Cardiganshire Politics at the time of the Great War

Until I return to Aberystwyth in September, I have done some research on the political background to the area in the First World War.

Photo from Wikipedia.org

In 1895, Matthew Vaughan-Davies, the Liberal candidate, was elected as Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire. He continued to secure re-election until 1921, making him the longest-serving MP for the constituency. 

He had previously stood as a Conservative, so the local Liberals were deeply divided over his candidacy and drew criticism from Cambrian News. 

Photo courtesy of NLW/LLGC

As successive elections proved that he was fairly well entrenched, and the local party became more dependent on Vaughan-Davies for his financial backing, he managed to get many of his early detractors on side. That is with the notable exception of Sir John Gibson, editor of the Cambrian News.





When David Lloyd George, MP for Carnarvon Boroughs, came to replace Herbert Asquith as Prime Minister, he split the Liberals. Most of the Welsh Liberal MPs backed Lloyd George as one of their own, as did Vaughan-Davies. As a result of this, he stood as a Coalition Liberal in the 1918 election and was returned to Westminster unopposed as the ‘Father of the House’. 

The Coalition Liberals were propped up by the Conservatives, under Andrew Bonar Law, but the Tories had 382 seats to their 127. Lloyd George sought to boost his support in the House of Lords so, in the 1921 New Years’ Honours, he awarded him a peerage. Vaughan-Davies wanted to become ‘Baron Ceredigion’, but this was deemed to be inappropriate for a mere baron. Instead, he opted for the title ‘Baron Ystwyth’. 

Photo from Wikipedia.org

His successor as MP for Cardiganshire, Ernest Evans, was a local barrister and captain in the Royal Army Service Corps in the First World War. He had served as Lloyd George’s private secretary since 1918 until he was chosen to stand in the 1921 by-election against a supporter of Asquith. He then lost the seat in 1923.

Blog by Ewan Lawry, project volunteer