Lloyd George Society

The Lloyd George Society is a Welsh political and educational organisation named after David Lloyd George, the Welsh Liberal politician who served as British prime minister from 1916 to 1922. Although it has historical and ideological links with the Liberal tradition and is connected with the Liberal Democrats, it is not formally affiliated with that party. Its activities centre on discussion, education, political debate and the promotion of interest in Welsh public life, society, culture and the career and family of Lloyd George. The organisation originated in the late 1950s among Liberals in Wales. It was initially known as the Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools, reflecting its principal purpose at the time: to give Liberal parliamentary candidates an opportunity to study current domestic and international issues, debate with specialist speakers and build the knowledge and confidence required for general-election campaigns. The meetings were generally held once a year at a hotel in Mid Wales. The Abernant Lake Hotel at Llanwrtyd Wells became a favoured venue, in part because Llanwrtyd Wells was one of the Welsh spa towns associated with Lloyd George. The weekend-school format combined political education with informal discussion and access to invited experts. It provided a setting in which prospective candidates could examine policy questions outside the immediate pressures of an election campaign. The organisation therefore functioned both as a political forum and as a training environment within Welsh Liberal circles. During the development of the Liberal-SDP Alliance in the mid-1980s, the organisation abandoned the name Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools and adopted the name Lloyd George Society. The change broadened its public identity while preserving its connection to Welsh Liberal history. Founding figures included Emlyn Hooson, the Liberal member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire from 1962 to 1979, and Tom Ellis of the Social Democratic Party. Roger Pincham, a former chairman of the Liberal Party, served as the society's first chairman. Over time, the society moved beyond its original role as a training school for Liberal candidates. It continued to hold annual meetings in Wales with invited expert speakers addressing topical questions, while opening participation to people interested in Welsh affairs, culture and society, as well as wider British political developments. A further strand of its work is the preservation and promotion of interest in David Lloyd George's life, political career and family connections. The society's activities are associated with Welsh venues and political discussion rather than with commercial products or services. Its significance lies in its role as a continuing civic and educational forum within the broad Welsh Liberal tradition. At a society meeting in Llandrindod Wells in February 2009, Jennifer Longford, the daughter of Frances Stevenson—Lloyd George's long-time mistress and later second wife—was elected a vice-president. Publicly available reference material does not provide a current officer list, membership figure, budget, formal legal structure or official website URL.

The Lloyd George Society developed from a Liberal educational initiative established in Wales in the late 1950s. Its original name, the Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools, described both its constituency and its format. Welsh Liberals organised an annual meeting, commonly at a hotel in Mid Wales, where parliamentary candidates could study current political and social questions, hear from specialist speakers and test their arguments through discussion and debate. The arrangement was intended to strengthen candidates' subject knowledge and self-confidence before they faced the practical demands of general-election contests. The choice of venue also connected the organisation with Welsh Liberal history. The Abernant Lake Hotel at Llanwrtyd Wells was among its preferred meeting places. Llanwrtyd Wells was one of the spa towns where David Lloyd George spent time, providing an appropriate setting for an organisation that used his name and sought to sustain interest in his political legacy. The organisation's early purpose was closely tied to party development and candidate preparation. It offered an environment less formal than a party conference but more focused than a social gathering, combining political instruction with access to outside expertise. Its founding membership included Emlyn Hooson, who represented Montgomeryshire as a Liberal MP from 1962 to 1979, and Tom Ellis of the Social Democratic Party. Roger Pincham, previously chairman of the Liberal Party, became its first chairman. The political context changed in the 1980s with the emergence of the Liberal-SDP Alliance. By the middle of that decade, the name Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools had been dropped and the group became the Lloyd George Society. This rebranding acknowledged the organisation's historical association with Welsh Liberalism while giving it a broader identity rooted in the figure of Lloyd George rather than in a particular training format or party structure. The society retained its annual Welsh meetings and invited expert speakers to address topical issues. Its role gradually expanded beyond the preparation of Liberal parliamentary candidates. It became open to a wider audience interested in Welsh affairs, Welsh society and culture, and the broader British political scene. Alongside contemporary discussion, it promoted interest in Lloyd George's life, career and family, thereby linking current civic debate with historical education. The society is connected with the Liberal Democrats but is not formally affiliated with the party. It is best understood as an independent organisation within the wider Welsh Liberal tradition rather than as a commercial brand, a party unit or a formal corporate subsidiary. Available reference material does not establish an exact incorporation date, current headquarters, current leadership roster, membership size or financial position. A notable recorded development occurred in February 2009, when Jennifer Longford was elected a vice-president at a meeting in Llandrindod Wells. Longford was the daughter of Frances Stevenson, who had been Lloyd George's long-term mistress and later became his second wife.

• 2009

  Jennifer Longford elected vice-president

  [1]Lloyd George Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Jennifer Longford was elected a vice-president at the society's February meeting in Llandrindod Wells.

• Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools established

  [1]Lloyd George Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Liberals in Wales founded the organisation in the late 1950s as an annual political education and candidate-training forum.

• Mid-Wales annual meetings become established

  [1]Lloyd George Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation generally met once a year at a Mid-Wales hotel, with the Abernant Lake Hotel at Llanwrtyd Wells becoming a favoured venue.

• Lloyd George Society name adopted

  [1]Lloyd George Societyen.wikipedia.org

  During the development of the Liberal-SDP Alliance in the mid-1980s, the Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools adopted the name Lloyd George Society.

A Welsh Liberal-tradition discussion and educational society that combines political debate, civic learning and interest in the life and legacy of David Lloyd George.

• Expansion from candidate training to a broader public forumStrategy

  Background

  The society began as a setting for Liberal parliamentary candidates to learn about public issues and prepare for elections. Over time, its remit widened as political and public participation developed.

  Action taken

  It opened its annual meetings to people interested in Welsh affairs, society and culture, as well as the wider British political scene, while retaining invited expert speakers and an interest in Lloyd George's legacy.

  Aftermath

  The organisation became a broader civic and educational society rather than solely a Liberal candidate-training school.

  Source

• Renaming as the Lloyd George SocietyStrategy

  Background

  The organisation's original name was closely tied to its weekend-school and Liberal-candidate-training format. The change occurred during the development of the Liberal-SDP Alliance in the mid-1980s.

  Action taken

  The group discontinued the name Welsh Liberal Weekend Schools and adopted the Lloyd George Society name.

  Aftermath

  The new name emphasised Welsh Liberal history and David Lloyd George while supporting a broader organisational identity.

  Source

1. 1Lloyd George Societyen.wikipedia.org