Lloyd George: farming, officiating and breakfasting

From the collection of

Archif Sgrin a Sain Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / National Library of Wales Screen and Sound Archive
Established in 2001, the National Library of Wales Screen and Sound Archive holds an unrivalled collection of films, TV and radio broadcasts, video tapes and sound recordings relating to Wales and the Welsh, from 1898 to the present day. The collection spans multiples formats and genres, both professional and amateur.

Lloyd George: farming, officiating and breakfasting


Lloyd George gets about: he is the subject of a photo shoot in his Surrey orchard and officiates at a literary event and a royal visit to N. Wales.

Lloyd George farms (at ‘Bron-y-de', Churt, Surrey) and officiates in colour (at writer Daniel Owen's centenary celebrations in Mold on 30/7/1936; as Constable of Caernarfon Castle for the new King's visit on 15/7/1937, and at an unknown event involving the presentation of a silver salver) but he breakfasts in black and white (a relaxed occasion, it seems, although he puffs cigar smoke all over his breakfast companions – his wife Margaret and daughter Megan).

The opening shots on this reel – showing Lloyd George in an orchard at ‘Bron-y-de' – must surely be some of the most attractive shots available of the aged politician, his white hair and grey suit blending beautifully with the pink blossom. He is filmed by his private secretary, A J Sylvester, who accompanies him to the centenary celebrations in Bromley Park of the Mold-born author regarded as the first Welsh-language novelist, and to Caernarfon Castle where Lloyd George is seen discussing the preparations with, possibly, Henry Morris-Jones (Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary of the Reception Committee co-ordinating the royal visit), with whom Lloyd George disagreed over the choice of music.


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