David Lloyd George and the Paris Peace Conferences

David Lloyd George, as British Prime Minister at the time and head of the British Empire Delegation, played an important role in the Paris Peace Conferences, which culminated in treaties with each of the defeated powers, including most notably the Treaty of Versailles with Germany. Signed on 28 June 1919, it officially ended the First World War and led to the creation of the League of Nations.

In 2019, several Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 partner organisations held events, talks, activities and exhibitions on the search for peace after the First World War. A small selection is mentioned below. Pupils from Ysgol Llanystumdwy ran the Lloyd George Museum for a day, as part of #TakeoverDay where museums, galleries, historic houses, archives and heritage sites invite young people to take over the jobs of adults. Pupils welcomed visitors to the museum, showed Lloyd George’s personal draft copy of the Treaty of Versailles, demonstrated what kind of experience Lloyd George would have had as a pupil at Ysgol Llanystumdwy, and guided visitors around Highgate, the home where Lloyd George was raised. TheGregynog Festival 2019: Vision included talks which commemorated the legacy of siblings David, Gwendoline and Margaret Davies, including the founding of the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University and the Temple of Peace and Health in Cardiff by David Davies. Their vision was driven by the recognition of ‘the need for considering all the peoples of the world as one’. The new Young Peacemakers Awards was created by the Welsh Centre for International Affairs and presented at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in July 2019. With the support of Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales enhanced the area surrounding the statue of David Lloyd George in Gorsedd Gardens, Cardiff by installing an interpretation panel explaining Lloyd George’s contribution to Wales’ national life. The project was supported by key partners – Cardiff Council, the Lloyd George Museum, Friends of the Lloyd George Museum and Cadw. Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 supported the preservation of Lloyd George’s legacy, enabling the Lloyd George Museum to assess the significance of its unique collections to inform their future use. This will enable the museum to improve and promote public access to the collection.

Right: The Palace of Versailles during the Paris Peace Conference 1919 © National Library of Wales