David Lloyd George and the Freedom of Swansea, 1923
The former Prime Minister's civic honours, his wartime leadership and the remarkable reception awaiting him in South Wales
David Lloyd George
credit - Imperial War Museum
In 1923, David Lloyd George, Britain's former Prime Minister and one of the most celebrated Welshmen of his generation, was honoured with the Freedom of the Borough of Swansea. The distinction came during a period when communities across South Wales were paying tribute to the statesman whose political career had taken him from a modest upbringing in North Wales to the highest office in British government.
Although Lloyd George had left Downing Street in October 1922, his reputation as Britain's wartime leader remained considerable. His achievements in social reform, his leadership during the First World War and his contribution to national remembrance continued to form an important part of his public reputation.
Among his notable contributions was his support for the burial of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920. Lloyd George helped secure royal approval for the proposal, which became one of Britain's most enduring acts of remembrance.
Contemporary newspaper reports from September 1923 provide a fascinating insight into the enthusiasm surrounding his civic honours, particularly the detailed coverage published in the Llanelli Star on 1 September 1923.
From Llanystumdwy to Downing Street
David Lloyd George was born in Manchester on 17 January 1863 but grew up in Llanystumdwy, near Criccieth, in North Wales.
His upbringing was relatively humble, yet his determination and extraordinary powers of public speaking helped him establish a remarkable political career.
Elected Liberal MP for Caernarfon Boroughs in 1890, he became one of the leading reforming politicians of the early twentieth century.
As Chancellor of the Exchequer, he introduced the People's Budget of 1909 and helped establish National Insurance in 1911, laying important foundations for Britain's welfare state.
In December 1916, during the First World War, Lloyd George became Prime Minister. His leadership during the final stages of the conflict made him internationally famous and closely associated him with the Allied victory of November 1918.
His coalition government eventually collapsed in October 1922. Nevertheless, his departure from office did little to diminish the admiration he continued to command among many Welsh communities.
Lloyd George and the Burial of the Unknown Warrior, 1920
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| Unknown Warrior |
The idea originated with the Reverend David Railton, an army chaplain who had served on the Western Front. During the war, Railton had seen a grave in France marked with a simple wooden cross bearing the words “An Unknown British Soldier”.
The experience inspired him to propose that an unidentified British serviceman should be brought home from the battlefields of France and buried in Westminster Abbey as a representative of the many thousands who had died without a known grave.
In August 1920, Railton wrote to Herbert Ryle, the Dean of Westminster, outlining his proposal.
The Dean supported the idea and brought it to the attention of King George V and Prime Minister David Lloyd George.
According to Westminster Abbey's historical account, the King was initially cautious, fearing that such a ceremony might reopen the painful wounds of the war.
Lloyd George, however, strongly supported the proposal and helped persuade King George V to approve it.
His intervention was important in ensuring that the plan proceeded.
On Armistice Day, 11 November 1920, the remains of an unidentified British serviceman were brought to Westminster Abbey following a solemn procession through London.
Earlier that morning, King George V had unveiled the permanent Cenotaph in Whitehall, before the procession continued to the Abbey.
The Unknown Warrior was buried at the west end of the nave in the presence of the King, members of the Royal Family, Lloyd George, other leading politicians, senior military officers and representatives of the nation.
The ceremony provided a symbolic resting place for the countless servicemen whose bodies had never been identified or whose graves remained unknown.
For bereaved families throughout Britain and the Empire, including many in the industrial communities of South Wales, the grave became a place of national mourning and remembrance.
Lloyd George's support for the burial demonstrated his involvement not only in the leadership of Britain during the war but also in the creation of a lasting national memorial to those who had sacrificed their lives.
When Swansea and other Welsh towns honoured him in 1923, this association with the nation's wartime experience and its remembrance remained an important part of his public legacy.
Swansea Pays Tribute
The Freedom of the Borough was among the highest civic distinctions that Swansea could bestow.
For an important industrial and maritime centre such as Swansea, honouring Lloyd George represented an opportunity to recognise the achievements of a Welshman whose influence had extended across Britain and throughout the world.
The Swansea of 1923 was a town with an established tradition of civic pride. Its docks, industries and commercial activities had helped make it one of the leading centres of South Wales.
Yet the early 1920s were also difficult years. Economic uncertainty, industrial unemployment and the effects of the First World War were being felt across the region.
Lloyd George's reputation as a social reformer, wartime leader and supporter of national remembrance therefore carried particular significance.
His recognition in Swansea formed part of a wider pattern of civic honours associated with the former Prime Minister during 1923.
The Llanelli Star, 1 September 1923
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| Llanelli Star |
Under the headline “Mr. Lloyd George. To Be Our First Freeman. Arrangements for the Ceremony”, the newspaper announced that arrangements had been completed for the forthcoming presentation of the Freedom of the Borough of Llanelli.
The newspaper explained that the occasion was unique in the town's history and was eagerly anticipated by local residents.
It described Lloyd George as a Welshman whose achievements had brought him worldwide recognition, while acknowledging that his political opinions were not universally shared.
The article declared:
“Whether they are in agreement with Mr. Lloyd George's political opinions or not all fair minded men have nothing but admiration for the grit and tenacity of one, who, starting his career in the most humble circumstances, has won through to become one of the world's most famous men.”
The report also paid tribute to his leadership during the First World War and the international reputation he had acquired.
Towards its conclusion, the newspaper expressed the town's pride in recognising him:
“We in Llanelly are justly proud of him.”
It finished with the memorable declaration:
“Llanelly in honouring David Lloyd George honours most herself.”
These words reflected the considerable prestige attached to conferring the Freedom of the Borough upon the former Prime Minister.
A Grand Ceremony at Llanelli Market Hall
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| Llanelli Town Hall |
Headed “Borough of Llanelly. Visit of the Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, O.M., M.P., for Reception of Freedom of Borough”, the notice confirmed that the ceremony would take place on Monday, 10 September 1923.
The programme reveals the elaborate arrangements made by the borough authorities.
The doors of Llanelli Market Hall were scheduled to open at 10 a.m. for reserved ticket holders and members of the public.
At 10.15 a.m., the choir was to take its position on the choir platform, while those holding reserved tickets were expected to be seated by 10.30 a.m.
At 10.45 a.m., Lloyd George was scheduled to arrive at the Town Hall accompanied by Dame Margaret Lloyd George, Mr A. J. Sylvester, his secretary, Mr and Mrs Coombe Tennant, the Lord Lieutenant and his party.
There he was to be officially welcomed by the Mayor, the Mayoress and the Town Clerk.
The members of the Corporation were also instructed to take their seats on the central platform in the Market Hall by 10.45 a.m.
The doors of the Market Hall were to be closed at 10.50 a.m., shortly before the formal proceedings commenced.
The Presentation of the Freedom Casket
The programme scheduled the principal ceremony to begin at 11 a.m., when the Mayor and Mayoress would escort Lloyd George and his guests into the Market Hall.
One particularly interesting detail was the planned presentation of a bouquet to Dame Margaret Lloyd George by the Mayoress.
The choir would then render a selection before the Mayor called upon the Town Clerk to read the Council's resolution conferring the Freedom of the Borough.
Following the reading of the resolution, the Mayor would address the gathering and present Lloyd George with a casket containing the Freedom.
The presentation of such a casket was an important part of civic ceremonial tradition. Often specially made and decorated, freedom caskets were intended to preserve the formal document recording the honour and to serve as a lasting memento of the occasion.
The Llanelli programme makes clear that the presentation was to be followed by further formalities.
The Mayor would call upon the Town Clerk to read the artist's description of the casket's illumination and decoration, emphasising the craftsmanship and symbolism associated with the gift.
Lloyd George would then sign the Roll of Honorary Freemen, followed by the signatures of the Mayor and Town Clerk.
The programme also named Madam Thomas as the soloist.
These arrangements demonstrate the considerable planning undertaken by the borough to ensure that the occasion was conducted with dignity and ceremony.
Lloyd George's Address and the Welsh National Anthem
Following the formal presentation, Lloyd George was scheduled to deliver his address of reply.
For a politician celebrated as one of the finest public speakers of his generation, this would have been an eagerly anticipated part of the proceedings.
His speeches were renowned for their humour, dramatic delivery and ability to connect with audiences, particularly in Wales.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks from the Council, followed by the singing of “Hen Wlad fy Nhadau”, the Welsh national anthem, and then the National Anthem.
This combination of Welsh and British patriotic traditions was especially appropriate for a man whose political identity had been shaped by his Welsh upbringing and whose career had taken him to the leadership of the United Kingdom.
The printed programme also requested that members of the public remain in their seats until Lloyd George, Dame Margaret Lloyd George and the other guests had left the building.
It was signed by Henry W. Spowart, Town Clerk, providing an official record of the arrangements.
Welsh Pride and Civic Recognition
The honours bestowed upon Lloyd George in South Wales during 1923 reflected more than admiration for a successful politician.
They also expressed a powerful sense of Welsh pride.
Lloyd George had become an internationally recognised statesman while retaining his identity as a Welsh-speaking Welshman raised in rural North Wales.
His rise to prominence was regarded by many as an extraordinary achievement, demonstrating that a man from comparatively humble circumstances could reach the highest levels of political power.
His support for the burial of the Unknown Warrior also formed part of the wider legacy of his wartime premiership.
The Llanelli Star captured the admiration felt by many in its enthusiastic editorial, praising his determination, political courage and wartime achievements.
The elaborate programme for the Llanelli ceremony provides further evidence of the respect shown to him by local civic authorities.
Taken together, these newspaper reports help illustrate the atmosphere in which Swansea and other Welsh communities recognised the former Prime Minister.
A Lasting Legacy
Lloyd George remained an influential figure in British political life long after the civic honours of 1923.
Although he never returned to Downing Street, he continued to participate in national debates throughout the interwar years.
In January 1945, he was created Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor. He died on 26 March 1945, aged 82, and was buried beside the River Dwyfor at Llanystumdwy.
His political legacy remains complex. He is remembered as a pioneering social reformer and wartime leader, but his career was also marked by controversy and division.
His support for the burial of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey remains a particularly significant part of his contribution to Britain's remembrance of the First World War.
The grave, established on Armistice Day 1920, continues to represent the servicemen and women who died in war and have no known grave.
The civic honours associated with Swansea, Llanelli and other Welsh towns in 1923 provide a reminder of the esteem in which Lloyd George was held by many of his contemporaries.
The Llanelli Star reports of 1 September 1923 are particularly valuable because they preserve not only the admiration expressed for Lloyd George but also the practical arrangements for an important civic occasion.
From the reception at the Town Hall to the presentation of the Freedom Casket, the signing of the Roll of Honorary Freemen and the singing of the Welsh national anthem, the planned ceremony reflected the pride of a Welsh community honouring one of its most famous sons.
More than a century later, these accounts remain a fascinating reminder of the relationship between local civic identity, Welsh national pride, national remembrance and the extraordinary career of David Lloyd George.
Sources and Historical Notes
Llanelli Star, Saturday, 1 September 1923. “Mr. Lloyd George. To Be Our First Freeman. Arrangements for the Ceremony.” Contemporary newspaper report discussing the forthcoming presentation of the Freedom of the Borough of Llanelli and Lloyd George's political achievements.
Llanelli Star, 1 September 1923. “Borough of Llanelly. Visit of the Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, O.M., M.P., for Reception of Freedom of Borough.” Official programme for the ceremony scheduled for Monday, 10 September 1923, signed by Henry W. Spowart, Town Clerk. The programme details the reception at Llanelli Town Hall, the ceremony at the Market Hall, the presentation of the Freedom Casket, the signing of the Roll of Honorary Freemen and Lloyd George's address.
Westminster Abbey, “Buried among the kings”. Historical account of the origins of the Unknown Warrior's burial, including Lloyd George's role in persuading King George V to support the proposal.
Westminster Abbey, “Unknown Warrior”. Official history of the burial ceremony on 11 November 1920 and the grave in Westminster Abbey, which became a national place of remembrance for those who died during the First World War.
National Army Museum, “Buried Among Kings: The Story of the Unknown Warrior”. Historical account confirming Lloyd George's enthusiastic support for the proposal to bury an unidentified British serviceman in Westminster Abbey.
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