Lloyd George Society

In the year of the 150^th anniversary of the birth of David Lloyd George, the Welsh Wizard is included in a new set of postage stamps recognising a number of 'Great Britons'.

Royal Mail say they hope the stamp will be a lasting tribute to the memory of the man who was Member of Parliament for Caernarfon Boroughs from 1890-1945 and was Britain's great war leader during the First World War after becoming Prime Minister in December 1916.

The Lloyd George Society welcomed two new Vice-Presidents to its ranks at last month's weekend school in Llandrindod Wells, with the election of Baroness Joan Walmsley and Lady Shirley Hooson at the Society's Annual General Meeting.

Lady Walmsley hails from Liverpool where she also went to University. After graduating in Biology she went to work in the health service and after a number of years out of the workplace bringing up her two children she trained as a teacher and taught in the secondary sector. She then went into public relations where she worked for Hill & Knowlton for nine years before setting up her own business. She married Martin Thomas (Lord Thomas of Gresford) in 2005, and now lives in North Wales.

Everyone at the Lloyd George Society would like to wish all visitors to our site a very happy St David's Day for 1 March. You don't have to be Welsh. We hope you enjoy and make the most of the day.

The Liberal Democrat Lawyers Association are holding a weekend conference at Jesus College, Oxford on April 13 & 14 April 2013 examining the legal, moral and philosophical issues of some of medicine's most difficult subjects; medical ethics, assisted dying and abortion.

In 2004, the Lloyd George Society weekend school heard a well-received talk from Professor Ilora Finlay, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, one Britain's leading experts on palliative medicine, on the topic Euthanasia - What it is and what it is not, so these important issues are likely to be of interest to Society members.

On 17 January 2013, at the National Liberal Club, the premiere was heard of Why Should We Not Sing? This piece was specially composed by Nicholas O'Neill, Composer in Residence to the Parliament Choir. The piece intertwines readings from texts by and about Lloyd George with music designed to illustrate the various phases of LL.G's life and career. The piece was performed on the night by musicians from the South Bank Sinfonia, with Elinor Bennett, harp and Paul Medlicott, baritone. The texts were read by Lord Thomas of Gresford, the President of the Lloyd George Society, who had commisioned the work.

Most people are happy to concede that "Lloyd George knew my father" and perhaps even that "Lloyd George knew my mother" but Tory peeress Lady Trumpington went one better in the House of Lords by admitting that she was Lloyd George's land girl. Although this news was received with some delight and laughter by their Lordships, the history is already quite well known as Lady Trumpington had revealed it herself during an intervioew with the Daily Telegraph. During World War II, the then Jean Barker was a member of the Women's Land Army and served on the farm owned by Lloyd George in Sussex. She didn't much enjoy being a land girl because there were no young men and the farm work was all apples and no animals but she stayed in the lodge belonging to Frances Stevenson, LL.G's mistress and later his second wife, and recalled that she liked her very much.

Celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the birth of David Lloyd George on 17 January have been widely reported and represent a a fitting memorial to the Welsh Wizard. LL.G's grandson, Lord Tenby (pictured) and members of the George family, decended from LL.G's brother, William were present at the statue in Parliament Square for the service and tributes and laid commemorative wreaths of daffodils along with Lady Jane Bonham Carter, the great-granddaughter of Lloyd George's great Liberal rival H H Asquith. Lord Roberts of Llandudno's celebrations then moved to the Undercroft Chapel in Westminster Hall and ended with speeches in the Jubilee Room from representatives of the four main parties in Wales.

BBC Wales have interviewed the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell and Lloyd George scholar Professor Lord Kenneth Morgan about the political legacy of David Lloyd George and how it sits with the actions in government today of Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats.

You can hear the interview, conducted by BBC presenter Vaughan Roderick, by visiting the BBC website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-21003510