It wasn’t only Lloyd George’s daughters

weProfessor Russell Deaconl providess a short historyh of some ofwo the more prominent Welshm female Liberal enpoliticians (1890–1988) liberals

y the time that the daughter of the leading Welsh Lib- and, in Victorian Liberal politics, Welsh Liberals became eral MP and later peer D. A. Tho- the main priority was to expand the Welsh Liberal Dem- mas, in her autobiography looked the franchise of men. Although the ocrats, in 1988, there had back on her childhood and noted: franchise was broadened, first to been well over a hundred urban males and then to rural males, BWelsh Liberal MPs – and they had ‘What,’ as a contemporary there always remained a strong garnered virtually every top politi- remarked, ‘is the use of college for voice, both within the Liberal Party cal position that British politics had a girl? You don’t want to become and outside it, against extending the to offer. These ranged from that Chancellor of the Exchequer!’ I vote to women. Even the Women’s of party leader to the government had no word to answer her with, Liberal Federation was split into posts of Home Secretary, Chancel- and I had no idea at the time why two in 1893 when the anti-suffrage lor and prime minister. In addition, the remark irritated me so much female Liberals formed the Wom- Liberal councillors at one time or … It never occurred to me that, en’s National Liberal Federation another had been the chairs of coun- or something akin to it, was – and the latter remained wholly cils and/or mayors of every county, exactly what, somewhere deep opposed to the universal franchise town and city in Wales. Even to Even the down inside me, I did want to and in particular the campaigning this day, their presence can be seen become.2 tactics of the militant suffragettes.4 in statues, the names of parks, road Women’s The passing of the Second signs, public buildings and even In the Victorian and Edward- Reform Act of 1867, as well as the name of the occasional public Liberal Fed- ian period women were not only significantly increasing the urban house. But all of the names on these excluded from elected office but male electorate, also changed the visible reminders of Liberal history eration was were expected either to bow out way in which the political par- are male. What, therefore, of female of political activity entirely on ties were run.5 From that point Welsh Liberals? Do they also have a split into marriage or simply to endorse on, both general and local coun- place in history, albeit one that has the political party of their hus- cil elections would become more not been so publicly recognised? two in 1893 band. Victorian social thought competitive and organised along Lady Megan Lloyd George was cer- placed great emphasis on what was more overtly political lines. This tainly the most visible and famous when the regarded as the ‘natural’ separation was due to the fact that parlia- woman in Welsh Liberal politics, of the spheres between the sexes. mentary and local government but she was not the only one. This anti-suffrage This in turn ensured a rigid sexual elections became more regularly short article will therefore seek to female Liber- division of labour.3 Education, reli- contested than before.6 Politically provide some short biographical gion and the role models set by their there was now a need to campaign information concerning some of the als formed mothers and fathers also reinforced on an almost permanent basis, and more notable female Welsh Liberals, this divide. Any political ambitions as a result permanent Liberal Asso- including, of course, Lady Megan. the Women’s that women did have were depend- ciations were established across ent upon the blessing of their hus- Wales in each constituency, rather National bands or fathers. As a result, political than the ad hoc election committees Welsh women Liberals, 1890– development for the Welsh women that had existed beforehand. These 19451 Liberal Liberals was nearly always tied up constituency associations then pro- Margaret Haig Mackworth, 2nd closely with what males and soci- vided a forum in female Liberals Viscountess Rhondda (1883–1958), Federation. ety at the time deemed acceptable; could be active.

38 Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011 It wasn’t only Lloyd George’s daughters

weProfessor Russell Deaconl providess a short historyh of some ofwo the more prominent Welshm female Liberal enpoliticians (1890–1988) liberals

The majority of local associa- Nora Phillips was a founder of the As well as cause.11 After Thomas was enno- tions were affiliated to the Women’s Women’s Institute, Pembrokeshire bled as Viscount Rhondda in 1910, Liberal Federation (WLF) and the president of the Welsh Industry wishing to Sybil became the first Viscountess Welsh Union of Women’s Lib- Association and Lady President Rhondda. As well as her suffrage eral Associations (WUWLA) or of the 1913 National Eisteddfod. extend the activities, she also later took on local branches of the Liberal Social Although she was English by birth, prominent roles as chairwoman of Councils which brought both men she later developed a great fondness franchise to the wartime government’s Wom- and women together for social for Welsh folk law and became an en’s Advisory Committee and of the events. At the regional level, the accomplished public speaker and women they National Savings Committee. South Wales and North Wales Lib- gave recitals of music and poetry Their only daughter Margaret eral Federations also had female across Wales.9 Phillips contributed were particu- also followed in the family’s politi- sections. By the mid-1890s the a regular column on women’s inter- larly keen on cal footsteps and was a keen Liberal WUWLA comprised some 9,000 ests in the Liberal Young Wales mag- until her marriage to her Conserva- members from fifty-seven con- azine. So prominent was Phillips furthering tive husband, Humphrey Mack- stituency associations.7 From 1891 in both Welsh and British Liberal worth, in 1908. Social convention they held an annual conference in Party business and campaigns that employment at the time meant that she had to Wales where they pursued their she would undoubtedly have been a resign from the Liberals and sup- own political agenda, which did Liberal MP in her own right if she rights for port the Conservatives; however not always coincide with that of the had had the opportunity. she didn’t support their cause for wider party. As well as wishing to The prominence that English- women. long, instead taking up the cause extend the franchise to women they born women, such as Phillips, held of female suffrage in the Women’s were particularly keen on further- in promoting the suffrage move- Social and Political Union (WSPU). ing employment rights for women. ment in Wales meant that Welsh Membership of the WSPU prohib- To this end, they campaigned that opponents of suffrage claimed that ited membership of political par- both no ‘limitations should be the movement was nothing more ties until after universal suffrage placed on the hours and conditions than an ‘alien English imposition’. was gained for women. Margaret of labour of women’ which was This argument was rebuffed, how- therefore threw herself into the not ‘also imposed on men’ and that ever, by the fact that there were heart of the protest movement, not female rather than male inspectors also plenty of Evanses, Davieses only taking part in protest marches, be employed to protect the welfare and Thomases on the list of the suf- but also jumping onto the run- of women in factories and other fragettes’ supporters.10 The most ning board of Liberal Prime Min- workplaces.8 prominent of the Liberal Welsh ister Herbert Asquith’s car in St In 1892, Mrs Nora Phillips, as names were Sybil and Margaret Andrews and setting fire to pillar president of the WUWLA, became Haig Thomas. Sybil was wife of boxes. These activities resulted in the first Welsh female Liberal politi- ‘D. A.’ Thomas – the Merthyr Tyd- her serving a period of time in Usk cian to come to public prominence. fil, and later Cardiff, Liberal MP prison. None of this campaigning, She was the first wife of Sir Wyn- and South Wales rival to David however, prevented Margaret, a ford Phillips, who was MP initially Lloyd George. Sybil, a passion- successful women in her own right, for Mid-Lanarkshire (1888–92) and ate Conservative before her mar- from becoming a politician. Upon later for Pembrokeshire (1898–1908). riage to ‘D. A.’ in 1882, had now the death of her father in 1918 she Amongst her many achievements, become an advocate of the Liberal was allowed by the King (through

Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011 39 welsh women liberals a Special Remainder) to become a help women get elected to the West- The cam- elected, becoming the first female peeress in her own right – Baroness minster parliament because women Welsh councillor and, in 1912, the Rhondda of Llanwern. Margaret would not be able to stand as candi- paign for first female Welsh mayor, of Bre- was now one of the few peeresses dates until 1918. con17. These were two notable firsts; for whom the title could pass down Despite being barred from elec- universal suf- despite this promising start, how- through the female line, although in tion to parliament, Welsh female ever, Welsh female Liberals would the event she had no children, so the Liberals still played an active role frage, which make slow progress in gaining title ended with her. in politics. Outside the WLF and elected council office, and until the By the time of her ennoblement, WUWLA, there were women serv- dominated 1990s they would only ever appear Margaret had already taken over the ing on the committees of constitu- in ones or twos on most Welsh directorships of some thirty of her ency parties; in local government female Lib- councils. father’s companies, as a result of his most education committees had eral policy at The campaign for universal suf- joining the wartime government as female members co-opted onto frage, which dominated female food controller. She now became them; and at the same time, Liberal the start of Liberal policy at the start of the an even more prominent figure and lady mayoresses, wives of the may- twentieth century, was also sup- role model in the advancement of ors, always had a prominent role in the twenti- ported by Margaret Lloyd George. women’s political and employment public affairs. In addition, the con- Dame Margaret, the supportive rights. In 1922 she led an unsuccess- stituency Women’s Liberal groups eth century, wife of David Lloyd George, ran ful campaign to allow women to sit acted as an important campaign- the households at both 11 and 10 in the House of Lords; they would ing force. Just a few weeks after the was also Downing Street with a distinct not be allowed to sit there until 1904 council elections in Cardiff, Welsh overtone: many of the staff 1958, the year of her death. In this for instance, Mrs Eva McLaren, supported employed there were from Wales campaign she was backed by many the Women’s Liberal Association and Welsh speaking. As well as sup- leading suffragettes including Mil- chairwoman, reminded their new by Marga- porting her wider political family, licent Garrett Fawcett, the former parliamentary candidate, Ivor Dame Margaret also actively sup- Liberal, and now Labour-support- Guest, that women members had ret Lloyd ported the Liberal cause in North ing, women’s rights campaigner. played a ‘vital role in canvassing Wales until her death in January Had she succeeded, Baroness Rhon- and educating the ignorant voter of George. 1941. On 28 April 1911, many of dda would have joined Viscountess the correct choice, we are fighting Margaret’s North Wales female St Davids, the second wife of the for a Liberal majority’.16 Although Welsh Liberals visited Lloyd George now ennobled Sir Wynford Phillips, Guest – a former Conservative MP to press him to vote in the second and also a peeress in her own right, and cousin of Winston Churchill – reading of Sir G. Kemp’s bill on as two of the first Welsh women to acknowledged the role that women women’s suffrage, which he duly sit in the House of Lords.12 How- had played, outside elections he had committed himself to doing.18 ever, although she was never to sit little time for supporting women Despite Lloyd George’s sup- in the House of Lords, Margaret in their campaign for a franchise; port for suffrage, the Women’s did become the first female presi- indeed, in time he would prove to Social and Political Union (WSPU) dent of the Institute of Directors be a political enemy of McLaren’s. directed its members to disrupt in 1926, and in 1922 established and He went on to lead the Women’s public meetings of all Cabinet from then on edited the influential National Anti-Suffrage League, as members, and therefore in Wales weekly paper Time and Tide.13 its honorary treasurer. Despite the action was taken against both Lloyd In the period before Viscount- personal views of Guest and some George and the South Wales Liberal esses Rhondda and St Davids other Liberals, all candidates still MP and Home Secretary, Reginald became prominent on the British held separate election meetings for McKenna.19 In 1912, for instance, political scene, the WUWLA was women Liberal members where suffragette disturbances directed the key to expanding women’s the candidates were endorsed by against Lloyd George at his open- political activity. They held regular women from their local Liberal ing of the Llanystumdwy village constituency meetings and weekend associations. No candidate seeking institute caused the national press to schools, where they were addressed selection could avoid this, indi- focus its attention on North Wales; by MPs and other notable figures. cating that, although women still they also did the same when Lloyd Beyond the WUWLA there was could not vote, their political pres- George attended the Wrexham widespread support for women’s ence was nevertheless significant. Eisteddfod in September 1912.20 rights throughout the wider Welsh The new Liberal government McKenna, as Home Secretary, was Liberal Party – particularly around of Campbell-Bannerman started directly involved in dealing with election times when the absence on the road to full female suffrage. the hunger strikes of women suf- of female candidates and voters The Qualification of Women Act, fragettes in prison and introduced was at its most apparent.14 On 18 passed in 1907, allowed women the so-called ‘Cat and Mouse Act’. April 1895, for instance, a National to be elected onto Welsh borough This allowed female prisoners out Convention of Wales (of all Welsh and county councils for the first of prison when they were close to Liberals) was held in Aberystwyth time. Women could now stand starvation and brought them back in under the president of the North anywhere for Welsh local gov- again once they had recovered. One Wales Federation, Thomas Gee. It ernment. As soon as the Act was of the mice let go by McKenna was committed the party in Wales to passed, local Liberals in Brecon the 2nd Viscountess Rhondda, who campaigning for equal rights for petitioned for a well-known and went on hunger strike while impris- women within the Liberal Federa- active Liberal, Gwenllian Morgan, oned at Usk Prison for a month for tion.15 It was not, however, able to to stand for election. She was duly refusing to pay a fine imposed for

40 Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011 welsh women liberals attempting to blow up Cardiff post seat in Sunderland in the 1929 elec- during the election campaign itself boxes. She was released after five tion.24 Similarly, Winifred Coombe Megan toured Britain supporting days but did not go back to prison Tennant, the leading South Wales other female candidates including because her fine was then paid. Liberal and art collector fought but Roberts in Caerphilly, despite her During this period of politi- failed to win the Forest of Dean seat Asquithian past. In addition Megan cal turmoil for women, two of in 1922. Disappointingly, despite became the voice of the Liberals in Wales’s most famous Liberal phi- the Welsh Liberal Federation sup- the special BBC broadcasts ‘by and lanthropists, Gwendoline and porting votes for all women in their for women’, which were tailored Margaret Davies, were following a conference address of 1921, they to the new female voters. How- more sedate path. They started to did nothing of a practical nature ever, only one of the two women develop the arts, music, education to ensure that any women from its – Megan Lloyd George – was a vic- and various Liberal causes through- own party were either selected or tor in these Welsh elections. At the out Wales. The sisters’ brother was elected in Wales.25 age of twenty-seven she was elected the Montgomeryshire Liberal MP, Despite the fact that Wales was to Anglesey by 5,618 votes (21 per David Davies. They had benefited quite clearly a patriarchal society cent). Megan became the first Welsh from a multi-million-pound inher- in terms of its politics, the Welsh female MP and one of only eight itance from their grandfather, the Liberal Women’s Organisation, Welsh women MPs in the House of Liberal MP railway and coal pio- until it disbanded in 1988, still con- Commons in the whole of the twen- neer David Davies senior. From the tinued to operate and push forward tieth century. Roberts failed to get 1900s onwards both sisters collected Most promi- the female political agenda. In the elected to Caerphilly and two years mainly Impressionist paintings and immediate post-war period, Megan later defected to the Labour Party. made various gifts and bequests that nent Welsh Lloyd George was the president of There she was later shortlisted for would later form the main picture the North Wales Liberal Women’s the Liberal stronghold of Cardigan collection of the National Museum Liberal Federation which continued to in 1932, but failed to get selected and of Wales.21 Importantly for Welsh attract support from leading male thus avoided standing against her Liberalism, they also supported it women were and female Welsh Liberals. Rosa former party. She never stood for and its many causes. Hovey, for instance, the princi- parliament again. On 21 November 1918, the Par- prevented pal of Penrhos College for Girls in Megan, on the other hand, liament (Qualification of Women) Colwyn Bay, was the vice president always enjoyed the support of her Act came into law and allowed from seek- of the Northern Federation in the famous family. Her father, brother women to sit in parliament as 1920s and 1930s.26 She was a promi- Gwilym and his brother-in-law elected MPs. Much of the resistance ing seats in nent educationalist from Den- (Major Goronwy Owen) were all to female suffrage had been reduced bighshire who projected a strong MPs, and her sister Olwen, although by the prominent role women had Wales by the presence for female Welsh Liberals. never an MP, nevertheless played an played in winning World War I. overwhelm- Similarly, Lillian Richards from important part in the smooth run- Acknowledging their wartime role, Cardiff was a prominent member on ning of 10 Downing Street during Lloyd George declared at West- ingly patriar- the Welsh National Liberal Council World War I. Fluent in both French minster in 1917 that the lack of a between 1923 and 1927. Unfortu- and German, Olwen was used as female franchise ‘is an outrage, it is chal nature nately, however, the decline of the her father’s personal translator and ungrateful, unjust, inequitable …’.22 Welsh Liberal Party consigned the in meetings of generals, presidents He was therefore able to ensure that, of Welsh memory of many key female Liber- and prime ministers was frequently as prime minister, he finally enacted als of the time to the forgotten and the only female present.27 The sole the legislation that enabled women constituen- frequently unrecorded shadows of presence of Olwen in key war meet- to vote, albeit it initially only at the the party’s history, of which only ings illustrated the fact not only that age of thirty, until it was equalised cies and the a few fragments have survived, this was still a very male-dominated with men at the age of twenty-one mainly in the National Library of society but at the same time that, a decade later. The year after the legacy of Wales Political Archives. if women had particular skills, 1918 act, the Sex Disqualification knowledge or family connections, (Removal) Act 1919 also allowed Victorian they could still find a position of women to sit on juries and be jus- Wales’s first and last female some use to the Liberal government tices of the peace. and Edward- Liberal MP – Megan Lloyd or party. Over the following decades, George Megan’s selection for the Angle- Welsh female Liberals would ian social Once women were allowed to stand sey seat, which was then one of the start to trickle into politics. Most for parliament, it would take over a safest in Wales for the Liberals, was prominent Welsh Liberal women values, and decade for a female Liberal to actu- not without controversy. The sit- were prevented from seeking seats as a result ally do so in Wales; and then just ting Liberal MP, Sir Robert Tho- in Wales by the overwhelmingly two female candidates were put mas, was a David Lloyd George patriarchal nature of Welsh con- they had to before the electorate in thirty-six loyalist who was stepping down due stituencies and the legacy of Victo- Welsh constituencies in the May to financial problems and he was rian and Edwardian social values, seek easier 1929 general election. These were more than happy to endorse another and as a result they had to seek easier Anne Grace Roberts in Caerphilly Lloyd George as his successor. avenues via English seats. Leading avenues and Megan Lloyd George (daugh- However, there were allegations lights such as Dr Betty Morgan, ter of David Lloyd George) in by the other Liberal candidates that a prominent Welsh Liberal and via English Anglesey. Although Roberts had Megan’s supporters had created new close friend of Ramsay Muir,23 for previously been the organiser for branches in order to enhance her instance, unsuccessfully fought a seats. the Asquithian Liberals in Wales, chances and, most damagingly, the

Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011 41 welsh women liberals

Megan retained her Anglesey seat in the pre-war era, almost with- with a majority of 1,081 (4.4 per out exception they were women cent) over Labour. whose husbands or families were As a ‘Liberal Radical’, Lady also deeply involved in Liberal poli- Megan in the post-war period was tics or some aspect of Welsh politi- firmly on the left of the party and cal life. The two most prominent became ever closer to Labour dur- were Lady Olwen Carey-Evans ing this period. In an attempt to (David Lloyd George’s second old- appease her and her fellow Liberal est daughter who remained active Radical supporters, who talked in Welsh Liberal politics until her of having her as a potential party death in 1990) and Mrs Parry Brown leader, Clement Davies made her (wife of the party’s treasurer Major deputy leader of the British Liberal J. Parry Brown). Mrs Parry Brown Party in 1949.29 She remained a Lib- was instrumental in the running of eral until her defeat by Labour in the South Wales Federation. The 1951. In November 1952, however, assistant secretary of the Welsh Lady Megan refused an invitation to party’s council, Jennie Gibbs, was stand again as Liberal candidate for also one of the most influential fig- Anglesey. Her main reasons given at ures in the South Wales Federation. the time were that the Liberals were In the general election of 1966 she moving too far to the right.30 Lady stood as only the third Welsh female Megan resigned as deputy leader of Liberal candidate in history and the party at the same time. On 26 the first new Liberal parliamentary April 1955, amongst much publicity, candidate since 1929.32 Not only did she announced her conversion to she serve on a number of councils the Labour Party. This took her for- during the 1960s and 1970s, but she ever out of the list of ‘Welsh Liberal was also the conference organiser heroines’ and onto that of ‘Welsh behind the Welsh Liberal meeting Daily Mail published a story that she Megan Lloyd Liberal turncoats’. Just under two that took place in Builth Wells on had taken part in a ‘Pyjama bottle George (1902–66) years later, Megan stood for Labour 11 June 1966. Here the Liberal Party party’. For teetotal Nonconformist in 1929. in the Carmarthen by-election of Wales agreed to create a federal Anglesey voters this was shocking caused by the death of the Liberal state party in Wales and dissolve the behaviour and the story was only MP Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris. Her Welsh federations. laid to rest after a series of denials accomplished oratorical skills and This was a turning point in by Megan and statements of support Liberal background in a Liberal seat Welsh Liberal history and it was at from leading Liberals.28 Neverthe- helped her win by a 3,069 majority this same meeting that Councillor less, despite these problems, Megan over a weak male Liberal candidate. Mary Murphy, from Pontypridd, was selected for the seat and duly Lady Megan died a Labour MP in became the first chair of the Welsh elected for it. 1966; nevertheless, her three dec- party.33 Murphy, a Maths and PE Until her death in 1966 Megan ades at the forefront of both Welsh teacher and the former treasurer enjoyed a high profile, due not only and British Liberal politics means of the South Wales Liberal Federa- to her status as Lloyd’s George’s that she remains the most promi- tion, became one of the party’s most daughter and the only female MP in nent Welsh female Liberal to date.31 well-known figures in Welsh local Wales but also to her own abilities government. She was also a keen as a politician. She loyally followed supporter of Liberal leader Jeremy her father into what ever faction Women of the post-war Welsh Thorpe. In 1968 she became chair of of the Liberal Party he went in to, Liberal Party Pontypridd Urban District Council until his death in 1945. Her father’s After Lady Megan lost her Lib- where she was able to increase Lib- earldom in 1945 meant that from eral seat there were no more Welsh eral representation to a level which, then on she was referred to as Lady female Liberal MPs, let alone any when combined with the Independ- Megan Lloyd George. Consistently to match the national pedigree ents, was just one seat short of con- a pro-devolutionist, supporter of a and achievements of Lady Megan. trolling the council outright34 – an Welsh Secretary in the Cabinet and Nevertheless there were still some achievement that would remain later the chair of the Campaign for female politicians who played cen- the best post-war South Wales Lib- a Welsh Parliament, Lady Megan tral roles in the Welsh Liberal/SDP/ eral council result until the party constantly pursued the cause of Liberal Democrat parties. merged with the SDP in 1988, far Home Rule for Wales. In 1944, as The South Wales and North ahead of those in other South Wales chair of the Welsh Parliamentary Wales Federations dominated post- councils. Later on, as secretary of Party, she secured a ‘Welsh Day’ in war Welsh Liberal politics until the Welsh Liberal Party, which she the House of Commons. It was not the Welsh state party was formed ran from her own house in Pon- the Welsh parliament that Welsh in 1966; and the first prominent typridd, Murphy went around Liberals longed for, but it did mean female Welsh Liberals to emerge in Wales helping reform existing that, in future, parliament would the post-war era were those who branches and start new ones. This spend at least one day a year debat- held posts in the two federations ensured that she was well known ing Welsh issues, In the general elec- and in the numerous constituency across both the Welsh and the wider tion of 1945, after her father’s death, associations. As had been the case federal party.35

42 Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011 welsh women liberals

In the constituency associations In 2011 Randerson also became the discrimination and imposed social there were also other powerful first female Welsh Liberal to sit in values. The social values that lim- female figures. In Carmarthen, for the House of Lords. ited the role of married women in instance, Dorothy Trefor Thomas – The period that the SDP was politics to that simply of supporting chair of the Carmarthenshire Wom- active in Wales (1981–88) also their husbands did not lessen until en’s Association – became known as brought forward two other female the 1960s; as a result, the lifting of the ‘Queen of Carmarthen Town’ politicians who would later play legal and social discrimination came because of the power she wielded substantial roles in the emerging too late for many of those women over the local constituency associa- Welsh Liberal Democrat party. who would today have gone into tion. Even the sitting MP, Sir Rhys The first of these was Jacqui Gas- either the House of Commons, the Hopkin Morris, would have to son, a Surrey-born child protection Lords, the European Parliament or gain her approval on various con- officer who became a South Gla- the Welsh Assembly. stituency issues before proceeding morgan county councillor and later Before the 1960s, only single further.36 the Liberal Democrat group leader women or those with supportive Whereas the 1950s and 1960s on that council. In 2005 she also husbands could ever hope to engage had seen the rise of a number of became the Lord Mayor of Cardiff in Welsh Liberal politics. Even these prominent women, the 1970s saw in its centenary year, the first post- few women were restricted in their only a handful of new female Lib- war Liberal mayor in Wales’s capi- opportunities for advancement and eral politicians arrive on the Welsh tal city. In addition, Gasson held rarely contested parliamentary seats political scene. The psychiatrist posts on a number of Welsh Liberal in Wales. From 1931 to 1951, Megan Dr Jennifer Lloyd and the teacher Democrat committees. She devel- Lloyd George was the only Welsh Shiela Cutts joined Mary Murphy oped a formidable reputation for female Liberal candidate to stand in and Jennie Gibbs as Welsh Liberal both her policy expertise and her Wales. Between 1951 and 1966 there parliamentary candidates.37 None of successful, battling political style were no women Liberal candidates them, however, came close to start- against often overwhelming odds standing in parliamentary elections ing a political career at Westmin- both inside and outside the party. in Wales, which prevented any pos- ster. In Cardiganshire, however, The second prominent SDP mem- sibility of female Liberal MPs being Cecilia Barton was emerging as a ber was Councillor Robinia Feeley. elected. Similarly the restriction on Liberal figure of some distinction. She was a Glyndwr district council- women entering the House of Lords In the 1980s she became chair of the lor and held a place the SDP Welsh before 1958 prevented some notable Ceredigion district council and one executive. Feeley initially refused Welsh Liberal women from gaining of the first Welsh Liberals to wield to join the newly merged SDP and a place at Westminster by this route. any real power in government. As Liberal parties but did eventually It was therefore only in the 1960s, chair of the Welsh party during the come across and became one of the when the Welsh Liberal Party was 1980s, she was also instrumental leading North Wales Liberal Demo- a mere shadow of its pre-war glory in the merger of the Welsh Liber- crats. She later became the deputy years, that women started to fill als with the SDP. Another Welsh group Liberal Democrat leader on central roles in the party and to Liberal, further education lecturer Denbighshire county council and push forward electorally. However, Jenny Randerson, was also com- unsuccessfully stood for a number even though it was a slow process, ing to the forefront of the Welsh of Welsh parliamentary and Assem- it nonetheless paved the way for Liberal Party during the 1980s. bly seats – nevertheless becoming the significant leaps forward that A Cardiff City councillor from one of the best-known North Wales occurred between 1999 and 2005. 1983, she became president of the female Liberals. This period saw the election of four Welsh Liberals in 1988, then twice The 1980s also saw a number female Welsh Assembly members, stood unsuccessfully for the Car- of other women coming into the Before one female MP and one female diff Central constituency at West- Welsh party’s executive and hold- council leader. It provided more minster elections (in 1992 and 1997) ing a variety of portfolios, although the 1960s, political achievements for Welsh before gaining the seat in the Welsh none succeeded in gaining political Liberal Democrat women in six Assembly elections of 1999. Rand- office at Westminster. We should only single years than had been accomplished in erson went on to make political his- note, however, that even male Lib- the whole of the life of the old Lib- tory for Liberal women in a number eral electoral fortunes were limited women or eral Party (1868–1988). of ways. She served in the Lab-Lib to just two seats in Wales between Assembly coalition government 1956 and 1985 (Montgomeryshire those with Professor Russell Deacon currently of 2000–2003, which made her the and Cardigan), demonstrating that holds a chair in Welsh Political History first female Liberal Democrat gov- political opportunity for Liberals supportive and Governance at the University of ernment minister in history. She in Wales was limited almost every- husbands Wales Institute, Cardiff. He has written also served for a time as deputy first where, whether the candidate was numerous articles and books on Welsh minister, and on occasions as first male or female. could ever history and politics and his History of minister when Rhodri Morgan was the Welsh Liberal Party is due out in either ill or overseas. This in turn hope to spring 2012. made her the first Liberal Democrat Conclusion leader of one of the United King- In the period when the Liber- engage in 1 The references for this article unless dom constituent nations (Wales) als were the dominant party of otherwise cited come from Russell and, after Margaret Thatcher, only Welsh politics, between 1868 and Welsh Liberal Deacon, A History of the Welsh Lib- the second woman to hold such a 1922, women were kept out of eral Party (Welsh Academic Press), senior post in the United Kingdom. politics by a combination of legal politics. forthcoming.

Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011 43 welsh women liberals

2 Viscountess Rhondda, This Was My 21 Oliver Fairclough, ‘Things of Beauty’: World (MacMillan: 1933), p. 92. What Two Sisters Did For Wales 3 Patricia Jannad, Women, Marriage and (National Museum Wales Books: Politics 1860–1914 (Clarendon Press: 2007). 1986), p. 7. 22 Robert Blackburn, The Electoral Sys- 4 Ibid., p. 233. tem in Britain (St Martins Press: 1995), 5 Kenneth. O Morgan, Wales In British p. 69. Politics 1868–1922 (University of Wales 23 Professor Ramsey Muir was a leading Press: 1980), p. 57. figure in the Liberal Summer School 6 Russell Deacon, ‘“Statues and news- movement and the National Liberal paper wars”: Cardiff town and city Federation. politics in Cardiff (1868–1908)’, Mor- 24 Daily News, 3 January 1930. ganwwg, 2010, vol. LIV, p. 2. 25 Dictionary of Welsh Biography 1941–1970, 7 Ursula Masson, ‘Liberalism, gender p. 23. and national memory’, University of 26 The Times, 19 October 1932, p. 16. Wales Institute Cardiff, Department 27 Olwen Carey Evans, Lloyd George Was of Humanities Open Seminar series, My Father (Gomer: 1985), p. 87. 3 May 2007. 28 Mervyn Jones, A Radical Life: The 8 The Western Mail, 14 March 1895. Biography of Megan Lloyd George 9 The Times, 31 March 1915, p. 10. (Hutchinson: 1991), p. 78. 10 Deidre Beddoe, Out of the Shadows: 29 Ibid., p.112 A History of Women in Twentieth Cen- 30 J. Graham Jones, ‘A breach in the fam- tury Wales (University of Wales Press: ily, the Lloyd Georges’, Journal of Lib- 2000), p. 45. eral History, 25, Winter 1999–2000 p. 11 Viscountess Rhondda, My World, p. 36. 142. 31 Russell Deacon, ‘Before Torrington 12 Nora Phillips had died in 1915. there was Carmarthen’, conference 13 The Dictionary of Welsh Biography paper at the LSE conference ‘Tor- 1941–1970 (The Honourable Society of rington ’58: Liberal survival and Cymmrodorion: 2001), p. 264. revival, 1945–1979’, 14 June 2008. 14 Morgan, Wales in British Politics, p. 32 Beti Jones, Welsh Elections, 1885–1997 252. (Yr Lolfa: 1999), p. 48 undertaken previously. As the 15 Liverpool Mercury, 19 April 1895, p. 7. 33 Ivor Thomas Rees, Welsh Hustings author rightly points out, there 16 South Wales Daily News, 25 November 1885–2004 (Dinefwr Publishers: 2005), has never been any defined role 1904. p. 215. for former British PMs, and there 17 Brycheiniog, vol. XII, 1966/67. 34 Steve Belzak, ‘Swinging in the Sixties have never been more than five of 18 The Times, 28 April 1911, p. 8. to the Liberals: Mary Murphy and them alive at any one time. When 19 Viscountess Rhondda, My World, p. Pontypridd Urban District Council’, Margaret Thatcher was first elected 148. Liberal History Journal, 68, Autumn in May 1979, there were indeed 20 J. Graham Jones, ‘Lloyd George and 2010, pp. 26–34. five such incumbents: Macmillan, the Suffragettes at Llanystumdwy’, 35 Ibid. Douglas-Home, Wilson, Heath Journal of Liberal Democrat History, 36 Lord Hooson to author, 4 February and Callaghan. How former 34/35, Spring/Summer 2002, pp. 2003. prime ministers have reacted and 3–10. 37 Rees, Welsh Hustings, p. 107. responded to the sudden loss of high office (and all its attendant prestige) and coped with the chal- lenge of retirement has varied enormously from one individual to another. This impressive tome goes right back to the first PM Sir Robert Walpole, who resigned in February 1742. Reviews Relatively few of the figures carefully delineated in this book chose wholly voluntarily the pre- cise moment of their departure. Walpole to Blair in retirement The one exception certainly was Stanley Baldwin in May 1937 who Kevin Theakston, After Number 10: Former Prime Ministers in reported ‘an enormous relief’ when British Politics (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010) the time eventually came to cast aside the burdens of responsibil- Reviewed by Dr J. Graham Jones ity of high office. Baldwin is also reported to have decided ‘to make his is a most fascinating, no survey of the role of former no political speeches, neither to superbly readable book. It prime ministers in British public speak to the man at the wheel nor Tis indeed surprising that and political life has ever been to spit on the deck’ (pp. 2–3). To a 44 Journal of Liberal History 71 Summer 2011