Nancy Astor and David Lloyd-George

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Nancy Astor and David Lloyd-George “My best wishes for your complete recovery - and my kindest regards to Lady Astor and yourself.” Letter to Waldorf Astor from David Lloyd George, 1 April 1921 David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George (1863-1945) was born in Manchester, raised in Wales and first became an MP for Carnarvon Boroughs in 1890. He was the youngest MP in the House of Commons at the time and practised as a solicitor while on the backbenches. He held his seat for 55 years. From 1908 to 1915 he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, during which time he was responsible for introducing Old Age Pensions, National Insurance and Unemployment Insurance. As a result of these Acts plus his ‘People’s Budget’ of 1909, which introduced measures to tax the rich to help fund further social reforms that would benefit the poor, he is considered to be one of the people who laid the foundations of the welfare state. Coalition leader Lloyd George held a number of other parliamentary posts including President of the Board of Trade (1905-1908), Minister of Munitions (1915-1916) and Secretary of State for War (1916). Later in his career he was also the Leader of the Liberal Party (1926-1931). He became Prime Minister in December 1916 - a position he held until October 1922 as he led a coalition government through the First World War and beyond. A powerful speaker Lloyd George was a womaniser and a feared debater in the House of Commons. He married his mistress at the age of 80 after years of having an affair with her. His stinging attack on Neville Chamberlain in one of his final speeches in 1940 helped pave the way for the end of Chamberlain‘s time as Prime Minister and the beginning of Winston Churchill‘s. Reform and corruption While some saw the worst in him, Nancy was always his supporter. Like her he was unpredictable, energetic and a temperance supporter. Her great friend Philip Kerr was his right hand man. His post-war reforms dealt with many of the social issues she was passionate about such as education, fair pay, rent control, child labour and unemployment. Unfortunately Lloyd George was discovered selling knighthoods and peerages. The corruption split the coalition and by the 1930s he found himself on the margins of politics..

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GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY Department of History & Art History
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY Department of History & Art History Ethnic Conflict: Britain & Ireland in the 20th Century Spring 2012 Course Building/Hall Room Day Time Hist 388-009 Robinson B 222 Tuesday/Thursday 1.30-2.45 p.m. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams & British Prime Minster Tony Blair meet for the first time, recalling the fate of IRA leader Michael Collins Phelim Connolly cartoon for the Irish Independent, 11 December 1997 INSTRUCTOR: Dr Kevin Matthews OFFICE: Robinson B 373B OFFICE HOURS: 12.00-1.15 & 3.00-4.15 p.m. Thurs, or by appointment. TELEPHONE: 703/993-1250 (main department number) E-MAIL: [email protected] REQUIRED TEXT & MATERIALS: 1. McKittrick, David & David McVea. Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of Conflict in Northern Ireland 2. Townshend, Charles. Political Violence in Ireland: Government & Resistance Since 1848 3. Strunk, William & E.B. White. The Elements of Style (Note: Because a number of sources relevant to this course are out of print, other readings will be provided by the instructor via the internet; see the syllabus calendar below for a tentative list.) - 2 - All students are required to purchase two Scantron cards Form No. 882-E, and two large blue books (11" x 8.5"). Both of your blue books must be delivered to the instructor no later than the third week of the course. Failure to meet this deadline will be grounds for a failing grade on the first exam. DO NOT WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE BLUE BOOKS BEFORE TURNING THEM IN. (If you drop the course, your unused blue books will be returned to you - but only after you have officially dropped.) Do not hand in your Scantron cards - but make sure you have one with you on both exam days.
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