John Bryn Roberts

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Bryn Roberts

John Bryn Roberts (8 January 1843 – 14 April 1931) was a Welsh lawyer, later a judge and Liberal politician.

Family and education

Roberts was born the eldest son of Daniel Roberts from Llanddeilionen, near

Calvinistic Methodists. John Bryn Roberts never married.[1]

John received private tuition at home and was then sent to Cheltenham Grammar School.[2]

Career

In 1860 John Roberts went to

South Wales Miners Federation, for being anti-union and anti-labour. However, Roberts' biographer, Jack Eaton, cites from a number of Roberts' cases and rulings on appeal which he believes indicates these anti-labour accusations are incorrect. Eaton does however concede that Roberts was 'nonplussed' by the legislation on workmen's compensation.[6]

Entering politics

Roberts'

Congregationalist opponent, R Pughe Jones, complained that no meeting of the whole local Liberal Association had been called and that only the delegates, who were predominantly Methodists like Roberts, had been asked for their opinion.[8]

The 1885 general election

Despite these objections, Roberts was selected to be the Liberal candidate and his 1885 election address emphasised his support for the

Free Trade, improved Parliamentary procedures to restrict Tory and Irish Nationalist obstructionism and his anti-war, anti-imperialist
beliefs.

Another issue in the election was an industrial dispute at the

Dinorwic Quarry but which was complicated by being interpreted as, as much an attack by the proprietor and local landowner on the religion and class of his workers, as a conflict over wages and conditions.[9]

Despite suffering from a speech impediment which restricted his ability as a political orator, Roberts was an effective enough candidate and the result of the election was a victory over his

Hugh Ellis-Nanney, by 4,535 votes to 2,573 on a turnout of 80%. Ellis-Nanney later suffered another Parliamentary defeat when he failed to hold the Conservative seat of Caernarvon Boroughs in a by-election held on 10 April 1890 when his opponent was David Lloyd George.[10]

Politics, 1885–1906

Roberts held his seat at Eifion at every general election until he resigned as an

Boer War.[15] with Roberts being described as a ‘sentimental politician’ on the issue and a member of the ‘extreme peace party’.[16] Some historians have disparaged Roberts as complacent and plodding,[17] noted his tendency to put on airs and graces [18] or pointed out an inherent cautiousness.[19] In the view of John Grigg, Roberts was “too awkward” to succeed, never becoming a minister or rising higher than a county court judge despite having a good political mind and being an excellent lawyer.[20] His decision to resign in 1906 and accept the offer of the county court judgeship has been seen by some as an escape from the coming radical Liberal politics with which he found little favour.[21]

Other appointments

Roberts was a

Deputy Lieutenant for the county.[2]

Death

Roberts died at his home, Bryn Adda, at the age of 88 years on 14 April 1931.[23]

Papers

A large collection of Roberts' private papers, letters and diaries have been deposited at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. They have been used extensively by Jack Eaton in his biography of Roberts. Eaton says that there is some indication in the papers that Roberts began an attempt to write his memoirs but never completed the task.[24]

References

  1. ^ Jack Eaton, Judge John Bryn Roberts; University of Wales Press, 1989, pp 1–6
  2. ^
    Who's Who & Who Was Who. A & C Black. Retrieved 16 October 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  3. ^ Eaton, op cit p9
  4. ^ http://lloydgeorgesociety.org.uk/resources/sites/84.234.17.197-4611481cc83403.08117414/Welsh+Liberal+MPs+elected+in+1906.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  5. ISBN 0708319475
    .
  6. ^ Eaton, op cit pp 85–86
  7. ^ Eaton, op cit pp 12–13
  8. ^ Matthew Cragoe, Culture, Politics and National Identity in Wales: 1832–1886; OUP, 2004 p96
  9. ^ Eaton, op cit pp13-14
  10. ISBN 0214200493
    .
  11. ISBN 0826202039
    .
  12. ISBN 0708319475
    .
  13. ^ K O Morgan, Wales in British Politics: 1868–1922; University of Wales Press, 1963, p. 159.
  14. ^ K O Morgan, Wales in British Politics, p295
  15. ISBN 0192117173
    .
  16. ^ John William Auld, The Pro-Boer Liberals in Britain During the Boer War, 1899–1902; National Library of Wales, 1977 p277
  17. ISBN 0826202039
    .
  18. ISBN 0214200493
    .
  19. ^ Morgan, Wales in British Politics: 1868–1922 p58
  20. ISBN 000686306X
    .
  21. ^ J. Gwynn Williams, The University College of North Wales: Foundations, 1884–1927; University of Wales Press, 1985 p42
  22. ^ The Times, 27 June 1892
  23. ^ The Law Journal, Volume LXXL, January to June 1931, p300
  24. ^ Eaton, op cit pp vii–viii
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency Member of Parliament for Eifion
1885–June 1906 		Succeeded by
Ellis William Davies
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