Aled Owen Roberts
Encyclopedia
Aled Owen Roberts was a Welsh Liberal
, later Liberal National
and finally Conservative
politician, soldier and businessman.
the eldest son of Robert Roberts, of that city. He was educated at Liverpool College. He married Ione Ruth Irwin from Stone, Staffordshire
. They had two sons. Mrs Roberts died in 1940.
in 1915 and served abroad from 1916 to 1919. During the Second World War, Roberts served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Home Guard after 1941.
.
at a by-election
in 1929 and was also the candidate in that seat at the 1929 general election
. He did enter Parliament for Wrexham
at the 1931 general election
as a Liberal in support of the National Government of Ramsay Macdonald
and with the agreement of the local Conservatives. He later left the government side to go into opposition with the Liberal group led by Sir Herbert Samuel
but his position in Wrexham depended on Tory support and his local party tried to steer him in the direction of the Liberal Nationals. Although he had no Tory opponent at the 1935 general election
the Chairman of the local Conservative Association apparently urged his supporters to abstain rather than vote for Roberts, who stood as a Liberal rather than Liberal National and the seat went Labour
by a majority of over 5,000 votes. He was elected to Liverpool City Council in 1936 and served until the time of his death. He was also a member of the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board, Chairman of the Licensing Committee and a Justice of the Peace
.
in 1943. In 1945, while he was still deputy leader of the Liberal group on Liverpool City Council he joined the Conservatives. He was selected to stand as Tory candidate for Liverpool, Kirkdale
at the 1945 general election
but lost to Labour.
, was a keen supporter of the Eisteddfod and a member of the Council of the Liverpool Welsh National Society.
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...
, later Liberal National
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
and finally Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician, soldier and businessman.
Family and Education
Roberts was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
the eldest son of Robert Roberts, of that city. He was educated at Liverpool College. He married Ione Ruth Irwin from Stone, Staffordshire
Stone, Staffordshire
Stone is an old market town in Staffordshire, England, situated about seven miles north of Stafford, and around seven miles south of the city of Stoke-on-Trent. It is the second town, after Stafford itself, in the Borough of Stafford, and has long been of importance from the point of view of...
. They had two sons. Mrs Roberts died in 1940.
Soldier
During the First World War, Roberts served in the army. He achieved the rank of Captain in the Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
in 1915 and served abroad from 1916 to 1919. During the Second World War, Roberts served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Home Guard after 1941.
Business
Roberts was a prominent figure in the business life of Liverpool. His main interests were in insurance. He was an insurance broker in his own firm, Aled O Roberts & Co. and an underwriter. He was a director in the firms of Morris & Jones Ltd, Provincial Insurance Co. Ltd, Monument Insurance Co Ltd and the Clarence Building SocietyBuilding society
A building society is a financial institution owned by its members as a mutual organization. Building societies offer banking and related financial services, especially mortgage lending. These institutions are found in the United Kingdom and several other countries.The term "building society"...
.
Politics
In politics, Roberts started life as a Liberal. He unsuccessfully contested Liverpool East ToxtethLiverpool East Toxteth (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool East Toxteth was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 1929 and was also the candidate in that seat at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. He did enter Parliament for Wrexham
Wrexham (UK Parliament constituency)
Wrexham is a parliamentary constituency in North Wales which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
as a Liberal in support of the National Government of Ramsay Macdonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
and with the agreement of the local Conservatives. He later left the government side to go into opposition with the Liberal group led by Sir Herbert Samuel
Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
but his position in Wrexham depended on Tory support and his local party tried to steer him in the direction of the Liberal Nationals. Although he had no Tory opponent at the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
the Chairman of the local Conservative Association apparently urged his supporters to abstain rather than vote for Roberts, who stood as a Liberal rather than Liberal National and the seat went Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
by a majority of over 5,000 votes. He was elected to Liverpool City Council in 1936 and served until the time of his death. He was also a member of the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board, Chairman of the Licensing Committee and a Justice of the Peace
Justice 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...
.
Liberal National and Conservative
Although he had failed to join the Liberal Nationals when it might have helped him hold his Wrexham seat before 1935, he did join later and in 1943 tried to secure the nomination to be the Liberal National candidate for the by-election at EddisburyEddisbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Eddisbury is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in 1943. In 1945, while he was still deputy leader of the Liberal group on Liverpool City Council he joined the Conservatives. He was selected to stand as Tory candidate for Liverpool, Kirkdale
Liverpool Kirkdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Kirkdale was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom covering Kirkdale, Liverpool. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
at the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
but lost to Labour.
Welsh heritage
Although he was born in Liverpool, Roberts always regarded himself as Welsh, as his army and political connections demonstrated. He managed Fire, Pensions and other insurance for the Presbyterian Church of WalesPresbyterian Church of Wales
The Presbyterian Church of Wales , also known as The Calvinistic Methodist Church , is a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It was born out of the Welsh Methodist revival and the preaching of Hywel Harris Howell Harris in the 18th century and seceded from the Church of England in 1811...
, was a keen supporter of the Eisteddfod and a member of the Council of the Liverpool Welsh National Society.