John Cledwyn Davies
Encyclopedia
John Cledwyn Davies was a Welsh Liberal Party
politician, educationist and lawyer.
Grammar School, University College, Bangor
and London University where he gained his MA degree.
but spent much of his career in education as a teacher and administrator. His most senior positions were as Headmaster of Holywell
Secondary School, Flintshire
and then as Director of Education for the county of Denbighshire
. He was a Member of Court of the University of Wales
as well as being a Member of the University Council and of its Finance Committee. He was a member of the Welsh Joint Education Committee and a member of a number of governing bodies of various schools in Wales.
. He emerged more publicly into the political light at the 1922 general election
against the background of the continuing split in the Liberal Party between the followers of David Lloyd George
and H H Asquith. Davies was adopted as National Liberal
(i.e. Lloyd George) candidate for the constituency of Denbigh
. He stood down temporarily from his post as Director of Education to be able to stand for Parliament and was opposed in the election by Llewellyn G Williams standing for the Asquithian Liberals and a Conservative the Honourable Mrs Broderick. The 1922 election was bad for Liberals of both persuasions but particularly bad for the former Coalition or National Liberals. According to one historian, only in its stronghold of rural north Wales was Coalition Liberalism able to survive unaided against Conservative and Labour attacks. Davies’ experience in the election and his brief stay in the House of Commons was clearly uncongenial to him as he decided not to put himself before the electorate again at the 1923 general election
which was won for the then reunited Liberal Party by the former Asquithian Ellis William Davies
.
By 1929, Denbigh was represented in Parliament, by another Liberal, Dr Henry Morris-Jones
. The Liberal Party, who had been part of the National Government formed in 1931, crossed into opposition. However, Morris-Jones along with colleagues in the Liberal National group, decided to remain on the government benches. The Denbigh Liberal Association were unhappy with Morris-Jones and decided to select a new candidate, settling on Davies. At the 1935 General election, Davies came second to Morris-Jones, who was supported by the Conservatives. This Denbigh election marked the first occasion in the United Kingdom when a Liberal National MP was directly opposed by the Liberal Party.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician, educationist and lawyer.
Education
Davies was educated at LlanrwstLlanrwst
Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....
Grammar School, University College, Bangor
Bangor University
Bangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
and London University where he gained his MA degree.
Career
Davies was called to the Bar at the Middle TempleMiddle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
but spent much of his career in education as a teacher and administrator. His most senior positions were as Headmaster of Holywell
Holywell
Holywell is the fifth largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying to the west of the estuary of the River Dee.-History:The market town of Holywell takes its name from the St Winefride's Well, a holy well surrounded by a chapel...
Secondary School, Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
and then as Director of Education for the county of Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales...
. He was a Member of Court of the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
as well as being a Member of the University Council and of its Finance Committee. He was a member of the Welsh Joint Education Committee and a member of a number of governing bodies of various schools in Wales.
Politics
Davies was for a time a member of Denbighshire County Council and its Education Committee. He also served as a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He emerged more publicly into the political light at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
against the background of the continuing split in the Liberal Party between the followers of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and H H Asquith. Davies was adopted as National Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1922 to 1923. It was led by David Lloyd George and was, at the time, separate to the original Liberal Party.-History:...
(i.e. Lloyd George) candidate for the constituency of Denbigh
Denbigh (UK Parliament constituency)
Denbigh was a county constituency centred on the town of Denbigh in North Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
. He stood down temporarily from his post as Director of Education to be able to stand for Parliament and was opposed in the election by Llewellyn G Williams standing for the Asquithian Liberals and a Conservative the Honourable Mrs Broderick. The 1922 election was bad for Liberals of both persuasions but particularly bad for the former Coalition or National Liberals. According to one historian, only in its stronghold of rural north Wales was Coalition Liberalism able to survive unaided against Conservative and Labour attacks. Davies’ experience in the election and his brief stay in the House of Commons was clearly uncongenial to him as he decided not to put himself before the electorate again at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
which was won for the then reunited Liberal Party by the former Asquithian Ellis William Davies
Ellis William Davies
Ellis William Davies was a Welsh Liberal Party and later, briefly, Labour Party and Liberal National politician and lawyer.-Early life and work:...
.
By 1929, Denbigh was represented in Parliament, by another Liberal, Dr Henry Morris-Jones
Henry Morris-Jones
Sir Henry Morris-Jones MC, DL was a Welsh doctor, soldier and Liberal, later Liberal National politician.-Early life, education and family:...
. The Liberal Party, who had been part of the National Government formed in 1931, crossed into opposition. However, Morris-Jones along with colleagues in the Liberal National group, decided to remain on the government benches. The Denbigh Liberal Association were unhappy with Morris-Jones and decided to select a new candidate, settling on Davies. At the 1935 General election, Davies came second to Morris-Jones, who was supported by the Conservatives. This Denbigh election marked the first occasion in the United Kingdom when a Liberal National MP was directly opposed by the Liberal Party.