Www .Llgc.Org.Uk Llewelyn Williams Diary

The Welsh Political Archive

The Welsh Political Archive Newsletter | Autumn 2006 | Number 37 | ISSN 1365-9170 www.llgc.org.uk Llewelyn Williams Diary up a very close friendship with Lloyd George. This rapport was cruelly Gwynfor: Rhag Pob Brad broken by a disagreement over the necessity to introduce military All welcome conscription in 1916, and the rift was never subsequently healed. Gareth Vaughan Jones Following his first election to the (1905 – 1935) House of Commons, Williams wrote in his diary, ‘I feel quite unworthy WPA Annual Lecture of it all. One feels that one can do so Llewelyn Williams little, & one fears the poor people FOI Requests expect so much. It has, at all events, driven all cynicism out of one’s Llewelyn Williams Diary nature, & made me determined to do Lloyd George and all I can to serve Wales & her dear Among the papers of W. Llewelyn Dame Margaret people faithfully & loyally... I am glad Williams MP (1867 – 1922) recently to be given the chance of taking a donated to The National Library by Cardiganshire Liberal part in the good work’. His Honour Judge T. Michael Evans (Diary entry for 17 January 1906.) Association of Swansea, a member of his family, is a very detailed diary which he kept On the last few pages of the diary, Lloyd George sculptures at sporadic intervals between January its author reflects with great heartfelt 1906 and November 1915. Williams sadness on the ruins of his erstwhile SWMF Executive was elected the Liberal MP for the friendship with Lloyd George: ‘I have Carmarthen Boroughs division in the felt it bitterly. I have not slept for Lord Howe of Aberavon great Liberal landslide of January nights on end except fitfully & 1906 and continued to represent uneasily...I have followed & loved him Welsh Nicaragua the constituency until the end of the for a quarter of a century. Now, I fear, First World War. He was also the it is all at an end... I never thought he Solidarity Campaign unsuccessful Asquithian (Independent) would have so lightly thrown away a Liberal candidate in the famous proved & loyal friendship’. W. Llewelyn Williams Cardiganshire by-election of (Diary entry for 26 November 1915.) February 1921. Papers It is hoped to publish the text of A former schoolmaster, barrister the diary, with an introduction and 1910 election addresses and journalist, Llewelyn Williams was explanatory notes, in sections in one of the pillars of the Cymru Fydd The National Library of Wales Journal Carmarthen by-election, movement from 1886 and built during 2007 and 2008. 1966

The Welsh Political Archive Annual Lecture 2006 ‘The Conservative Party in Wales, 1888 – 1998’ Lord Crickhowell Drwm, The National Library of Wales, Friday 3 November 2006, 5.30pm Gwynfor: Rhag Pob Brad

The autumn of 2005 saw the publication of one of the most extensive and impressive political biographies ever published in Wales – Gwynfor: Rhag Pob Brad by Rhys Evans, editor of Dragon’s Eye and a member of the WPA advisory committee. The volume, which runs to 544 enthralling pages, was published by Gwasg y Lolfa, Talybont. The main launch meeting was held at Cardiff on the evening of 9 November 2005 at a ceremony sponsored by Lord Elis-Thomas, presiding officer of the National Assembly for Wales. A second launch meeting was convened at Y Drwm, The National Rhys Evans, author of Gwynfor: Rhag Pob Brad (centre) with Andrew Green, Library of Wales on the evening of Librarian (left) and Gwyn Jenkins, Head of Collections, at the launch. Thursday, 17 November 2006 when, predictably, a large audience gathered for the occasion. It was gratifying to completed a full bilingual catalogue, He also gave the audience a practical be able to welcome several members now available to the public, of the ‘on-line’ demonstration of how to of Gwynfor Evans’s family to the extensive correspondence and papers retrieve and order individual files of Library for the occasion. Dr Richard of Dr Gwynfor Evans. documents from within the archive. Wyn Jones, Director of the Institute of Welsh Politics at the University of Dr Jones explained how Dr Evans’s It is pleasing to be able to record Wales, Aberystwyth, and an active extensive papers had been arranged that an English version of Gwynfor: member of the WPA advisory while sorting and cataloguing, and Rhag Pob Brad is in active preparation committee, chaired the occasion with drew attention to some of the and should see the light of day before his customary aplomb. The audience more interesting items in their midst the end of 2006. was addressed by Mr Garmon such as those relating to Tryweryn, Gruffudd, managing director of the famous 1966 by-election in The Welsh Political Archive Lecture Gwasg y Lolfa, Mr Rhys Evans, Carmarthenshire, and the campaign Lord Crickhowell and Dr J. Graham Jones, Head of to reserve S4C as a channel for Friday 3 November at 5.30pm the Welsh Political Archive at the Welsh language programmes. National Library, who had recently Drwm, The National Library of Wales

All welcome Gareth Vaughan Jones (1905 – 1935) The Welsh Political Archive was set In the summer of 2005 Dr Siriol Colley about Gareth Jones is available on the up in 1983 to co-ordinate the of Nottingham published a very full website at www.garethjones.org.uk collection of documentary evidence biography of her uncle Gareth A group of papers relating to of all kinds about politics in Wales. Vaughan Jones (1905 – 35), the highly Gareth Jones is in the custody of It collects the records and papers distinguished linguist, journalist and the National Library. of political parties, politicians, author who tragically met his death On 2 May 2006 a quite unique service quasi-political organisations, at the hands of ‘bandits’ in Inner of remembrance to Gareth Jones was campaigns and pressure groups; Mongolia on 12 August 1935. held at the chapel of the University of leaflets, pamphlets, ephemera, The impressive, highly readable Wales, Aberystwyth on Penglais posters, photographs, and tapes volume, entitled More Than a Grain campus in which the President of the of radio and television programmes. of Truth, bears the hallmark of university Lord Elystan-Morgan and its extensive research and reading and For further information vice-chancellor Professor Noel Lloyd is fully referenced and illustrated with please contact: took part. This was followed by the many attractive photographs taken unveiling of a trilingual (English, Dr. J. Graham Jones from the Jones family album. It is an Welsh and Ukranian) memorial plaque The Welsh Political Archive admirable companion volume to to Jones in the quadrangle of the The National Library of Wales Dr Colley’s previous book Gareth Old College at Aberystwyth where Aberystwyth, Ceredigion Jones: a Manchukuo Incident (2001) he himself was an undergraduate Wales SY23 3BU which focuses on Gareth’s final studying French from 1922 until 1926. Tel: 01970 632866 around-the-world journey in 1935 This was the first plaque to be Fax: 01970 632883 and the tragic circumstances of his unveiled in the quad for decades. [email protected] untimely death. Further information www.llgc.org.uk/lc/awg_s_awg.htm FOI Requests sustainable developmentinWales. specific responsibility forpromoting for Wales, setup in1999,wasgiven the wayinwhichNationalAssembly the world.CynogDafisalsooutlined development inBritainandthroughout parliamentary workforsustainable which isresponsible forco-ordinating the parliamentarygroup GLOBEUK also giventotheestablishmentof Traffic ReductionAct.Attentionwas Energy ConservationActandtheRoad in passingthrough parliamenttheHome in collaborationwiththeGreen Party, lecture were thesuccessachieved, Among thethemesdiscussedin of thepactinsummer1995. which eventuallyledtothedemise and theunfortunatecircumstances of thejointplatformatWestminster North. Healsolookedatthefruits at thepollsinCeredigion andPembroke subsequent successasajointcandidate Cymru andtheGreen Partyandhis the historic1992pactbetweenPlaid meetings anddiscussionswhichledto very detailedaccountoftheevents, In hislecture CynogDafisgavea deal ofinterest andmuchsupport. annual lecture andattractedagreat National Libraryshortlybefore the Lolfa, Talybont, waslaunchedatthe y Pregethwr detailed autobiographyentitled On thesamedayCynogDafis’s the PanoraLessonforFuture?’. ‘Plaid CymruandtheGreens: Flashin Welsh language,hetookashistheme substantial, closelyarguedlecture inthe Wales, 1999–2003.Inamost Assembly memberforMidandNorth 1992 –2000,andtheNational and Pembroke North(laterCeredigion), former PlaidCymruMPforCeredigion The lecturer wasMrCynogDafis,the evening ofFriday, 4November2005. Y DrwmattheNationalLibraryon Welsh PoliticalArchive washeldin The nineteenthannuallecture ofthe WPALecture Annual also received asaresult ofhisFOI requests. WPA committee,hasalsodonated materialrelating tothe SecondWorld War NLW ex2371.Professor DuncanTanner ofBangor, another memberofthe and theactivities oftheWelsh Language Society. Theyhavebeendesignated 1984 –85,thearsoncampaigns againstWelsh second andholidayhomes, the background totheestablishmentofS4Cin1982, theminers’strikeof material heldattheNational Archives atKew. Theserelate tosubjectssuchas donated totheArchive copiesofsomeexceptionally interesting filesof Mr RhysEvans,anactivemember oftheWPA advisorycommittee,haskindly , publishedbyGwasgy Mab of Wales Journal next numberof available inprintveryshortlythe and theWelsh textwillbemade section ontheWelsh PoliticalArchive, on theLibrary’s webpagesunderthe available inbothWelsh andEnglish The fulltextofthelecture isalready to adoptagreen agenda. lessons forthefuture oftheattempt lecture concludedbyexaminingthe the mid-1990s.Themostsubstantial progress madeoverthedecadefrom new emphasis,andreflected onthe and publicationswhichreflected the from anumberofpolicydocuments Westminster. Hequotedatlength the courseofpoliticaldebateat pact hadcometoanendandupon Plaid Cymrupolicieslongafterthe impact oftheGreen agendaupon The lecturer examinedthelong-term Cynog Dafis The National Library The NationalLibrary .

Lloyd George and Dame Margaret Dame Margaret Lloyd Georgeand Historical Society Transactions oftheCaernarfonshire be publishedinOctoberthe will bepleasedtoknowthatit Those unabletoattendthelecture life withhererranthusband. separate from herstressful, fraught and activitiesinthelocality, quite children andaricharrayofpursuits home ‘Brynawelon’,itsgardens, her focussed onherbelovedCriccieth built upanindependentexistence personality. DameMargaret had facets ofhiscomplex,emotional mistress, whoresponded todifferent in lovewithbothhiswifeand He concludedthatLGwasdeeply the twentiethcentury. most bizarre triangularlovestoryof an interesting re-appraisal ofthe House ofLords, DrJonespresented the ParliamentaryArchive atthe Frances Stevensoninthecustodyof together withthedetaileddiariesof in 1945,heldattheNationalLibrary, Secretary from 1923untilhisdeath Lloyd George’s PrincipalPrivate typescript diariesofA.J.Sylvester, correspondence andtheoriginal Using therichrunsofLloydGeorge NLW Friends,tookthechair. Dr NestaLloyd,chairmanofthe and DameMargaret, 1921–41’. capacity audience,was‘LloydGeorge of hislecture, whichattracteda Welsh PoliticalArchive. Thetheme by DrJ.GrahamJones,Headofthe the FriendsofNationalLibrary of theeventswasalecture givento at TheNationalLibraryofWales. One highly successfulopendaywasheld On Saturday, 28January2006a no. 67(2006). Recent Lloyd George sculptures Lord Howe of Aberavon The Library was very pleased to be Lord Howe has kindly donated to the Acquisitions able to purchase a bronze copy of the Archive a photocopy of a scrapbook head of David Lloyd George (1863 – of material relating to his early political 1945) prepared by the distinguished career in the Aberavon constituency in sculptor Michael Rizzello in 1960. the 1950s. The material was assembled Cardiganshire Liberal The original statue was placed as the at the time by his father. It has been national memorial to Lloyd George designated NLW Fac 1007. Lord Howe’s Association at Cathays Park, Cardiff. At the same extensive papers have been deposited time a small maquette of the statue at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Through the good offices of Professor was purchased by the Library. P. D. G. Thomas of Aberystwyth, an additional group of the records, Welsh Nicaragua 1950 – 1992, of the Cardiganshire SWMF Executive Liberal Association has come to hand. Solidarity Campaign A minute book covering the years Mr M. Thomas of Bristol has donated 1950 – 1967 is of especial interest, to the Library a rare picture, preserved Mr Ben Gregory has donated a further while there are also a few papers in very good condition, of the members group of the records of the Welsh concerning Lord Geraint of of the executive committee of the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign. These Ponterwyd. Professor Thomas has South Wales Miners Federation at Plas comprise deputations, 1990 – 2005, also donated a small group of records Tal-y-garn in June 1923. He has also correspondence files, 1996 – 2004, of the Welsh Liberal Association donated a photograph of Mr Noah minutes, 1998 – 2004, and material, dating from the 1980s. These have Rees, one of its most prominent 1992 – 2004, deriving from related been added to the archive groups activists, secretary of the Cambrian campaigns and other groups. already in the custody of the Library. Lodge and one of the instigators of the Tonypandy riots in 1910.

W. Llewelyn Williams Papers 1910 election addresses His Honour Judge T. Michael Evans of Swansea has donated to the Library a The Library was very pleased to be small group of correspondence, diary material, printed items, memorabilia and able to purchase recently a substantial press cuttings relating to the politician W. Llewelyn Williams (1867 – 1922), group of election addresses and Liberal MP for the Carmarthen Boroughs from 1906 until 1918 and a close leaflets (preserved in pristine associate of David Lloyd George until 1916. The two men then quarrelled condition) issued by candidates in various Glamorganshire constituencies bitterly over the necessity to introduce military conscription at the height of during the two general election the First World War. More papers are expected shortly. campaigns which took place in the Mr Neville C. Masterman of Swansea has also presented some papers relating year 1910. They include election to Llewelyn Williams, together with the extensive research notes and transcripts material issued by, amongst others, of documents which he had amassed concerning Williams. It was originally Keir Hardie, Charles Butt Stanton, J. Hugh Edwards, Edgar Rees Jones, Mr Masterman’s intention to write a full-length biography of Llewelyn Williams. Sidney Robinson and Clement Edwards.

Carmarthen by-election 1966 Dr Gwynfor Evans Carmarthen by-election, 1966

Through the kindness of Mr Peter Hughes Griffiths, Carmarthen, the WPA has received a substantial scrapbook containing literally hundreds of letters, telegrams and messages received by Dr Gwynfor Evans following his triumphant success in the Carmarthenshire by-election of July 1966. It contains communications from Saunders Lewis, Revd. Lewis Valentine and D. J. Williams. The volume has now been designated NLW ex 2383. petergill.com 150711006