W. Llewelyn Williams

W. Llewelyn Williams (10 March 1867 – 22 April 1922), was a Welsh journalist, lawyer and Liberal Party politician.

He was born at Brownhill Llansadwrn, Towy Valley, Carmarthenshire; a memorial plaque was erected in front of the house in 1938. Born into a well-off Congregationalist family, William Llewelyn Williams was educated at Llandovery College and Brasenose College, Oxford University. At Oxford he was a founder member of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society with O. M. Edwards.

On his return to Wales, he became a journalist, editing the "South Wales Star" at Barry, then the "South Wales Post" at Swansea. He spent some time on the staff of the "South Wales Daily Post", Cardiff, and the "Star" of London. He wrote a couple of short sories in Welsh, neither of any real quality. Other work for the Cymmrodorion was later published in book form in 1919 as "The Making of Modern Wales". He was not a professional, and saw Welsh history more in terms of Welsh Nationalism than an objective account of the past. Accordingly, he refused to accept the evidence of Iolo Morgannwg's forgeries.

W. Llewelyn Williams set up the first branch of Cymru Fydd in Barry in 1891. He was later appointed the movement's South Wales Organiser by David Lloyd George. Additionally, he was heavily involved in the struggle to secure the Disestablishment of the Church in Wales.

From journalism, W. Llewelyn Wlliams turned to the law, being called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn in 1897. He took silk in 1912 and led the South Wales Circuit. He was Recorder of Swansea 1914-1915 and Recorder of Cardiff 1915-1922.

W. Llewelyn Williams put his mane forward for several Parliamentary seats, being mentioned as a possible candidate for Cardiganshire in 1895, when he lost out to Matthew Lewis Vaughan Davies. At the 1906 general election, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Carmarthen District. Williams held the seat until it was abolished in Boundary Changes in 1918. A convinced old-fashioned Liberal, Williams was opposed to Socialism.

Having opposed the Boer War, Llewelyn Williams only reluctantly supported the Great War after the German attack on Belgium. He broke with Lloyd George over conscription in 1916, supporting the rights of consciencious objectors and opposing the Defence of the Realm Act. In 1921, Williams fought the Cardiganshire by-election as an anti-Coalition Liberal, opposing Ernest Evans, Lloyd George's Private Secretary, the Coalition candidate. Although he lost, Williams performed well and was generally felt to have won a moral victory, forcing Evans to rely on Conservative votes for his election.

One of his last actions was to write a letter to Lloyd George attempting reconciliation.

References

*Dictionary of Welsh Biography
*Great Welshmen of Modern Days: Sir Thomas Hughes.
*Modern Wales: Politics, Places and People: Kenneth O. Morgan
*T. E. Ellis Papers, National Library of Wales
*Cochfarf Papers, Cardiff Central Library
*Rayment