Swinging in the ’60s to the Liberals Mary Murphy and Urban District Council

At the beginning of the 1960s, the Pontypridd parliamentary constituency in south was dominated by the Labour Party and the coalmining industry, although in some respects it was a disparate cluster of communities from Pontypridd in the north to further south, and including Cowbridge and Bonvilston in the Vale of . Steve Belzak examines the story of how a small group of Liberal activists, led by the redoutable Mary Murphy, set out to challenge Labour’s hegemony.

26 Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 Swinging in the ’60s to the Liberals Mary Murphy and Pontypridd Urban District Council

n terms of local govern- Liberal support was dropping.3 It twenty of the twenty-seven seats, ment, Pontypridd’s constitu- is true that the 1964 general elec- with just one Liberal (two from ent municipalities made up a tion enabled the party to ‘break 1962 onwards), and a handful of patchwork of different areas, into new ground’ with a share Independents. The Council was including Pontypridd Urban of the poll, at 11.2 per cent, that divided into seven multi-member IDistrict Council, Llantrisant and was double its 1959 level, and nine wards with elections every year Rural District MPs.4 However, the closeness of for a third of its membership for Council, and also parts of the result brought with it fresh three-year terms. Rural District Council and Cow- problems, with a national squeeze Liberal membership of the bridge Rural District Council. from the two main parties, and, council in the early 1960s was The constituency came into with the exception of Roxburgh, concentrated in one four-mem- existence in 1918 and was held Selkirk & Peebles, a crop of disap- ber ward, , which lies until 1922 by a coalition Lib- pointing by-election results in the between Pontypridd town centre eral, Mr T. A. Lewis, who lost subsequent parliament. and the mining village of Cilfy- it in a by-election to Labour in In Wales, the fortunes of Lib- nydd. It was, and still is, predom- 1922, who have held it ever since. eralism in the 1950s seemed to be inantly comprised of terraced Between 1922 and 1970 it was going in the opposite direction to houses built around the end of contested by the Liberals only at those of Liberalism in England. the nineteenth century, although the 1931 and 1938 by-elections Just as the latter was showing signs some houses on Pontypridd (and in the latter case it was by a of new life, the former suffered Common, on the eastern side of National Liberal), and in the 1931 the catastrophic loss of the Car- the ward, might be considered and 1945 general elections.1 marthen by-election to Labour. home to a wealthier professional However, as David Roberts points group. out, the new tide did, as the 1960s Until 1948 the ward was The Liberal situation in dawned, lap against Wales, with entirely Labour, but one seat was England and Wales at the successes in the local government won by a Liberal, Eddie Williams, dawn of the 1960s elections that year in Cardiff, in a by-election in November The sensational by-election result Neath and Llanelli.5 Neverthe- 1948, and held by him until 1954. at Orpington in 1962 gave an less, as J. Graham Jones notes, the The by-election was caused by the enormous boost to the fortunes Liberal position in Wales in the death of a Labour councillor. The of the Liberal Party.2 However, early 1960s remained ‘precarious’ ward Labour Party nominated a the sort of voters that the Liber- as the party prepared for the com- Mrs Milton, a longstanding mem- als in southern England were ing Westminster election, and ber of the party, to be its candi- appealing to at this stage were ‘ultimately there was no Liberal date, but her nomination was not the sort to be found in the recovery in Wales in 1964.’6 rejected by the constituency party South Wales industrial mining Cllr Mary Murphy because, at sixty-five years of age, communities. The latter were, in as Mayor of she was considered too old.7 The the main, the kind of working- Pontypridd Urban District Pontypridd in campaign of Eddie Williams, class voters who lived in terraced Council (PUDC) the mid 1960s a deacon and treasurer of a local houses and tended to vote Labour At the beginning of the 1960s, (photo by kind chapel, seized on this in a hard- at parliamentary elections. In any the council was overwhelm- permission of fought campaign in which he was event, Cook argues that the 1963 ingly dominated by the Labour Cynon described as ‘a firm friend of the local election results showed that Party, which held more than Taf Libraries) old age pensioners, whose fight he

Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 27 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council supports.’8 Williams won against Mary Edwards, later to become between the official Labour can- the Labour candidate by 1,381 Mary Murphy, was a Pontypridd didate and an Independent Labour votes to 986 in what was described woman, the daughter of Mr candidate. Although the official as ‘one of the heaviest polls known Richard Edwards and Mrs Annie Labour nominee was returned in a by-election.9 It was a cam- Edwards of Taff Villa, Berw comfortably by 1,682 votes to 754, paign which had seen both the Road. She attended Pontypridd the result was described by the local Labour MP and the Labour Girls’ Grammar School and Ban- local press as a ‘jolt for Labour.’20 MP for Hartlepool (whose home gor Teacher Training College At least the Labour candidate in was in the ward) out canvassing, where she studied physical educa- the October 1964 general election but to no avail. Councillor Wil- tion. A fluent Welsh speaker, she was not returned unopposed, but liams’ agent described the result as was a member of Sardis Congre- his competition was provided by a conclusive proof ‘that the Trallwn gational Church, Pontypridd, Conservative only – there was no ward is Liberal’, while the Labour and returned to her native town, Liberal challenger. agent branded it as a victory for teaching first at Mill Street Sec- The 1965 round of elections ‘the combined forces of Liberals ondary School and then at Ysgol was to produce no real advance. and Tories in the ward.’10 Eddie Uwchradd, Rhydyfelin. She also After the elections there were Williams served as a councillor travelled widely, lived for a year twenty-three Labour councillors, for five and a half years until he in the United States and visited, two Liberals in the Trallwn ward, unexpectedly lost his seat in 1954 among other places, the Soviet and two Independents in the Tre- in what was described by the local Union (in 1958) although she told forest ward. Pontypridd was, in newspaper as a ‘sensational elec- the Pontypridd Observer that it was the words of the local newspaper, tion result.’11 Israel that impressed her most.16 ‘a Labour citadel.’21 The ward was then bereft of In the May 1963 elections, Liberal representation until 1960 Cyril Morgan failed by a con- when another Liberal, W. L Sim- siderable margin to win a seat in On the attack mons, defeated a Labour candi- Rhydyfelin, but Mary Edwards An interesting change appears date.12 Simmons was joined two won her seat in Trallwn by 1,183 to have taken place between the years later by Reg Price, and when votes to Labour’s 846.17 Labour early and mid-1960s in respect of Simmons announced that he was also gained a seat from the Inde- press coverage of PUDC meet- resigning from the council in pendents that year, two of whom ings. Reports in the earlier period early 1963, because he had moved had represented the Town ward. had all the quality of the old Soviet to Bideford, Price expressed his Liberal activity in the local Weekly. No doubt this was due not deep regrets. Within a fortnight, press began to pick up, with arti- to the local press currying favour the local Liberal Association, cles and letters on issues such as ‘The tragedy with the Labour administration, meeting in Pontypridd YMCA, how the Liberals would run the but because of the general lack of had decided to adopt two new town’s buses, and the party’s pol- of Pon- opposition within the council. candidates – ‘two prominent local icy on housing. In April 1964, it typridd is The new style of Liberal oppo- residents’, in the words of the local was announced that, for the first sition was exemplified by the newspaper – for the May elec- time in many years, the Liberals that it is in Liberal attack on the all-Labour tions: Mr Cyril Morgan for Rhy- would contest the Town ward, composition of the Pontypridd dyfelin, and Miss Mary Edwards the candidate being a fifty-six the grip of Burial Board. They argued that for the vacant Trallwn seat.13 year old who had been a Liberal not all members of the Board were Mr Morgan explained his out- member since the age of eight- a monopoly entitled to be on it since they were look: ‘The tragedy of Pontypridd een.18 In the event, Labour won not ratepayers, as laid down by the is that it is in the grip of a monop- in the Town ward, unseating factor in the Pontypridd Burial Board Act of oly factor in the guise of the the remaining Independent, and 1892. This attack was given added Labour Party that seems to have attributing this to the develop- guise of the weight by the Pontypridd Liber- the impression that the council is ment of a large council housing als seeking advice from Michael the exclusive right of the Labour estate at which pro- Labour Party Meadowcroft, local government Party.’14 Derek Lewis amplifies vided solid backing for socialism.19 officer at the party’s London HQ. this by explaining that, while It is worth noting that Labour that seems Meadowcroft in consequence there were Liberals, like himself, were returned unopposed in the wrote to Welsh Secretary, Jim who became active for ideologi- , Graig, Rhydyfelin and to have the Griffiths, asking him to investi- cal reasons, there were many who Trallwn wards. gate the matter.22 While this was disliked the ‘one-party totalitar- However, it was not just the impression going on, the Liberals gained a ian style’ of Labour in the Welsh PUDC wards mentioned above in third member, in a by-election valleys and passionately believed which candidates were returned that the caused by the death of a Labour in the merits of opposition and without an election. This was council is councillor representing Rhydy- political competition. Not that true to an even greater extent of felin. Leslie Broom was elected ideology excluded an oppositional the Glamorgan County Council. the exclu- on 11 February 1966 following an stance; the two often went hand- Elections were held every three energetic campaign in which he in-hand.15 It seems safe to con- years, in April, and the record of sive right of said that candidates should con- clude that national phenomena, competition was abysmal. The test their seats – ‘Allowing candi- like Orpington and Jo Grimond, Liberals decided not to contest any the Labour dates to be elected unopposed can had much less of a role to play than county seats in 1964, but there was lead to apathy and complacency purely local factors. one contest in the Rhondda ward Party.’ … Councillors should be seen in

28 Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council and around the ward concerning Pontypridd themselves with people’s prob- Urban District lems, and there are a great many Council wards ward matters that need atten- tion.’23 Mr Broom instanced der- elict houses, culverts, allotments and the need for a reduction in rent and rates. Meanwhile, the two main par- ties were gearing up for the gen- eral election. Sitting MP Arthur Pearson argued that ‘people like both the pace, content and extent of Labour’s policies,’24 while the Conservatives’ Kenneth Green- Wanstall argued that ‘there is only one job for us to do during this election campaign, and this is to bring home to the electorate the gravity of the economic situa- tion.’25 In contrast, the local Liber- als met and decided not to put up a candidate for the parliamentary election on 31 March. But they were in no way downcast – they decided that they would contest a PUDC by-election in the Rhon- dda ward on 7 April. Moreover, the ‘meeting closed with a feel- ing that Liberalism in the area was now becoming really alive and energetic and was becoming the offensive. The following Tues- ‘had I not seen this fiasco from the counter balance to the one party day, the council’s treasurer asked public gallery, I would not have domination from which the town for a resolution to be passed which believed it possible … Would any had suffered so far.’26 would permit him and his deputy thinking man agree that every In the event, Labour retained to audit the accounts of the Burial Labour councillor is better suited their seat in the by-election,27 but Board. A resolution ought to be for a committee than any Liberal the Pontypridd Observer was excited passed each year, he said, but it or Independent councillor?’32 It about the approaching May elec- had been many years since such seems that every Labour council- tions. Before nominations closed, a resolution had been made, and lor was considered better than Lib- the paper talked in its 22 April they were asking for this to be erals or Independents when the 1966 edition of ‘Sensational Elec- done now. The council agreed to council decided to send three of its tion Prospects – Four of the Seven put the item on a future agenda, Labour members to Pontypridd’s Wards to be Contested’.28 The fol- but Miss Edwards intervened, German twin town of Nurtin- lowing week it found its expec- saying that it seemed that discus- gen. Councillors W. J. Griffiths tations exceeded as its headline sion of the Burial Board in recent and Mary Edwards did not suggest proclaimed; ‘Contests in Seven months had brought to light many sending members of other parties Wards – Liberals and Independ- ‘customs’, and this request to instead, but questioned the value ents Present Arms’.29 overturn a custom and return to of sending councillors at all. Rep- The front page of the Pon- the letter of the law would seem resentatives of local organisations typridd Observer on 13 May told the to indicate that there had been would be much better, argued story of the polling the day before: some ‘irregularity’ in the past. Miss Edwards.33 ‘Shocks for Labour Party – Two There was immediate uproar in But for Labour councillors used Seats Lost, Others Held only Nar- the chamber, with Labour mem- to their officers being politically rowly’. Labour had lost one seat to bers rising to their feet, and Miss on side there was worse to come. Liberal W. J. Griffiths in the Rhy- Edwards withdrew the word On 9 July 1966, Mary Edwards dyfelin ward, and another to the ‘irregularity’ unconditionally.31 married Bernard Murphy, the Independents in . The The bitterness of the Labour Clerk to Pontypridd Urban Dis- Town ward they retained by just Party was demonstrated by their trict Council. The couple tied the eighty-seven votes against Derek decision soon afterwards to knot at St Dyfrig’s Roman Catho- G. Lewis, and Mary Edwards was exclude all Independent and Lib- lic Church, with a short service returned with an increased major- eral councillors from every com- attended only by family mem- ity in Trallwn, despite an all-out mittee and sub-committee at the bers and intimate friends. The effort by the Labour Party.30 council’s annual meeting, lead- bride wore a light blue suit with With the elections barely over, ing Derek Lewis to state in a let- white hat, and best man was Ber- Miss Edwards returned to the ter to the Pontypridd Observer that nard’s brother, Gerald. After the

Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 29 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council

view … income, education, back- ground … anything you care to name.’40 Mrs Murphy was supported by Reg Price, who pointed out that for many years the council had denied council tenants the opportunity to buy their own homes. This was an anomaly and moreover, the economy’s tem- perature was dropping, with colliery closures and the like. ‘To have an integrated society is precisely what we are here for.’ Labour obviously did not agree because Mrs Murphy’s motion was defeated by twenty-one votes to two.41

The national picture and 1967 ceremony the couple departed for not ratepayers in the traditional The deteriorating state of the Dover en route to a month-long sense of the word. ‘Labour coun- national economy had local honeymoon touring Europe and cillors are endeavouring to be just ramifications. Welsh Secretary Morocco.34 and acting by modern-day stand- Cledwyn Hughes, on a visit to Back in Britain, the new Mrs ards in their determination that all the Rhondda, adjacent to Pon- Murphy was present in Llanidloes classes of people, whether prop- typridd, found himself confronted on 10 September for the formation erty owners, Council or private by anti-unemployment demon- of the new Welsh Liberal Party, house tenants, be allowed to serve strators.42 The local newspaper created out of the merger of the on this board.’38 The criticism was itself, in an editorial, came out old North Wales and South Wales vehemently denied by the then in favour of the location of the Liberal Federations. This was a Miss Edwards, who pointed out new Royal Mint in Llantrisant.43 necessary move because, as Emlyn that every member of the Burial The council, meanwhile, passed Hooson has pointed out, ‘the Lib- Board could be a council ten- a motion calling for a joint meet- eral organization in Wales was ant as long as he was a member of ing between itself and adjoining a recipe for disaster,’35 although the local authority and the Board local authorities, with the prime Russell Deacon reminds us that complied with the provisions of minister, the Chancellor of the the new arrangements were not the 1933 Local Government Act, Exchequer, the Secretary of State popular in South Wales.36 permitting its financial affairs to for Wales and the president of the Elected to the post of chair be subject to audit by a govern- Board of Trade. of the new party, Mrs Murphy ment auditor, which was not the Mrs Murphy described this told the Llanidloes gathering of case.39 resolution as ‘the most shattering plans for a spring offensive in the The PUDC Housing Com- indictment of the Member of Par- council elections. ‘Wales has 33 mittee had met and recommended liament for this area.’ She went on yes-men in the Government,’ she that 536 houses built by the coun- to say that she could not ‘recall any said, referring to the tendency of cil at be offered for sale. particular push or activity on his Welsh Labour MPs to support the Mrs Murphy argued that they part for the crying need for new Labour Government whatever the should be offered for rent and industries … for something like circumstances. ‘It was,’ she went that this would clear the coun- the Royal Mint.’ Referring to the on, ‘about time [the Welsh people] cil’s housing waiting list. ‘After MP’s canvassing in a local election were freed from them.’ The Lib- meeting the needs of the peo- the previous May, she said, ‘But a erals, she said, aimed to shape the ple of Pontypridd then, and only year ago he was devoting his ener- destiny of Wales and beyond that, then, should we think in terms gies to prevent another Liberal Britain and Europe.37 of attracting people from outside from returning to this council And then it was back to the the area.’ Developing her point, chamber. I think it would have attack in Pontypridd. Mrs Mur- Mrs Murphy argued that by offer- been more to the point if he was phy had been criticised by the ing a form of rent differential, the invited to the meeting tonight. Labour Party for what they said council could attract all types of It would have been personal tes- were her backward-looking views people into the area, ‘I reject this timony to his complete and utter on council tenants who didn’t idea of concentrating one class ineffectiveness as a representative pay rates. This, according to one of people in one housing estate, of this area.’44 The MP, Arthur county councillor, John Howell- the so-called exec-admin profes- Pearson, reacted angrily, saying Davies, was what lay behind her sional type, and relegating peo- that the attack was ‘mere political attack on the composition of the ple of lower incomes to another spleen. I am sure that “Murphy- Pontypridd Burial Board – coun- area. I believe in a mixed society ised” buckets of political muck cillors who were also tenants were … mixed from every point of will not assist in bringing either a

30 Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council new Royal Mint or other indus- and was certainly better than the houses at Glyncoch.56 She raised tries into the area.’45 A few weeks result obtained by Plaid Cymru in the question of whether there later it was announced that the its first outing on the Pontypridd was any benefit to be gained from Mint would go to Llantrisant.46 electoral scene. Their candidate the expense of sending council- The local Liberals meanwhile in the Rhondda ward had been lors – Labour ones – to national were proceeding with their plans beaten by 1,350 to 708, a margin of and other conferences.57 The front for the continuing assault on nearly two to one.51 page headline of the 15 February Labour. The press announced that But the real battle was for edition of the Pontypridd Observer the Liberals’ annual dinner was to Pontypridd, and the local press announced: ‘£32,000 Loss on be held at the Gourmet Restau- was excited. ‘It has been a case Buses Expected’, and Mrs Mur- rant on 16 February 1967, with of alert status on the local politi- phy declared the situation ‘horri- Welsh Liberal President Edward cal front this week in preparation fying’, while Derek Lewis called Davies as the guest speaker. At the for next Thursday’s battle in the for independent consultants to same time, Mrs Murphy’s public urban district council elections,’ be brought in to tackle the situa- profile was to receive a further the Pontypridd Observer declared tion.58 Mrs Murphy was not slow boost from appearing on televi- on its front page the first week of to attack the increase in local tax- sion twice in four days: on the May.52 ‘And make no mistake, the ation. ‘Up Go the Rates – County BBC Wales programme Disgwl Labour Party is leaving nothing to Mainly to Blame’, said the Pon- Cwmni (Expecting Company) in chance. Their opponents are at the typridd Observer on its front page which she talked about the role gates of the socialist citadel.’ a few weeks later, adding ‘Figures of magistrates courts; and then on The following week the news- Excessive Declares Mrs Murphy’.59 the same channel’s Llwyfan (Plat- paper headline said: ‘Jolt for The Pontypridd Observer form) in which invited represent- Labour – Three Liberal Gains’. described the May polls as ‘the atives of political parties debated Reg Green had won in Trallwn most exciting elections for many and answered questions from the to take a third Liberal seat in that years.’60 Cilfynydd was to be public.47 ward, by 1,065 to 868. In the Rhy- contested by newcomer Colin And another front was to be dyfelin ward two seats were up Purcell, the ward having been opened up. Referring to the fact for grabs, and the Liberal Arthur subject to the unopposed returns that Labour nominees to the Gla- Davies came second to take a seat. of Labour candidates for many morgan County Council were The top-placed Labour candidate years. In the event, Labour’s regularly returned unopposed in received 1,857 votes to the Liber- George Paget beat the Liberal in the area, Mrs Murphy said, ‘I feel al’s 1,565, while the second Labour that ward, by 855 to 472, but else- that the County Council affects candidate polled just 1,399. And where there was victory, causing the lives of ordinary people more in the Town ward, Derek Lewis the Pontypridd Observer to headline directly even than the govern- won at his second attempt, oust- its front page ‘Sensational Liberal ment on a national level. There are ing Labour by 974 votes to 794.53 Hat Trick’.61 so many things which are causing Labour were not happy and The Liberals won a fourth seat me concern, particularly in the shortly afterwards the constitu- in Trallwn; a second seat in Town field of education and planning. I ency party asked Transport House – 789 to Labour’s 551 and Plaid seriously think it is high time that for advice on ‘the unsatisfactory Cymru’s 403; and a seat in the some opposition was registered on relationship between Mrs Mur- Graig ward, where two seats were the County Council, rather than phy and the Town Clerk.’ Mrs being contested. The top Labour the situation at present whereby Murphy was phlegmatic, waving candidate gained 722 votes, while more than 80 members seem to the matter aside with her obser- the Liberal, Carrick A. Rees came have to kow-tow to the dictates of vation that ‘if I were a member of second with 684, and the bot- a small caucus who have been in the Labour Party there would be tom–placed Labour candidate got power for far too long.’48 no criticism.’54 ‘And make 513. In addition, Leslie Broom, In April the Liberals fought the by-election victor, held on in two of the four county seats. no mistake, Rhydyfelin. Derek Lewis polled well in the High tide This was a significant result Town-Graig division but was 1968 was not a good year for the the Labour because, with an Independent beaten by Labour by 1,515 votes Labour Party at a national level. winning a third seat in Trefor- to 1,125. In Cilfynydd & Tral- The recent devaluation, the credit Party is leav- est, the Labour majority on the lwn, Labour beat Mrs Murphy squeeze, the balance of payments, council had been shaved to just by 1,821 to 1,544, but the victor, and the incomes policy all acted ing nothing one vote; fourteen Labour coun- W. Edryd Lewis, was reappointed to severely dent the government’s cillors to ten Liberals and three as an alderman and this neces- popularity. Local MP Arthur to chance. Independents, the latter two sitated a by-election six weeks Pearson spoke at the Trallwn Their oppo- groups seeing eye to eye on many later.49 Mrs Murphy stood again, Labour hall of ‘the long and hard issues.62 How far this was due to but the margin of victory of the road to national solvency.’55 And nents are at local campaigning, and how much locally popular Labour candidate, Mrs Murphy was not slow to take to national factors, is matter of Emrys Peck, was greater than on advantage of Labour’s discom- the gates of conjecture. Certainly the Liber- the previous occasion: 1,999 votes fiture. She accused the council’s als campaigned hard, but Labour to 1,409.50 Nevertheless, the over- housing committee of dilatori- the socialist in 1968 was incredibly unpopular all Liberal performance in the ness in considering the matter of a and performed badly across the county contests was impressive, tender for the construction of 505 citadel.’ UK, losing such towns as Sheffield

Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 31 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council and Sunderland for the first time is of taking young activists in cars Rhondda ward. In Rhydyfelin, since the war.63 In Wales, the to campaign for Wallace Lawler in Miss Pat Troman was just thirty; South Wales Echo missed the events the successful Birmingham Lady- and the youngest candidate was in Pontypridd, talking instead of wood parliamentary by-election aiming to win the third seat in the the Labour Party fighting a dou- in June 1969. Town ward – Miss Elizabeth For- ble challenge from the Conserva- 1969 dawned with Labour still est being just twenty-three.74 tives and Plaid Cymru, with 600 unpopular, and Arthur Pearson Despite the hyperbole of the candidates contesting 328 seats in declaring his intention to not seek local press – ‘The Most Exciting borough and urban council seats re-election to parliament. The Election for Decades’75 – the result across the principality.64 Liberal offensive continued, with was a disappointment. There were This was, of course, in the the Liberals opposing a plan to no gains, and the Liberals failed to days before the Liberal Party had replace a Welsh place name with win the third Town ward seat by embraced community politics at an English one. Despite speaking just seven votes. Labour polled 707 its 1970 Assembly, but the Liberal the language Mary Murphy was to the Liberal’s 700 votes, while a campaigns in Pontypridd were often accused of being anti-Welsh, Plaid candidate received 473.76 certainly vigorous, and involved and felt it necessary to explain her being seen around the ward, position in the council chamber: knocking on doors, dealing with ‘I am totally against stuffing the The tide goes out case work, attending public meet- Welsh language down peoples’ 1970 witnessed three sets of elec- ings, visiting pubs and clubs, and throats,’ she said, ‘but here we tions in Pontypridd, and the first even breaking the convention of have a perfectly good place name set was for Glamorgan County distributing just one leaflet dur- like Graigwen, and to change it Council. As in 1967, the Liber- ing an election campaign. In to White Rock is certainly not als decided to contest two of fact, Derek Lewis recalls being conforming to the traditions of the four county seats within the criticised by a Labour opponent Pontypridd, since this is part of PUDC area. Mary Murphy stood for putting out two leaflets dur- the district and a well-known in a different ward, the Town- ing a campaign.65 And of course, place name here.’ Labour mem- Graig division, and was beaten by the detailed accounts of the Lib- ber George Paget disagreed on the Labour by 1,626 to 1,402, while in eral–Labour confrontations in the basis that ‘90 per cent of the popu- Treforest & Rhydyfelin Labour council chamber that were car- lation of the town do not speak beat Liberal W. J. Griffiths by ried by the Pontypridd Observer, Welsh.’68 1,692 to 1,354. The party claimed which was widely read, carried The Liberal campaign in the not to be disappointed, pointing the implicit message that ‘the Lib- council chamber included ‘bread- to the increase of 200 votes in the erals work all year round, not just and-butter’ ward issues such as Town-Graig contest. Mrs Mur- at election time.’ unmade roads – ‘blots on the phy declared that organisational Derek Lewis was press officer landscape’69 – as well as drains problems had been identified for the Pontypridd Liberals, and in the Town ward.70 There were and that these would be recti- also held the position of chair- also issues of wider import, such fied for the forthcoming PUDC man of the Young Liberals. As as the plans for a new bus station, The Liberal elections.77 such, he contributed regularly to which the Liberals opposed at that And then there was a bomb- the letters pages of the Pontypridd particular time71 and battles over campaign in shell – Derek Lewis announced Observer, sallying forth on topics Labour’s exclusion of the press that he would not be standing such as Plaid Cymru’s unrealistic from council meetings.72 the council again in the Town ward. His deci- notions of an independent Wales, One particular action of the sion had been taken on the basis and the Vietnam war. On this lat- Liberal leader nearly provoked chamber of medical advice and in order ter issue Lewis criticised an anti- a strike, or so it was alleged by to keep his business going, but war petition circulating in the Labour councillor George Paget. included he hoped, he said, to return as a town because, he said, it avoided Mrs Murphy explained it thus Liberal in the future.78 The Town any mention of North Vietnamese in the council chamber: ‘I was ‘bread-and- ward was one of two losses suf- aggression and was, in effect, an disturbed to see an employee fered by the Liberals in May, as invitation to back a Communist in council uniform come out butter’ ward Labour regained the seat with dictatorship.66 of a public house, go into a bet- 792 votes to the Liberal tally of Under his direction the Young ting shop, and re-enter the pub- issues such 704, with Plaid bringing up the Liberals engaged in a number lic house. I approached him and rear with 348. In Rhydyfelin, of activities such as sailing a raft asked him courteously if he was as unmade two seats were at stake and both down the as part of a on duty.’ Labour councillor Sam Labour candidates finished well publicity and fundraising exercise; Davies responded to this by label- roads – ‘blots ahead of the Liberals – 1,440 and taking photographs of the coal ling Mrs Murphy’s actions as on the land- 1,405 as opposed to 983 and 928.79 tips above Cilfynydd, which many ‘Gestapo Tactics’.73 There was one more campaign residents were worried about after The Liberal line-up of can- scape’ – as ahead, and that was for the general the Aberfan disaster; and hiring didates for the May elections election on 18 June, which the a bus in the summer of 1968 for a included a number of young well as drains Liberals decided to contest, with YL delegation to deliver a letter people. Colin Purcell, stand- Mary Murphy as the candidate. to 10 Downing Street, an act that ing once more in Cilfynydd was in the Town ‘Liberals think the election ought enraged the local Labour Party.67 only twenty-eight years of age, as to be about the quality of life in Lewis’s fondest memory, though, was the party’s candidate in the ward. this country, and looking after

32 Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council those who are getting the rough The most were common, with the Con- the Liberals failed to win in the 1960s, end of the stick,’ declared Mrs servatives being the third party, at various levels of local government Murphy.80 The candidate was her obvious les- and that did not rule out Liberal between 1983 and 2008, first as SDP usual hyperactive self. The Pon- success. And, of course, the Con- and then as Liberal Democrat. typridd Observer reported that she son to be servatives themselves were never had ‘been canvassing energetically very strong in Pontypridd and 1 F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary in the vale [of Glamorgan] and drawn from only contested elections at the Election Results 1918–1948 (Glasgow: during the final week spent more parliamentary level. FWS Craig & Political Reference time in the Pontypridd urban the unique Local government reorgani- Publications, 1969) area.’81 (at least in sation after 1972 seems to have 2 Ken Young, ‘Orpington and the The result was a clear victory acted to prevent the Liberals ever Liberal Revival’, in Chris Cook and for Labour’s new candidate Bryn- terms of coming close to controlling the John Ramsden (eds.), By-elections in mor John, with 28,814 votes, and new Taff-Ely authority, which British Politics (London: Routledge, the Conservatives came second industrial was an enlarged district council 1997), p. 176. with 8,205. But Mrs Murphy had created as a result of Pontypridd 3 Chris Cook, A Short History of the scored a creditable 6,871 at her South Wales) being amalgamated with other Liberal Party, 1900–2001 (6th edn., first attempt, with Plaid Cymru in local authorities. However, there Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2002), p. fourth place on 5,059.82 experi- was nothing inevitable about the 142. Liberals’ lack of local government 4 Harry Cowie, ‘The Liberal Party ence of the success in the locality during the in the General Election of 1964’, in Conclusions new decade. The Liberals sim- Jorgen S. Rasmussen, The Liberal The most obvious lesson to be Liberals in ply failed to organise and cam- Party: A Study of Retrenchment and drawn from the unique (at least in paign outside the old Pontypridd Survival (London: Constable, 1965), terms of industrial South Wales) Pontypridd Urban District area, and this was p. 275. experience of the Liberals in a matter of choices, conscious or 5 David Roberts, ‘The Strange Death Pontypridd during the latter part during unconscious. The leadership dem- of Liberal Wales’, in John Osmond of the 1960s is that campaign- onstrated by Mary Murphy in the (ed.), The National Question Again ing reaps rewards in terms of the latter late 1960s was a two-edged sword; (Llandysul: Gomer Press, 1985), p. electoral success. Admittedly, lack of leadership can be blamed 87. some of the gains could be put part of the for the party’s failure to organ- 6 J. Graham Jones, ‘The Liberal Party down to national factors such as 1960s is that ise properly in the areas formerly and Wales, 1945–79’, The Welsh His- Labour’s unpopularity, but it is covered by the old Llantrisant tory Review, vol. 16, July 1993. clear that hard-working candi- campaign- and Llantwit Fardre Rural Dis- 7 Pontypridd Observer, 20 November dates, together with a high profile trict Council, and leadership of 1948. in the local media, combined to ing reaps the anti-Labour forces went de 8 Pontypridd Observer, 27 November deliver a crop of council seats to facto to Plaid Cymru and rate- 1948. the party in the town. It might be rewards in payers’ groups, who did organise 9 Pontypridd Observer, 4 December argued that the high point of 1968 in these areas. It is clear that the 1948. and 1969, followed by a fallback terms of Liberal Party in Pontypridd at 10 ibid. in 1970 indicates the predominant this time was less of an institution 11 Pontypridd Observer, 15 May 1954. role of national factors, and that, electoral and more of a personal coterie 12 Pontypridd Observer, 9 February with the election of a Conserva- centred around Mary Murphy. 1963. tive government, voters would success. Derek Lewis, for example, does 13 Pontypridd Observer, 23 February turn again to Labour. But the not recall ever paying a member- 1963. experience of the Liberal party ship subscription or possessing a 14 ibid. elsewhere in the UK, as evidenced membership card.84 The lesson to 15 Author’s interview with Derek G. from strong by-election perform- be learned is that the Liberal suc- Lewis, March 2008. ances at Rochdale and at Chester- cesses in Pontypridd in the 1960s, 16 Pontypridd Observer, 15 July 1966. le-Street in County Durham83 and the failure to build on them 17 Pontypridd Observer, 18 May 1963. suggests that it was not impossible after 1970, were both the result 18 Pontypridd Observer, 4 April 1964. to win against Labour even under of choices by local party activists, 19 Pontypridd Observer, 16 May 1964. the circumstances of the 1970–74 and not the outcome of inevitable 20 Pontypridd Observer, 18 April 1964. Heath government. historical forces. 21 Pontypridd Observer, 14 May 1965. Another factor that could be Mary Murphy continued in 22 Pontypridd Observer, 21 January adduced to explain the increas- local government as member of 1966. ing difficulties for the Liberals in both the new borough and county 23 Pontypridd Observer, 4 February Pontypridd was the organisation councils, and stood for parlia- 1966. of and fielding of candidates by ment again in the two 1974 gen- 24 Pontypridd Observer, 11 March 1966. Plaid Cymru from 1967 onwards, eral elections. She stood down 25 Pontypridd Observer, 18 March 1966. slowly at first and then at an from the county in 1985 and from 26 Pontypridd Observer, 25 March 1966. increasing pace. However, the the borough the following year, 27 Pontypridd Observer, 15 April 1966. presence of nationalist candidates and moved to the south coast of 28 Pontypridd Observer, 22 April 1966. need not have caused insuperable England. 29 Pontypridd Observer, 29 April 1966. problems for the Liberals in Pon- 30 Pontypridd Observer, 13 May 1966. typridd. After all, in many parts of Steve Belzak is a university lecturer. 31 Pontypridd Observer, 20 May 1966. England, three-cornered contests He represented Cilfynydd, the ward 32 Pontypridd Observer, 27 May 1966.

Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 33 swinging in the ’60s to the liberals: mary murphy and pontypridd urban district council

33 Pontypridd Observer, 8 July 1966. 1967. 59 Pontypridd Observer, 7 March February 1969. 34 Pontypridd Observer, 15 July 45 ibid. 1968. 73 Pontypridd Observer, 20 March 1966. 46 Pontypridd Observer, 26 April 60 Pontypridd Observer, 2 May 1969. 35 Emlyn Hooson, Liberalism in 1967. 1968. 74 Pontypridd Observer, 27 March Wales in the Second Half of the 47 Pontypridd Observer, 3 February 61 Pontypridd Observer, 16 May 1969. Twentieth Century: Rebirth or 1967. 1968. 75 Pontypridd Observer, 1 May Death?(Aberystwyth: National 48 Pontypridd Observer, 10 March 62 Author’s interview with Derek 1969. Library of Wales, 1994), p. 7. 1967. G. Lewis, March 2008. 76 Pontypridd Observer, 15 May 36 Russell Deacon, ‘The Steady 49 Pontypridd Observer, 14 April 63 Dominic Sandbrook, White 1969. Tapping Breaks the Rock: Lib- 1967. Heat (London: Abacus, 2006), 77 Pontypridd Observer, 16 April eralism in Wales’, Journal of Lib- 50 Pontypridd Observer, 2 June p. 641. 1970. eral Democrat History, 22, Spring 1967. 64 South Wales Echo, 9 May 1968. 78 ibid. 1999. 51 Pontypridd Observer, 14 April 65 Author’s interview with Derek 79 Pontypridd Observer, 14 May 37 Pontypridd Observer, 16 Septem- 1967. G. Lewis, March 2008. 1970. ber 1966. 52 Pontypridd Observer, 5 May 66 Pontypridd Observer, 8 February 80 Pontypridd Observer, 12 June 38 Pontypridd Observer, 27 May 1967. 1968. 1970. 1966. 53 Pontypridd Observer, 12 May 67 Pontypridd Observer, 20 Febru- 81 Pontypridd Observer, 19 June 39 Pontypridd Observer, 3 June 1967. ary 1969. 1970. 1966. 54 Pontypridd Observer, 19 May 68 Pontypridd Observer, 30 January 82 ibid. 40 Pontypridd Observer, 23 Septem- 1967. 1969. 83 Richard Jay, ‘Lincoln and the ber 1966. 55 Pontypridd Observer, 12 January 69 Pontypridd Observer, 16 January Liberal Surge’, in Chris Cook 41 ibid. 1968. 1969. and John Ramsden (eds.), By- 42 Pontypridd Observer, 20 January 56 ibid. 70 Pontypridd Observer, 6 March elections in British Politics (Lon- 1967. 57 Pontypridd Observer, 8 February 1970. don: Routledge, 1997). 43 Pontypridd Observer, 10 Febru- 1968. 71 Pontypridd Observer, 9 January 84 Author’s interview with Derek ary 1967. 58 Pontypridd Observer, 15 Febru- 1969. G. Lewis, March 2008. 44 Pontypridd Observer, 7 April ary 1968. 72 Pontypridd Observer, 20

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS If you can help any of the individuals listed below with sources, contacts, or any other information — or if you know anyone who can — please pass on details to them. Details of other research projects in progress should be sent to the Editor (see page 3) for inclusion here.

Letters of Richard Cobden (1804–65) Liberal Unionists Knowledge of the whereabouts of any letters written by Cobden in A study of the Liberal Unionist party as a discrete political entity. Help private hands, autograph collections, and obscure locations in the UK with identifying party records before 1903 particularly welcome. Ian and abroad for a complete edition of his letters. (For further details of Cawood, Newman University Colllege, Birmingham; i.cawood@newman. the Cobden Letters Project, please see www.uea.ac.uk/his/research/ ac.uk. projects/cobden). Dr Anthony Howe, School of History, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ; [email protected]. The Liberal Party in the West Midlands December 1916 – 1923 election Focusing on the fortunes of the party in Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall The Lib-Lab Pact and Wolverhampton. Looking to explore the effects of the party split The period of political co-operation which took place in Britain between at local level. Also looking to uncover the steps towards temporary 1977 and 1978; PhD research project at Cardiff University.Jonny Kirkup, 29 reunification for the 1923 general election.Neil Fisher, 42 Bowden Way, Mount Earl, Bridgend, Bridgend County CF31 3EY; [email protected]. Binley, Coventry CV3 2HU ; [email protected].

‘Economic Liberalism’ and the Liberal (Democrat) Party, 1937–2004 Recruitment of Liberals into the Conservative Party, 1906–1935 A study of the role of ‘economic liberalism’ in the Liberal Party and the Aims to suggest reasons for defections of individuals and develop an Liberal Democrats. Of particular interest would be any private papers understanding of changes in electoral alignment. Sources include relating to 1937’s Ownership For All report and the activities of the personal papers and newspapers; suggestions about how to get hold of Unservile State Group. Oral history submissions also welcome. Matthew the papers of more obscure Liberal defectors welcome. Cllr Nick Cott, 1a Francis; [email protected]. Henry Street, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3 1DQ; [email protected].

The Liberal Party’s political communication, 1945–2002 The political career of Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper Research on the Liberal party and Lib Dems’ political communication. Strutt was Whig/Liberal MP for Derby (1830-49), later Arundel and Any information welcome (including testimonies) about electoral Nottingham; in 1856 he was created Lord Belper and built Kingston campaigns and strategies. Cynthia Messeleka-Boyer, 12 bis chemin Vaysse, Hall (1842-46) in the village of Kingston-on-Soar, Notts. He was a 81150 Terssac, France; +33 6 10 09 72 46; [email protected]. friend of Jeremy Bentham and a supporter of free trade and reform, and held government office as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Liberal policy towards Austria-Hungary, 1905–16 and Commissioner of Railways. Any information, location of papers or Andrew Gardner, 17 Upper Ramsey Walk, Canonbury, London N1 2RP; references welcome. Brian Smith; [email protected] [email protected].

34 Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010