coalition in tHe ArcHives A perspective from tHe pApers of frAnces JosepHy The papers of the Liberal activist Frances Josephy, held at LSE Archives, have recently been catalogued.1 The collection has much of interest to those studying Liberal history in the inter-war years.2 It is particularly useful as Josephy was a woman of forthright views which she was not afraid of expressing. Although she did not make it to parliament, her central role on the National League of Young Liberals (NLYL) is another reason to study these papers. Indeed, one of the stories of the or this paper the archive Andrews University and Newnham has been used to ask two College, Cambridge. By the mid- inter-war period is the questions regarding 1920s, Miss Josephy was already an her views, mainly for active member of the NLYL, speak- ever-growing number the period from around ing at events across the country and of Liberal activists who F1925–35. First, does she have any moving resolutions at the League’s opinions on working with other annual meetings. Her speeches from did not become MPs. parties? Second, what views does 1925 were on various aspects of she express about the National industrial policy, but by the end of Nick White uses the Government, particularly in rela- the decade the range of topics wid- archives to tell the story tion to the Liberal Party? ens, from the need for free trade to Frances Louise Josephy was her defence of Liberalism. Josephy of Frances Josephy. born in 1900 and was educated at St also wrote articles, especially for 52 Journal of Liberal History 72 Autumn 2011 coalition in tHe ArcHives A perspective from tHe pApers of frAnces JosepHy the Young Liberals’ newspaper, the of the papers relate to her European she had spoken at a women’s meet- Forward View. Her organisational work. However, ten boxes of mate- ing in Yatton on ‘F. M.’s [Frank skills were not wasted either, as rial do relate to Josephy’s political Murrell’s] work in parliament.’4 In she arranged conferences and other career from the 1920s through to the June 1925, there is a typescript ver- events for the Young Liberals and fifties. The political papers consist sion of an article Josephy wrote the International Young Liberals. of material such as: for the Weekly Westminster called, Josephy did not limit her involve- • Draft speeches (some are very ‘What is wrong with the Liberal ment in politics to the NLYL. In the rough notes, and others are more Party’.5 In it, she does point out mid-1920s, Josephy was also secre- detailed); that the party had started the reor- tary of the Parliamentary Radical • Press cuttings containing reports ganisation which was necessary for Group. The Manchester Evening News of speeches made by Josephy or any return to power. However, she (2 December 1926) reports that this on events attended by her; noted that there were other defi- was an ‘exacting’ position, ‘being • Typescript draft articles (many ciencies in the party, particularly responsible for much of the informa- annotated) on a variety of top- in relation to internal divisions. She tion which enables members of the ics, especially relating to politics, claims the party still had too many group to ask pertinent questions in industrial policy and interna- Tory sympathisers in it, and that the House of Commons and to make tional relations; pacts with the Conservatives at con- speeches supported by facts and fig- • Cuttings of published articles by stituency level were a sign of inher- ures.’3 She was secretary to Frank Josephy; ent weakness. This fear that some Murrell (Liberal MP for Weston- • Election ephemera, such as fly- Liberals were too close to the Tories super-Mare, 1923–24). She was also a ers, leaflets and posters; is a theme which Josephy frequently member of the Eighty Club and the • Liberal pamphlets and other returns to. League of Nations Union. publications, including speak- In the general election of May In 1929, she contested her first elec- ers’ notes published by the 1929, candidates from all three tion by standing as a Liberal candi- Liberal Publication Department main parties fought Winchester. date in Winchester during that year’s (1920s–30s). The Conservative candidate, Sir general election. She was to fight – In terms of its limitations, the George Hennessey, eventually won unsuccessfully – in various constitu- archive has little private material with 44 per cent of the vote; Labour encies, in all the general elections up such as correspondence or fam- came second (36 per cent); and Miss to, and including, 1951. However, ily papers. This means that there is Josephy came third with 18 per from the 1940s onwards, Josephy limited information on Josephy’s cent.6 focused more on European relations private life and family background. The views of several unsuccess- than Liberal politics. She was on the Also, most of the material was ful Liberal candidates in that elec- Federal Union Executive Committee meant to be made public, such as tion were aired during a discussion for over twenty years from February speeches and articles (or drafts of at the Liberal Summer School held 1940. She was also active in the them). So, for example, there is lit- at Cambridge later that year. On European Union of Federalists and tle about her private thoughts or Saturday 3 August, three women the European Movement. She died on about her personal links with other candidates (described as the 6 January 1985. Liberal politicians. ‘Three Graces’ by one admiring In total, her archive consists of Josephy’s political papers start Left: Election reporter7) addressed the conference over fifty boxes of documents. Most with a note that on 16 October 1924 leaflet, 1929 on the theme of ‘Young people Journal of Liberal History 72 Autumn 2011 53 coalition in tHe ArcHives: A perspective from tHe pApers of frAnces JosepHy and the progressive parties’. One from her thoughts. She states that over policy. However, it could be of these unsuccessful candidates she has no liking for the three-party counter-argued that the influence was Josephy, who complained system but believes the Labour Liberals had on the minority Labour that campaigning in a three-party Party will split, leaving two great government was itself limited. political system was like fight- parties and a small ‘fanatical tail’ of Labour politicians would have been ing with an eel. She claimed that socialists. She says that the name of aware that Liberals were as unlikely younger voters were apt to go to the Liberal Party should be changed to want an election as themselves. the extremes of socialism or con- to encourage non-socialist Labour In August 1931, the National servatism: ‘Our difficulty, under politicians and voters away from the Government was formed. A gen- the three-party system, is that Labour Party: eral election was soon called and people cannot see the top peak for Josephy contested Basingstoke. I would rather see the Party that looking at the bottom two.’ In her election leaflet, Josephy stands for Liberalism called by During this address, Josephy claims to be the only ‘real’ National some other name – Radical, if argues that the Liberal Party must Government candidate. In another you like, or Progressive – than, for change and that activists should bold phrase, she makes it clear also the sake of a name, force the coun- work for the return to two-party that she is the ‘Free Trade’ National try to an eternal choice between politics. She states that a party could Government candidate. This sug- Conservatism and Socialism… be created if those two-thirds of the gests she sensed that the public were and personally I can see no other Liberal Party who were progres- in favour of some sort of coalition future for the Liberal Party than sives joined forces with the three- government to get the country as a body representing the radical- quarters in the Labour Party who out of its economic predicament. minded, non-Socialist alternative were moderates. This would leave However, she claims that the elec- to Conservatism.9 hardcore socialists as a ‘small fag- tion itself was unnecessary and was end … which does not count one In the first issue ofThe Liberal Whip called by Conservatives for purely way or another.’ She does not say (October 1929), a newsletter issued party political reasons, so they what the other third of the Liberal by the Winchester Division Liberal could impose protectionist meas- Party would do, nor does she pro- Association, Josephy writes about ures.12 Her electioneering did not vide details on how this party could the role of the small band of Liberal persuade the voters of Basingstoke be formed. She was clear, however, MPs. She claims that they have an and the Tory candidate won secur- that the Labour Party must come influence greater than their num- ing nearly 70 per cent of the poll. ‘our way; we are not going theirs.’ bers would suggest (she says fifty- In this three-way contest, Miss The Forward View article, makes eight10), for ‘unless the Government Josephy did at least manage to come it clear that Josephy’s opinions were have the Liberals on their side they second.13 not favourably received by all of the can do nothing.’ She adds that she calls for Josephy writes about her expe- delegates. In the discussion which MacDonald and his Cabinet: these radical riences of the 1931 campaign in a followed the addresses she was sub- typescript article for Forward View are very well aware that only such jected to ‘sundry attacks’ and she felt called, ‘Unborn tomorrow and dead progressive measures as are in remnants it was necessary to make a further yesterday’.