was pro- not graduate from Aberyst- set up and financed to tackle the verbial. That a man originally wyth. Eventually he secured a dreadful scourge of tuberculo- firmly on the left of the politi- highly-distinguished first class sis. Between 1912 and 1916 Jones cal spectrum could end up as a honours degree in philosophy then served as Secretary of the close friend and trusted adviser and economics from Glasgow Welsh Insurance Commission, to Stanley Baldwin, even draft- University in 1901, where his based in Cardiff, in which posi- Thomas Jones in ing his political speeches, seems mentor was the renowned Welsh tion he came into contact with 1937 rather bizarre, but it would seem Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008 23 thOMAS JONES’S llOYD GEORGE that Jones’s opinions had been In this had left a sore which continued writing privately to a friend at transcended somewhat over the to fester for the rest of his life – the beginning of March, ‘I’m years by his deep admiration for unique even after he had been elected less and less equal to things and Baldwin as an individual. capacity he President there in 1944. But problems. Signs of old age and Jones’s retirement from this the initiative with which Jones decay of body rapidly multiply- position in 1930 certainly did not was to serve seemed ‘divinely obsessed’3 was ing now.’6 mark a retreat from public life. the establishment in 1927 of The prospect of researching He continued to engage in a vast four very dif- Coleg Harlech in north-west and writing a biography of Lloyd range of activities and built up a Wales, a pioneering residen- George proved enticing. He had huge number of friends and asso- ferent Prime tial adult education college to developed a great deal of admi- ciates. He still moved in political Ministers – provide a unique opportunity ration for Lloyd George from circles and was consulted regu- for working-class young men. 1916 until at least about 1940. larly on appointments and the David Lloyd Before the Second World War, But he had looked askance at the award of honours, especially in more than 220 young men passed former Prime Minister’s obsti- Wales. He continued to serve George, through its doors. Parallel to this nate refusal even to contemplate Stanley Baldwin in the latter’s dynamic initiative was Jones’s joining Churchill’s coalition role as Prime Minister of the so- Andrew staunch support for the Educa- government in 1940 (or even to called ‘National Government’ Bonar Law, tional Settlement Movement in lend general support to the con- (even drafting his 1935 general south Wales. His loyalty to Wales duct of the allied war effort), and election speeches), made numer- Stanley was always unquestionable. he had listened sorrowfully to ous trips abroad (including two In the spring of 1945, Tho- A. J. Sylvester’s incessant tales of controversial visits to Nazi Baldwin mas Jones, accompanied by his the bitter family quarrels which Chancellor Adolf Hitler at Ber- unmarried sister Liz, leased a had erupted during the build-up chtesgaden), and was an active and James house at Aberystwyth, initially to Lloyd George’s second mar- member of the Unemployment Ramsay Mac- for a period of fifteen months. riage to his private secretary Assistance Board set up in 1935 By this time he was a widower; Frances Stevenson in October with the aim of taking the vexed Donald – at his wife Rene, to whom he was 1943. Lloyd George’s acceptance question of unemployment relief totally devoted, had died, after of a peerage in January 1945 was out of politics. His main preoc- the hub of a brief illness, in July 1935. The a further thorn in Jones’s flesh. cupation from 1930 onwards, main reason for the move to On 2 February he had written to however, was as the linchpin of British politi- Aberystwyth was that he had his old friend Violet Markham, an array of philanthropic, cul- cal life. recently accepted a commis- a prominent long-term Liberal tural and educational activities, sion from Harvard University activist and public servant: particularly within Wales. To Press in the US to write a life of this end he served from 1930 Lloyd George, and was anxious When criticising the Earldom I until 1945 as Secretary to the Pil- to make full use of the resources was not thinking of this aspect grim Trust (originally financed of the National Library of Wales: of his story, as of the deep & by the American oil tycoon ‘We have taken it from May 1st widespread disappointment in Edward Harkness) which dis- unfurnished. Its attraction for Wales with one who has been tributed more than £2,000,000 me is its nearness (5 minutes) to proud always to keep close to during the long 1930s for the the National Library.’4 In 1946 the common people & who did relief of the unemployed and he moved into another property boldly always stand up to the for heritage protection. Jones owned by the National Library, land & money, power & privi- was also a member of many of situated at the end of its drive. lege in the countryside. Now the committees of the National This was to be his main base he & F[rances] play the local Council of Social Service. until 1954. A second reason for squire & lady bountiful, which Tom Jones’s formidable the migration to Aberystwyth is rather nauseating. I could not contribution to educational in 1945 was Jones’s election the get myself to write congratula- concerns ran parallel to these previous year as President of the tions on his marriage or peer- activities. He was for more than local University College. Now age, partly because I did not half a century a pillar of the he was to be ‘a President of the want to take sides in the family Workers’ Educational Associa- College in residence’.5 This fol- squabble & I have a warm cor- tion, and gave exemplary sup- lowed his recent resignation as ner for Megan & admiration port to the University of Wales the long-term Secretary of the for Dame Margaret’s dignified (most especially the University Pilgrim Trust.
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