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For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 38 / Spring 2003 / £5.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y Roy Jenkins 1920 – 2003 Andrew Adonis The man who towered above left and right Roy Jenkins remembered Roy Jenkins The British Liberal tradition Robert Shiels Lawyer, politician, judge The life of Tommy Shaw Mark Rathbone The Rainbow Circle and the New Liberalism Lawrence Iles Campaigner against slavery Biography of Sir John Harris Liberal Democrat History Group Issue 38: Spring 2003 Journal of Liberal History The Journal of Liberal History is published 3 Editorial quarterly by the Liberal Democrat History Group. Welcome to the new-look Journal of Liberal History ISSN 1479-9642 4 Roy Jenkins remembered Editor: Duncan Brack The man who towered above left and right; by Andrew Adonis Deputy Editor: Sarah Taft Assistant Editor: Alison Smith Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham 6 Interviewing Roy Jenkins Reviews Editor: Sam Crooks Adrian Slade conducted the last major interview given by Roy Jenkins, in November 2002 Patrons Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; 10 The British Liberal tradition Professor Earl Russell; Professor John Vincent From Gladstone to uoung Churchill, Asquith and Lloyd George – is Blair their heir? by Roy Jenkins Editorial Board Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry 18 Writing about Roy Doyle; Dr David Dutton; Professor David Obituaries and appreciation; reviewed by Neil Stockley Gowland; Dr Richard Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Ian Hunter; Dr J. Graham Jones; Tony Little; Professor Ian Machin; Dr Mark Pack; 21 Pioneering spirit Dr John Powell; Jaime Reynolds; Iain Sharpe Did Benjamin Franklin invent community politics? by Tony Little Editorial/Correspondence 22 Lawyer, politician and judge Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, Robert Shiels examines the career of Tommy Shaw (1850–1937) and book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. Contributions should be sent to: 24 The Rainbow Circle Duncan Brack (Editor) and the New Liberalism; by Mark Rathbone 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ email: [email protected] 29 Campaigner against slavery All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. The life and career of Sir John Harris (1874–1940); by Lawrence Iles Advertisements 32 Report: Remembering Jo Adverts are welcome; please contact the Editor with Michael McManus, William Wallace, Tony Greaves and Tom Dale; report by for rates. Graham Lippiatt Subscriptions/Membership 37 Archives An annual subscription to the Journal of Liberal Bodleian Library, University of Oxford; by Helen Langley, Elizabeth Turner and History costs £10.00 (£5.00 unwaged rate). Samuel Hyde This includes membership of the History Group unless you inform us otherwise. 38 Reviews Overseas subscribers should add £5.00; or, a special three-year rate is available for David Cannadine: Ornamentalism, reviewed by Tony Little; Martin Pugh: The £40.00 total. Pankhursts, reviewed by Sam Crooks; John Powell (ed.): Liberal by Principle: The Politics of John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley, reviewed by David Cloke Cheques (payable to ‘Liberal Democrat History Group’) should be sent to: 43 Research Patrick Mitchell The History of Parliament Project; by Paul Seaward 6 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PA; email: [email protected] Cover design concept: Lynne Featherstone Liberal Democrat History Group Published by the Liberal Democrat History The Liberal Democrat History Group promotes the discussion and research of historical Group, c/o 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ topics relating to the histories of the Liberal Democrats, Liberal Party, and SDP, and of Liberalism. The Group organises discussion meetings and produces the Journal and other Printed by Kall-Kwik, occasional publications. 426 Chiswick High Road, London W4 5TF For more information, including details of publications, back issues of the Journal, tape records of meetings and archive and other research sources, see our web site at: www.liberalhistory.org.uk. March 2003 Hon President: Earl Russell Chair: Tony Little 2 Journal of Liberal History 38 Spring 2003 Editorial Next issue elcome to the first – but that broad spread was he next issue of the Journal of Liberal History, no. 39, issue of the Journal not necessarily apparent will be a special issue, devoted to the history of the Wof Liberal History. from the title. TSocial Democratic Party – but with a difference. We Or, to be more precise, the Consultation with the will be using more than sixty cartoons, originally drawn for thirty-eighth issue of the membership of the His- the Social Democrat newspa- publication first known as the tory Group failed to discover per, to illustrate the seven- Liberal Democrat History Group any opposition to the name year rise and fall of the SDP. Newsletter and then (from is- change – which now brings The original cartoons sue 17) the Journal of Liberal the Journal into line with the themselves will be available for Democrat History. titles of our books (Dictionary sale, with Journal subscribers Why another change of of Liberal Biography, Dictionary enjoying a 20% discount off name? Some time ago, mem- of Liberal Quotations, Great Lib- gallery prices. Journal readers bers of the Journal’s Editorial eral Speeches) and our website are also invited to a special Board suggested that the ‘Lib- (www.liberalhistory.org.uk). private view of the originals at eral Democrat’ tag identified And with a name change, London’s Gallery 33. See the the Journal too closely with the also a change in the Journal’s leaflet enclosed with this issue party, and lessened its appeal to design, building on advice for more information. non-party members. given us by professional de- Together with articles by As regular readers will be signers. Inevitably this will Bill Rodgers, Chris Ren- aware, we exist to promote take a few issues to bed down, nard and Conrad Russell, a the discussion and research but we hope you like the comprehensive bibliography of historical topics relating new-look and new-name and chronology, this edition to the histories of the Liber- Journal just as much, if not should be special indeed. al Democrats, Liberal Party, more, than before. Look out for Journal 39, and SDP, and of Liberalism Duncan Brack (Editor) available in June. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery … (part II) ith the long-term trade unionist and former David Hill, the former Chief government. This was clearly success of the Liberal Labour General Secretary Media Spokesperson of the demonstrated by the quality WDemocrat History Lord (Tom) Sawyer and Labour Party, and Tim Allan, of the contributions made Group now established and a former Fabian General Sec- the former Deputy Press Sec- by young Labour members Conservative History Group retary Dianne Hayter. Other retary to Tony Blair. A Labour to the Dictionary of Labour recently launched (see Journal participants in the discussion History Journal is planned, Biography. We hope to provide 37), you might be forgiven for included former Opposition initially twice a year, featuring a lively and inclusive forum wondering whether Labour Chief Whip and MP Lord articles, biographical portraits for those wishing to discuss were now going to try and get Graham of Edmonton, Tony of Labour figures, reports of and debate the key episodes in on the act. Well you would Crosland’s former PPS Dick meetings, reviews and news of in the Labour Party’s history.’ almost be right – or left even Leonard, and MPs Chris Bry- forthcoming events. For more information – since the Labour History ant and John Spellar. Chair Greg Rosen said: please contact Greg Rosen Group actually launched last More meetings are ‘We were really pleased with ([email protected]) or summer, in July 2002. planned, and also a magazine, the launch and the team is Jayant Chavda (jayantchavda Its launch meeting, a de- though in the Fabian tradi- now working hard to build @hotmail.com). Membership bate entitled ‘Labour’s Second tion of gradualism, getting on that event. There is a costs £10 (or £5 conces- Term: Lessons from History’ the organisation up and run- myth that Labour’s young sions; cheque payable to the brought a varied audience ning has taken a few months. members are uninterested in ‘Labour History Group’) to the historic Moses Room Forthcoming events will in- the party’s history. The reality and should be sent to Patrick in Parliament to discus and clude a historical perspective is that there is a great deal Loughran, Labour History ruminate. The panel included on Labour and the media, led of interest in understanding Group, Suite 5, 4th Floor, historian and biographer by Harold Wilson’s former the historical context 2 Caxton Street, London Lord (Kenneth O.) Morgan, Press Secretary Joe Haines, of the current Labour SW1H 0QE. Journal of Liberal History 38 Spring 2003 3 Roy Jenkins (Lord Jenkins of Hillhead) died on 5 January 2003, at the age of 82. He was a good friend to the Liberal Democrat History Group, speaking at several of our meetings and contributing a number of articles to the Journal. Andrew Adonis, Jenkins’ authorised biographer and currently Head of Policy in 10 Downing Street, wrote this appreciation of his life, which first appeared in The Times under the title ‘The man who towered above left and right’. ROY JENKINS REMEMBERED hortly before his passion which few devote to any was of Britain’s electoral system, sudden death, Roy one of those pursuits. It was the which usually invests power in Jenkins called to combination of these, together broad social coalition parties led discuss his next with Oxford, his wife Jennifer from the centre – a force the book. He had almost and the influence of his remark- SDP/Liberals could not become Sfinished writing a life of FDR, able father, a Welsh collier who without winning more Labour already two books on from his won a scholarship to Ruskin Col- voters than they were able to epic Churchill published barely lege, which formed his outlook.