Lloyd George's Last Vote

David Lloyd George cast his last vote in the House of Commons on 18 February 1943. It was against the government, and for the Beveridge Plan. It was a fitting end to his long Parliamentary career. Lloyd George's National Insurance Act 1911, along with a raft of other Liberal welfare reforms, had laid the foundations of the welfare state, providing protection from sickness, disability, and unemployment. Beveridge, who was to be elected as a Liberal MP in 1944, proposed extending and universalising the existing schemes. The Daily Telegraph described it as completing the revolution begun by Lloyd George. 

Cymdeithas Lloyd George, the Lloyd George Society

Cymdeithas Lloyd George, the Lloyd George Society is a loose combination of like minds that meets in Wales for a weekend school on topical subjects, historical issues (particularly those relating to David Lloyd George) or interesting questions affecting Welsh life and culture, all from a liberal perspective.

You can book now for 2025's Lloyd George Weekend School in Llandrindod Wells Our venue this year is the Hotel Commodore. 

February 22 & 23 2025 - Limited Spaces Left. 

Full details on how to book and Programme for the School: on our website

Speakers include: Adam Price MS - Former Plaid Cymru leader and Shadow Justice Minister. 

Ann Davies MP - Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthenshire. 

David Chadwick MP - Liberal Dem MP for Brecon, Radnor & Cwm Tawe 

Mark Williams - Former Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Ceredigion.

Michael Meadowcroft - historian & former Liberal MP. 

Dr Luca Trent - Assoc. Professor, Swansea University.

Rev. Richard Walker - JMK Expert. 

Dr Jonathan Kirkup - Senior Lecturer, Cardiff Uni. 

Prof. Tony Claydon - Bangor University 

Dr Charles Smith - Wales European Movement.

The Society website is https://lloydgeorgesociety.org.uk/, and our new social media accounts are:

X (formerly Twitter) – @LloGeoSocNew

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/groups/454477021058445

Bluesky – @lloydgeorgesociety.bsky.social

Please do follow us, and I hope to see you in February.

Save the Date!

The next Lloyd George Society Weekend will take place on the weekend of 22nd February 2025.

Further details coming soon. 

A Liberal Mystery - Peter Bessell, Isaac Foot, and the Black Cat of Pencrebar

 In March 1961 the Cornish Guardian reported that Peter Bessell, the prospective Liberal candidate for the Bodmin division, had been presented with Isaac Foot's lucky black cat mascot.

Isaac Foot

Foot, who had died in 1960, was given the cat by an enthusiastic supporter in 1923, at the outset of his successful re-election campaign. From then on it accompanied him to all political meetings in the constituency, as well as the annual Liberal rallies at Foot's house, Pencrebar.

Pencrebar House, Callington

When not campaigning the cat sat opposite a bust of Oliver Cromwell in the entrance hall at Pencrebar.

Peter Bessell

Bessell was presented with the cat by Ewart Tamblyn, the divisional chairman, acting on behalf of Mrs Foot. Bessell said the cat would be his most treasured possession, and that "I can assure the Foot family that it will go on being the mascot of Liberalism".

So what became of the cat? Did it help Bessell in his successful 1964 and 1968 campaigns? Was it passed on to Paul Tyler in 1970? Have you seen an old black cat wearing Liberal colours?

I would love to know!

When you find No Highway more...

 Nevil Shute's 1948 novel No Highway starts with three stanzas from John Masefield, who died this day 1967.

Therefore, go forth, companion: when you find

No Highway more, no track, all being blind,

The way to go shall glimmer in the mind.

Though you have conquered Earth and charted Sea

And planned the courses of all Stars that be,

Adventure on, more wonders are in Thee,

Adventure on, for from the littlest clue

Has come whatever worth man ever knew;

The next to lighten all men may be you . . .

The acknowledgments say they are from The Wanderer. I've been looking for the original poem for years, Masefield did write a poem "The Wanderer", but they are not from that. Last night I tried again and found a presentation by Ken Croasdale to a Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers function, identifying the source as Masefield's book The Wanderer of Liverpool. In that book they form part of a longer poem "The Ending", which tells of the end of the ship The Wanderer. 

The poem ends:

"Adventure on, companions, the attempt 

At high adventure brings reward undreamt. 

The raging sea is grim with reefs un conn’d : 

There is a way, a haven is beyond. 

Way for yourself, a harbourage for you, 

Where every quarry spirit can pursue 

Is, in the glory of the dream come true."

So singing, she wanders the waters with white wing on wing 

Star-lighted, star-guided, the sea-gleaming beautiful thing.

The Wanderer

Archive.org has The Wanderer of Liverpool, the poem "The Ending" is here, pages 76-87