For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 58 / Spring 2008 / £6.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y Enemy of landlordism Berkley Farr James Wood East Down’s Liberal MP Mira Matikkala William Digby and the Indian Question J. Graham Jones Thomas Jones’s Lloyd George York Membery A statue for Lloyd George Report Liberals and local government in London since the 1970s Liberal Democrat History Group An LSE Archives / Liberal Democrat History Group / Richard Scurrah Wainwright Trust seminar TORRINgtON ’58: LIBERAL SURVIVAL AND REVIVAL, 1945–1979 10.30–16.45, Saturday 14 June 2008 London School of Economics, S75 St Clements Building, Houghton Street, London WC2 On 27 March 1958, Mark Bonham Carter, Asquith’s grandson, won the parliamentary by-election in the Devon seat of Torrington by a margin of just 219 votes. It was the first Liberal by-election gain since the 1920s. Although the seat was lost in the 1959 general election, it marked the beginning of the first major Liberal post-war revival, under the leadership of Jo Grimond. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Torrington by-election, the Archives of the London School of Economics, the Liberal Democrat History Group and the Richard Scurrah Wainwright Trust are holding a seminar to investigate the post-Second World War experience of the Liberal Party – from the defeats of the 1945 general election to the general election of 1979, when 13 Liberal MPs were elected. The keynote address will be given by Lord Dholakia and Lord Wallace, on Campaigning Liberals in the 1950s and 1960s. Other sessions during the day will include: • Liberal campaigning: elections and by-elections • Local government – grassroots survival • Leaders and leadership • Collaboration – pacts and other parties. Speakers include Lord Kirkwood, Lord Greaves, Michael Meadowcroft and Martin Wainwright. Correction Cost: £10 (including refreshments) In the report of the Liberal Democrat History Group’s ‘Great Liberals’ fringe meeting in September 2007, included in Journal of Liberal History 57 (winter To book your place contact: 2007–08), on page 13, Lord Morgan is reported as Archives Division, London School of Economics having said near the end of his speech: ‘In my view, 10 Portugal Street2 Lloyd George’s career was Britain’s moment of maternity’. London This was a transcription error: in fact, what Lord WC2A 2HD Morgan said was: ‘In my view, Lloyd George’s career was Britain’s moment of modernity’. Our sincere apologies to Lord Morgan (and to David Lloyd Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 7223 George) Email: [email protected] Anyone wishing to make jokes along the lines of ‘Lloyd George knew my mother’ should keep them to Supported by the Richard Scurrah Wainwright Trust themselves; we’ve already heard them. 2 Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008 Journal of Liberal History Issue 58: Spring 2008 The Journal of Liberal History is published quarterly by the Liberal Democrat History Group. ISSN 1479-9642 James Wood: East Down’s Liberal MP 4 Editor: Duncan Brack The life and political career of James Wood, victor of the East Down by-election Assistant Editor: Lysianne Egan in February 1902; by Berkley Farr. Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham Reviews Editor: Dr Eugenio Biagini Deputy Reviews Editor: Tom Kiehl William Digby and the Indian Question 12 The first secretary of the National Liberal Club was also a radical political Patrons organiser and agitator for India. Dr Mira Matikkala examines his activities. Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; Professor John Vincent Letters to the Editor 21 The greatest Liberal? (Roy Douglas); Lloyd George and Hitler (Vernon Editorial Board Bogdanor). Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry Doyle; Dr David Dutton; Professor David Gowland; Dr Richard Thomas Jones’s Lloyd George 22 Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Ian Hunter; Dr J. Graham Jones; Tony Little; Professor Ian Machin; Dr Dr J. Graham Jones tells the story of the writing of one of the best single- Mark Pack; Dr Ian Packer; Dr John Powell; Ed Randall; volume biographies of Lloyd George. Jaime Reynolds; Dr Andrew Russell; Iain Sharpe A statue for Lloyd George 34 Editorial/Correspondence Lloyd George’s statue unveiled in Parliament Square; by York Membery. Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, and book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. Report: Liberals and local government in London 35 Contributions should be sent to: since the 1970s Duncan Brack (Editor) With Cllr Sir David Williams and Mike Tuffrey GLA; report byGraham Lippiatt. 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ email: [email protected] Reviews 40 All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. Aldous, The Lion and the Unicorn, reviewed by Dr J. Graham Jones; Torrance, The Scottish Secretaries, reviewed by Ewen A. Cameron; Cash, John Wilkes, The Advertisements Scandalous Father of Civil Liberty, reviewed by Nancy LoPatin Lummis; Toye, Full page £100; half page £60; quarter page £35. Lloyd George and Churchill: Rivals for Greatness, reviewed by Dr J. Graham Jones; Discounts available for repeat ads or offers to readers van Schie & Voerman (eds.), The Dividing Line Between Success and Failure, (e.g. discounted book prices). To place ads, please reviewed by Saeed Rahman. contact the Editor. Subscriptions/Membership An annual subscription to the Journal of Liberal History costs £20.00 (£12.50 unwaged rate). This includes membership of the History Group unless you inform us otherwise. The institutional rate is £30.00. Non-UK subscribers should add £5.00. Online subscriptions cost £40.00 (individuals) or £50.00 (institutions). As well as printed copies, online subscribers will be able to access online copies of current and all past Journals. Cheques (payable to ‘Liberal Democrat History Group’) should be sent to: Patrick Mitchell 6 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PA; email: [email protected] Payment is also possible via our website, www.liberalhistory.org.uk. Liberal Democrat History Group Cover design concept: Lynne Featherstone The Liberal Democrat History Group promotes the discussion and research of topics relating to the histories of the Liberal Democrats, Liberal Party, and SDP, and of Liberalism. The Published by the Liberal Democrat History Group, c/o Group organises discussion meetings and produces the Journal of Liberal History and other 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ occasional publications. Printed by Kall-Kwik, For more information, including historical commentaries, details of publications, back issues 18 Colville Road, London W3 8DL of the Journal, and archive and other research sources, see our website at: April 2008 www.liberalhistory.org.uk. Chair: Tony Little Honorary President: Lord Wallace of Saltaire Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008 3 JAMES WOOD EAST DOWN’S LIBERAL MP 4 Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008 JAMES WOOD EAST DOWN’S LIBERAL MP ‘I thought you might he object of our inter- its expression of praise of James est was a thick leather- Wood and the political stand he be interested in this,’ bound book covered took. was the understatement in embossed decora- It reads: from George Whyte tion and measuring Ttwelve inches by fourteen inches Dear Sir of Crossgar, who had in size. The title page, in richly- After your contest at the decorated lettering of gold, red late General Election to remain come across something and green, interwoven with flax Liberal Representative of East of fascinating flowers, read, ‘Address and Pres- Down in the Imperial Parlia- entation to James Wood, Esq., ment, your supporters in that local interest at a Member of Parliament for East Division, and numerous friends Belfast auction. Down, 1902–06 from His Late elsewhere, are anxious to Constituents.’ Another page express to you in tangible form Auctions provide contained a sepia photograph of their admiration for the gen- much television a serious-looking James Wood tlemanly manner in which you in a high collar and cravat, sur- conducted your part of the con- entertainment, but they rounded by a decorated motif tests in the interests of Reform, can also be a valuable of shamrock, flax, roses and Sobriety, Equal Rights and thistles.1 Goodwill among men – as source of local history, In Victorian and Edward- against the successful calumny, ian times, illuminated addresses intemperance, and organised and this find was to were a popular way of expressing violence of your opponents shed new light on an esteem for a person, particularly who have always sought to as a form of recognition for pub- maintain their own private episode in Irish history lic service. The one presented to interests and class ascendancy a hundred years ago. James Wood contains the sig- under the cover of false and Title page and natures of twenty-two promi- selfish Unionism, which has so Berkley Farr looks at page 2 of the nent local people, who collected long embittered and kept Irish- the history behind the Address and money to pay for the presenta- men apart. Presentation to tion. The address, in copperplate Your election for East Down auction-house find. James Wood handwriting, is forthright in in 1902 virtually turned the Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008 5 JAMES WOOD: EAST DOWN’S LIBERAL MP scale in favour of an extended happiness to support, on the farm labourers tended to support Land Bill, which was passed Platform and again in Parlia- Unionist or Nationalist parties the following year, and which ment, the great principles of and Liberal representation was with some compulsory amend- Reform, Temperance and wiped out. Gladstone’s con- ments will settle for ever the Charity in all things. version to Home Rule further tragic history of Landlordism Signed on behalf of the divided the weakened Ulster in Ireland.