Sir Herbert Lewis was topic of Denbighshire society talk

The latest meeting of Cymdeithas Hanes Lleol Llandyrnog & Llangwyfan Local History Society was held in Llandyrnog Village Hall and there was an excellent turnout of both members and guests.

The speaker was Paul Broadbent, who lives at Plas Penucha in Caerwys where Sir Herbert Lewis lived.

Paul, who married the great granddaughter of Sir Herbert, talked about ‘Herbert Lewis - The man behind the politician’ and was able to relay both well known facts as well as unique information about him which he obtained from his mother-in-law, the granddaughter of Sir Herbert.

He also took along numerous documents and artifacts - Herbert’s belongings that had not been sent to the National Library of Wales or the archive in Hawarden, and these were displayed for members to study.

These included Sir Herbert’s invitation to both the funeral of Queen Victoria and Edward VII with a plan to show exactly where in the Abbey he should sit.

Sir John Herbert Lewis (1858-1933) was born in Mostyn Quay, Flintshire and attended school at Ffynnongroyw, then Denbigh Grammar School.

After leaving Denbigh, and because he suffered from asthma, he was sent on a cruise on one of his father’s ships and was educated in McGill University, Montreal.

When he returned, he went to Exeter College, Oxford, graduating in 1879. He had literally travelled around the world by the age of 26.

He became a solicitor and established a law practice in Liverpool.

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He was always interested in national and local politics in order to get a better deal for Wales.

From 1892-1906, he was Liberal MP for Flint Boroughs (also the first chairman of Flintshire County Council) and from 1906-1918 was Liberal MP for Flintshire and 1918-1922, the Liberal MP for the University of Wales. He received a Knighthood in 1922.

He had an important role in helping obtain grants to set up and maintain a National Museum and National Library for Wales. He also helped to develop the University of Wales, grants for ex-servicemen and free education.

He helped carry the Education Act through Parliament and he was He was an MP for 30 years.

A contemporary of Lloyd George, he made an enormous contribution to Wales in his lifetime, ensuring Welsh issues were brought to the attention of Parliament and he was a supporter of supporter of Cymru Fydd, non-conformity and the Welsh language.

His roots were firmly linked to Llandyrnog and Llangwyfan as Plas Llangwyfan (built in 1584) was the home of his grandparents Moses and Jane Roberts and of his mother Catherine and her sisters Janet, Annie and Lizzie.

Sadly, Catherine died in 1868 aged 35 when he was only 10 years old, having been an invalid since his birth.

When Herbert was nine, he kept a note book where he recorded that his mother had gone to London to see a specialist and then gone to Brighton to take ‘the waters’ before returning to Penucha, Caerwys to die.

His father Enoch bought Mostyn Quay Shop / Siop y Cei in 1861 and he also became a ship’s chandler.

He helped raise funds to get Moriah Chapel in Ffynnongroyw renovated and developed a school in the basement. He was a successful Victorian businessman and entrepreneur.

Sir Herbert married his cousin Adelaide who was from an influential family of Welsh publishers, Hughes & Son of Wrexham.

However, she unfortunately died in 1895 and in 1897 he got remarried to Ruth Caine, his soulmate and they had two children, Kitty and Mostyn, both of whom were raised as Welsh-speakers and both of whom in turn were to follow in their mother’s footsteps as president of the Welsh Folk-Song Society.

When Plas Llangwyfan was demolished in 1914, John Herbert asked for permission to take the Oak Wainscot panelling from the front parlour to Plas Penucha, Caerwys and it was used as part of the drawing room and is still there today.

Sir Herbert Lewis was involved with the initial sourcing of the site for the King Edward VII Memorial Sanatorium in Llangwyfan and was one of the speakers at the royal opening of Llangwyfan Sanatorium.

Sir Herbert fell when walking in the hills above the National Library in 1925 and hurt his back.

He was bedridden for eight years in Plas Penucha and he died in 1933, being buried in Afonwen. His wife Ruth died 13 years later.

All are welcome to society meetings with members paying £6 for the yearly programme of four meetings and visitors £3 per meeting.

Light refreshments are served for all at the end of every meeting.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 17 when Elizabeth Benson will be talking about the ‘Daily Crafts of our Ancestors’ and she will give a practical demonstration on spinning, weaving and basket making.

For further information, contact the society secretary via llangwyfanhistory@hotmail.com