Lloyd George Society
Encyclopedia
The Lloyd George Society is an organisation connected to, but not formally affiliated to, the United Kingdom
political party the Liberal Democrats
. It is named after David Lloyd George
, the Welsh Liberal
politician who was British prime minister
from 1916-1922. The Society was founded in the late 1950s by Liberals in Wales
when it was known as the Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools. It met, usually at a hotel in Mid Wales
, once a year to discuss topical political and social questions both domestic and foreign, with invited specialist guest speakers. A favourite location has been the Abernant Lake Hotel at Llanwrtyd Wells
because this was one of the Spa towns
at which Lloyd George used to spend time. Its main purpose at that time was to provide Liberal parliamentary candidates with an environment in which they could learn about the issues of the day, debate them with experts and so gain in experience and self-assurance better to equip them for the pressures of fighting general elections.
By the mid-1980s, with the development of the Liberal-SDP Alliance
, the name Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools was discarded and the group became known as the Lloyd George Society. The founding members included Emlyn Hooson
who was Liberal
MP for Montgomeryshire
from 1962-79 and Tom Ellis
of the SDP
. The first Chairman was Roger Pincham
, former Chairman of the Liberal Party. It has continued to meet annually in Wales with expert speakers invited to talk on topical issues but over the years it has stopped being a training school for Liberal candidates and has now opened its doors to an audience who have an interest in Welsh affairs, society and culture as well as the wider British political scene. The Society also promotes an interest in the life, career and family of David Lloyd George.
At the meeting of the Society in Llandrindod Wells
in February 2009, Jennifer Longford, the daughter of Frances Stevenson
, Lloyd George's long time mistress and his second wife, was elected as a Vice-President of the Society.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
political party the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. It is named after David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, the Welsh Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician who was British prime minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
from 1916-1922. The Society was founded in the late 1950s by Liberals in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
when it was known as the Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools. It met, usually at a hotel in Mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
, once a year to discuss topical political and social questions both domestic and foreign, with invited specialist guest speakers. A favourite location has been the Abernant Lake Hotel at Llanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town in the parish of Llanwrtyd in Powys, mid Wales, lying on the River Irfon.With a population of 601 people , it claims to be the smallest town in Britain, although Fordwich in Kent has a smaller population...
because this was one of the Spa towns
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
at which Lloyd George used to spend time. Its main purpose at that time was to provide Liberal parliamentary candidates with an environment in which they could learn about the issues of the day, debate them with experts and so gain in experience and self-assurance better to equip them for the pressures of fighting general elections.
By the mid-1980s, with the development of the Liberal-SDP Alliance
SDP-Liberal Alliance
The SDP–Liberal Alliance was an electoral pact formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom which was in existence from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal...
, the name Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools was discarded and the group became known as the Lloyd George Society. The founding members included Emlyn Hooson
Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson
Hugh Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson QC is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire from 1962 until 1979....
who was Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP for Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Montgomeryshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1542, it elects one Member of Parliament , traditionally known as the knight of the shire, by the first-past-the-post system of election.The Montgomeryshire Welsh Assembly...
from 1962-79 and Tom Ellis
Tom Ellis (politician)
Robert Thomas Ellis, , commonly known as Tom Ellis, was a British politician who was elected several times as a Labour Member of Parliament, and later defected to the Social Democratic Party ....
of the SDP
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
. The first Chairman was Roger Pincham
Roger Pincham
Roger Pincham is a former British Liberal Party politician.Pincham studied at Wimbledon Park School and Kingston Grammar School before becoming a stockbroker. He stood as the Liberal Party candidate for Leominster at each election from 1970 to 1983, coming only 579 votes, less than 2% away from...
, former Chairman of the Liberal Party. It has continued to meet annually in Wales with expert speakers invited to talk on topical issues but over the years it has stopped being a training school for Liberal candidates and has now opened its doors to an audience who have an interest in Welsh affairs, society and culture as well as the wider British political scene. The Society also promotes an interest in the life, career and family of David Lloyd George.
At the meeting of the Society in Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells , colloquially known locally as "Llandod", is a town and community in Powys, within the historic boundaries of Radnorshire, mid Wales, United Kingdom. It was developed as a spa town in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government. Before...
in February 2009, Jennifer Longford, the daughter of Frances Stevenson
Frances Stevenson
Frances Stevenson, Countess Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, CBE was the mistress, personal secretary, confidante and second wife of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George....
, Lloyd George's long time mistress and his second wife, was elected as a Vice-President of the Society.