Dr J. Graham Jones Examines the History of the Carnarvon Boroughs Constituency When It Was First Represented by David Lloyd George Between 1890 and 1895
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LLOYD GEORGE AND THE CARNARVON BOROUghs, 1890–95 Dr J. Graham Jones examines the history of the Carnarvon Boroughs constituency when it was first represented by David Lloyd George between 1890 and 1895. 26 Journal of Liberal History 82 Spring 2014 LLOYD GEORGE AND THE CARNARVON BOROUghs, 1890–95 he anomalous Carnarvon had returned a MP to the House of entered the Liberal Cabinet of Sir district of Boroughs con- Commons ever since the passage Henry Campbell-Bannerman as Tstituency, distributed of the union legislation by Henry President of the Board of Trade, a widely over some twenty-five VIII in 1536, but the borough of position which certainly augured miles in remote north-west Wales, Bangor was not added to the other well for the future political career comprised six scattered contribu- five until the redistribution of par- progression of its holder. In all tory boroughs. The voters in each liamentary constituencies which the intervening general elections, participating borough cast bal- had accompanied the passage of the outcome in the Boroughs was lots, which were added together the Great Reform Act in 1832. Tra- uncertain and keenly debated.2 over the whole district to decide ditionally many of the electorate At Bangor in particular there was the result of the poll. The three of the Carnarvon Boroughs had a distinctive Anglican interest largest – Bangor, Caernarvon comprised shopkeepers and trades- closely associated with the cathe- and Conway (which included the men, innately middle-of-the-road dral, indigenously Conservative then rapidly developing town of conservative (even if not Conserva- politically, and a large number of Llandudno) – all in the north of tive) by nature, displaying but little urban slum-dwellers whose very the county, included a signifi- zeal for radical initiatives and social existence depended on the support cant middle-class element in their reform impulses. of church charities. At Caernarfon electorates; while the remainder Lloyd George first captured the and Conway, too, local Conserva- – Criccieth (Lloyd George’s home division for the Liberals by a wafer- tive strength had been underlined borough), Nevin and Pwllheli in thin majority of just eighteen votes in recent municipal elections. the south – were much more rural in a precarious and unexpected by- When Lloyd George first and agrarian in character and dis- election in April 1890, his success entered parliament, his constitu- tinctively Welsh-speaking, and highly dependent on substantial ency was already something of were thus more natural Liberal ter- polls in the three Welsh boroughs.1 an anomaly as it had a population ritory. The castle borough of Caer- The constituency had actually been of no more than 30,000 (at a time narfon lay very much at the heart won by a Conservative, Edmund when the average for Welsh con- of the constituency, but inevitably Swetenham, in the general elec- stituencies exceeded 45,000 indi- the division lacked any kind of ter- Left: Carnarvon tion of 1886, the result of some local viduals), and an electorate of less ritorial cohesion, as all six boroughs Castle, antagonism towards Irish home than 5,000, many of these ‘sober’ were separated from one another photographed rule, and the failure of the rural shopkeepers and professional men by substantial tracts of agricul- by Francis Frith vote to turn out in full in support with no great inclination to radical- tural land and by towns which had (1822–98) in the of Gladstone, disappointed by lack ism. Some English constituencies been established more recently like mid-nineteenth of progress on the ‘unauthorised had an even smaller electorate at Porthmadog with its port trade, century (1850s– programme’. Lloyd George did not this time; others had an electorate railway terminus and distinctly 1870s). (© win a majority of the votes in all well in excess of 10,000 individu- more industrial character than the Victoria and six boroughs until 1906 by which als. It was also true that a signifi- other towns within the constitu- Albert Museum, time he was very much a national cant number of householders who ency. The Carnarvon Boroughs London) political figure and had already had been enfranchised by the Third Journal of Liberal History 82 Spring 2014 27 llOYD GEORGE And THE CARNARVON BOROUghs, 1890–95 Reform Act of 1884 were simply ‘There are Breaches of the law at the expense summer of 1887, Lloyd George tak- unaware of their newfound right of landlords, notably petty theft ing full advantage of the hiring to be registered as voters. A large two or three and poaching, or the established fairs at Llyn to arrange impromptu number of obstacles and technicali- church were considered acts of meetings to stir up local agita- ties, especially in relation to reg- impressions political defiance in rural Wales. tion by making highly eloquent istration, still stood in the way of Although he was primarily inter- and impassioned speeches. Tithes complete male suffrage. Indeed, I must be ested in the Carnarvon Boroughs, were traditional payments which in the year 1891 no more than 33.7 Lloyd George had actually come entitled the Church to a tenth of per cent of the male population of careful to close to selection as the Liberal can- people’s annual income. Usually the Carnarvon Boroughs had the didate for Merionethshire in 1886, the payments were made in kind in right to vote. In the key borough of make in the but he had eventually gladly with- the form of crops, wool, milk and Caernarfon almost all of the elec- meantime. drawn his name there in favour of other produce, to represent a tenth torate, a total of 1,746 individu- his close associate Thomas Edward of the yearly production. This pay- als, were the heads of families, and 1st & fore- Ellis, a native of Cefnddwysarn ment was demanded whether or not a tiny number of just fifteen men near Bala within the county, whose the parishioner attended Church, were registered there as service or most that I local claims clearly much exceeded and in a predominantly Noncon- lodger voters.3 Many of the work- his own. Moreover, in his heart formist country such as Wales, this ing classes there still remained dis- am a good of hearts, Lloyd George knew full naturally caused contention. Many enfranchised.4 Very shortly after well that his ‘pecuniary, oratorical refused to pay the tithe, and during Lloyd George had been adopted speaker. [and] intellectual quality’ were cer- the 1880s enforced sales of posses- as the parliamentary candidate tain to develop considerably during sions were made by the authorities there, Thomas Edward Ellis, the 2ndly that I the next few years so that he would, in order to collect the taxes owed. MP for Merioneth, wrote to con- by then, be far less likely to find This naturally led to confrontation gratulate him, ‘I was delighted to am a sound himself ‘in endless pecuniary dif- and farmers and authorities came to find that your choice was so unani- ficulties’, while at Westminster, he blows across the country. During mous’, and then urging him, above & thorough would possibly be regarded as even the late 1880s many farmers decided all else, to attend conscientiously ‘an object of contempt in a House of to take direct action and refused to to the electoral register which, he politician. snobs’.6 Lloyd George had also seri- pay their tithe. This led to further stressed, was ‘the great mine to work. ously considered joining Chamber- enforced sales of land and property Do not be satisfied till all the [Car- 3rdly that I lain’s Radical Union in June 1886, and violent protests took place in narvon] Boroughs realise its impor- but had apparently missed his train Llangwm in May 1887, Mochdre tance’.5 These were very wise words can afford to Birmingham on the crucial day.7 in June 1887 and Llanefydd in May which the youthful Lloyd George to attend to During the general election of 1888. would undoubtedly have heeded. July 1886, Lloyd George was to On 4 September Lloyd George It should be noted, too, that the parliamen- campaign with gusto on behalf of wrote in his pocket diary: Caernarvon county constituency his newfound friend T. E. Ellis, and had been divided into South Caer- tary duties.’ indeed earned a formidable repu- Got an invitation this morn- narvonshire (Eifion) and North tation as a fiery young orator and ing. I want to cultivate boroughs Caernarfonshire (Arfon) in the potential career politician, a pos- as, if the Unionist Govt holds redistribution of 1885, both hav- sible Liberal parliamentary can- together another 3 years, I may ing a population in excess of 42,000 didate for one of the divisions in stand a good chance to be nomi- individuals. north-west Wales at the next gen- nated as Liberal candidate. There By January 1885 Lloyd George, eral election which was then widely are two or three impressions I admitted as a qualified solicitor at expected to take place in 1892 (as, must be careful to make in the the beginning of the previous year, of course, happened). His local meantime. 1st & foremost that I had set up his own solicitor’s busi- standing was further enhanced by am a good speaker. 2ndly that I ness in an office at Portmadoc, later his avid and committed participa- am a sound & thorough politi- to be called Porthmadog (and thus tion in the anti-tithe agitation in cian. 3rdly that I can afford to breaking away from the Whig- south Caernarfonshire in 1886–87 attend to parliamentary duties. like clutches of the legal company in his home area where he was sin- To succeed in the first I must Breese, Jones and Casson, where gled out by the local Tory press as avail myself of every opportu- he had served his articles), and he the primary instigator of the trou- nity to speak in public so as to soon found to his intense delight ble.8 He was active in the establish- perfect myself & attain some that much of his legal work related ment of the local anti-tithe league reputation as a speaker.