David Matthews (1868 – 26 February 1960) was a

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

politician in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Parliamentary politics

Matthews was elected as a

Coalition Liberal The Coalition Coupon was a letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory ...

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

(MP) for Swansea East (UK Parliament constituency) at a by-election in 1919 following the death of the Liberal MP

Thomas Jeremiah Williams Thomas Jeremiah Williams (1872 – 12 June 1919) was a Welsh barrister and Liberal politician. Family and Education Thomas Jeremiah Williams was the eldest son of William Williams who was Liberal Member of Parliament for the Swansea Distric ...

. He stepped down from

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at the 1922 general election, and did not stand again.

Welsh MP

Matthews was a strong supporter of the premiership of

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during ...

and regarded himself as something of a Welsh nationalist. In 1920 he was one of a group of Welsh MPs who called on the prime minister to create the post of

Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales ( cy, ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member ...

but Lloyd George apparently urged them to fight for greater devolution instead. However, in February 1921 Matthews attempted to introduce a Bill to institute the post of Welsh Secretary but without success.

Swansea politician

At the time of his election to Parliament, Matthews was a leading member of the civic community in Swansea. He was a member of Swansea Council and was a Justice of the Peace, having twice been Chief Magistrate. He was a prominent

nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

in the area and popular with chapel-goers. In 1924 the Freedom of Swansea was bestowed on him, by which time he was an

Alderman An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members t ...

of Swansea Council.

Business

In business, Matthews was a merchant, a director of the South Wales Fuel Company Ltd. and owner of the Park Tinplate Company Ltd.The Times, 26 February 1920 p18

References

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, David Liberal Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Swansea constituencies UK MPs 1918–1922 1868 births 1960 deaths