For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 66 / Spring 2010 / £7.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y ‘A very English gentleman’ Paul Holden The life of ‘Tommy’ Agar-Robartes MP Dr J. Graham Jones Violet and Clem Clem Davies and Violet Bonham Carter Colin Eglin Helen Suzman An appreciation David S. Patterson Emily Hobhouse and the controversy over the destruction of Leuven in 1914 Report What’s left of Gladstonian Liberalism in the Liberal Democrats? Liberal Democrat History Group in 1939 Wintringham might the Ulster Liberal Party have overturned a Conserva- (ULP) for its last phase. The LEttErs tive majority of less than 2,000 ULP had previously existed with over 4,000 Labour voters from time to time in the The 1906 election, and looking for a new home. province from 1886, when Sir Charles Grey MP (Sourced from: Liberal Gladstone’s espousal of home Being surrounded by elec- by-election in August 1941 Magazine 1938 and 1939 for rule destroyed the Irish Liber- tion statistics, I thought I until he was killed in action Wintringham’s Gainsborough als. Support from the British would take another look at on 30 July 1944 – was related activity; Labour Party National Liberal Party revived it briefly the question (Liberal History to Sir Edward Grey, Liberal Annual Report 1939 for confir- in 1906–14 and again in 1929. Quiz 2008, Journal of Liberal Foreign Secretary in 1905–16 mation of no Labour candi- After 1970 it lost support to History 61), ‘In which 20th and Liberal MP for Berwick- date in Gainsborough.) the newly formed Alliance century election did the Lib- on-Tweed from the 1885 Graem Peters Party of Northern Ireland and eral Party achieve it highest general election until he was was finally wound up by 1987. share of the vote?’ The stated created Viscount Grey in My thanks go to Dr Sandy answer of 1906 was correct 1916? Albert McElroy Waugh for bringing this mis- but the associated 49.0 per Contact details: 1 Pantoch In my article about the use take to my attention. cent quoted was slightly inac- Gardens, Banchory, Kin- of the online encyclopaedia, Readers can find out more curate and perhaps somewhat cardineshire AB31 5ZD; tel. Wikipedia, which appeared about McElroy by access- misleading. 01330-823159; email s.waugh. in Journal of Liberal History ing Journal 33 (Winter 2001) In both my immediate [email protected] 65 (winter 2009–10), I stated which is available to down- sources to hand, the Liberal Sandy S. Waugh incorrectly that the Ulster load free from the History share of the vote is given as Liberal Party had two MPs Group website at http:// 49.4 per cent. However, the elected to the Parliament of www.liberalhistory.org. significance of plural voting Margaret Wintringham Northern Ireland. In fact uk/item_single.php?item_ (business and universities) Journal of Liberal History 36 there was only one, Sheelagh id=10&item=journal This should be appreciated, as also (autumn 2002) carries a biog- Murnaghan, who served as contains an article by Berkely should the fact that 114 MPs raphy of Margaret Wintring- MP for Queen’s University, Farr, ‘Liberalism and Union- (17 per cent) were returned ham, the Liberal MP from the Belfast from 1961 to 1969. ist Northern Ireland’, which unopposed (13 Conserva- 1920s, written by Larry Iles Albert McElroy was never tells the story of the ULP and tives, etc., 27 Liberals, 73 Irish and Robert Ingham. They elected to Stormont. He was the role played by the remark- Nationalists and 1 other) and state that: ‘She was not asked a Glasgow-born Minister of able Albert McElroy. Journal that, by reason of the Glad- to contest the 1937 by-elec- the Non-subscribing Pres- 33 also has an article by Denis stone–MacDonald pact, 24 tion for the seat (Aylesbury), byterian Church who had Loretto on the formation of of the Labour MPs elected in nor did she pursue an initial previously supported the the Alliance Party of North- England had only Conserva- interest in contesting the Northern Ireland Labour ern Ireland which contains a tive, etc. opposition. Gainsborough constituency’, Party and a breakaway group, critique of the ULP approach, Thus and otherwise, the before going on to conclude the Commonwealth Labour also well worth revisiting. Liberal vote of 49.4 per cent that: ‘The Liberal Party lost Party. In 1956 he resurrected Graham Lippiatt represented the vote for 509 one of its biggest assets by candidates (with an average marginalising Wintringham vote of 5,404) whereas the from the 1930s until her Conservative, etc. vote of death’. 43.4 per cent represented the Both these points under- Liberal Democrat History Group on vote for 543 candidates (with value the worth placed in her the web an average vote of 4,461). by the party. She did more Accordingly, the real Liberal/ than pursue an initial interest Conservative, etc. votes ratio in Gainsborough – she was Email was about 100:83 rather than in fact prospective candidate Join our email mailing list for news of History Group meetings and about 100:88, as from the for the seat in 1939. A general publications – the fastest and earliest way to find out what we’re basic percentages. If statisti- election was anticipated that doing. To join the list, send a blank email to liberalhistory-subscribe@ cal account could be taken of year and Gainsborough was lists.libdems.org.uk. all that and all other factors, one of the party’s best pros- the Liberal share of the 1906 pects for a gain. Website vote, perhaps in the UK and In addition, it is interest- See www.liberalhistory.org.uk for details of History Group activities, certainly in Great Britain, ing to note that the Labour records of all past Journals and past meetings, guides to archive could be adjusted to over 50 Party did not have a candidate sources, research in progress and other research resources, together per cent. in place, as they had done in with a growing number of pages on the history of the party, covering On another tack, in the 1935. In 1939, there was much particular issues and periods in more detail, including lists of party context of writing biographi- speculation (nurtured by the leaders, election results and cabinet ministers. cal and family notes on all Popular Front proposals) that the Liberal Cabinet Ministers Labour candidates might Social network sites from 1859 to 1932, can anyone not appear in seats where the See us on Facebook and on Lib Dem Act for news of the latest advise if George Charles Grey Liberals were well placed to meetings, and discussion forums: – Liberal MP for Berwick-on- defeat sitting Conservatives. • http://www.facebook.com/LibDemHistoryGroup Tweed from an uncontested It is not hard to imagine that • http://act.libdems.org.uk/group/libdemhistory 2 Journal of Liberal History 66 Spring 2010 Journal of Liberal History Issue 66: spring 2010 The Journal of Liberal History is published quarterly by the Liberal Democrat History Group. ISSN 1479-9642 Letters to the Editor 2 Editor: Duncan Brack The 1906 election, and Sir Charles Grey MP (Sandy S. Waugh); Margaret Deputy Editor: Tom Kiehl Wintringham (Graem Peters); Albert McElroy (Graham Lippiatt) Assistant Editor: Siobhan Vitelli Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham Reviews Editor: Dr Eugenio Biagini Liberal History News 4 Contributing Editors: Graham Lippiatt, Tony Little, Gladstone bicentenary; Gladstone and Bulgaria; Gladstone bicentenary event York Membery in Edinburgh; What would Gladstone think?; New on the History Group website Patrons ‘A Very English Gentleman’ 8 Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; The life of Captain the Hon. Thomas Charles Reginald Agar-Robartes, Liberal Professor John Vincent MP 1906, 1907–15; by Paul Holden Editorial Board Report: What’s left of Gladstonian Liberalism in 18 Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry Doyle; Dr David Dutton; Professor David Gowland; Dr Richard the Liberal Democrats? Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Ian Hunter; Dr With Dr Eugenio Biagini and Chris Huhne MP. Report by Mark Pack J. Graham Jones; Tony Little; Professor Ian Machin; Dr Mark Pack; Dr Ian Packer; Dr John Powell; Ed Randall; Jaime Reynolds; Dr Andrew Russell; Iain Sharpe Violet and Clem 20 Dr J. Graham Jones examines the relationship between Liberal leader Clement Editorial/Correspondence Davies and Lady Violet Bonham Carter Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, and book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed Helen Suzman: An Appreciation 32 publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. Contributions should be sent to: Colin Eglin recalls the life of South Africa’s first anti-apartheid MP Duncan Brack (Editor) 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ Emily Hobhouse and the Controversy over the 38 email: [email protected] Destruction of Leuven in World War I All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. David S. Patterson recalls Emily Hobhouse’s role in attempting to reveal the facts behind the German destruction of the Belgian city of Leuven in 1914 Advertisements Full page £100; half page £60; quarter page £35. Reviews 47 Discounts available for repeat ads or offers to readers Cook, Cash for Honours: The Story of Maundy Gregory, reviewed by Duncan (e.g. discounted book prices). To place ads, please Brack; Beith, A View from the North, reviewed by Michael Meadowcroft; contact the Editor. Campbell, Pistols at Dawn: Two Hundred Years of Political Rivalry, from Pitt and Fox to Blair and Brown, reviewed by Dr J. Graham Jones Subscriptions/Membership An annual subscription to the Journal of Liberal History costs £20.00 (£12.50 unwaged rate).