Lloyd George's Daughter As Travelling Companion, Published 25 May 1956 EN
ROUTE TO IRELAND (Delayed) The little lady In blue assured us that the
two seats in her compartment were empty. My wife and I sat down. I gave
this woman a second look because of something about her face. "Do you know," I blurted out, "that you look like pictures of Megan Lloyd George!" Startled, she replied: "I am she". Famous Daughter Judge,
then, my surprise and subsequently my delight, that our travelling
companion on the way to the Irish ship at Holyhead was none other than
the famous daughter of Prime Minister Lloyd George. So when she uttered
the inevitable phrase "My father used to say ..." she was not like most
daughters, referring to some obscure dad, but none other than World War
I British Premier Lloyd George. Just after leaving Chester, she exclaimed almost in triumph after a train rumble: "Now we are In Wales". Our train had rushed across some river, and here we were in a world of singers and long-syllabled towns. This was the land of castles and high mountains and musical people. And all the time, we had the charming and well informed guide in Hon. Megan Lloyd George. She was heading for Criccieth, her home town. "I have the Gulf Stream in front of my house," she boasted, "and I can grow mimosa and camellias." So the trip moved on entrancingly. The ocean was out the window, as we roared along, never out of sight of the Irish Sea, and down toward Anglesey, our debarkation port. Miss Lloyd-George pointed out Snowdon, mightiest peak in Wales and tallest mountain in Britain. She made me crane my neck to get the best view of a seaside castle. So help me, the train went through one part of the castle. It was strange to see mediaeval castle and modern train rubbing shoulders. Lloyd George's daughter suddenly switched to fluent Welsh as she addressed the porter when she got off, and incredibly the porter nodded understanding. Our brief visit was a pleasant interlude. Then Holyhead at the tip of England - pardon, Wales - and the Irish boat. A bottle of Guiness soon put me to sleep. |