Walter Roch

Walter Francis Roch (20 January 1880 – 3 March 1965), sometime MP (Lib.) for Pembrokeshire from 1908 to 1918 was a Welsh politician and landowner, whose political career ended when he continued to support H.H. Asquith over David Lloyd George.

Walter Roch

Background

Roch was born the second son of William Francis Roch, J.P., of Butter Hill, Pembrokeshire (who died in 1889) and his wife Emily Catherine Powell (she died in 1938), the second daughter of a Welsh Liberal politician Walter R.H. Powell, of Maesgwynne, Llanboidy, Carmarthenshire, MP (Lib.) for Carmarthenshire, 1880–85, and West Carmarthenshire, 1885–89. He was educated at Twyford and Harrow Schools. He married Hon. Fflorens Mary Ursula Herbert (1879-1969), on 20 April 1911.[1] Fflorens was a published author[2] and Chief Commissioner for Girl Guides in Wales.[3] Roch was also a barrister at the Middle Temple from 1913.[4]

1908 Pembrokeshire by-election

The Pembrokeshire by-election was held on 16 July 1908. The by-election was held due to the elevation to the peerage of the incumbent Liberal MP, John Wynford Philipps. Roch was selected as the Liberal candidate. During the campaign he had the active support of the MPs W. Llewelyn Williams and W. Jones of the United Kingdom Alliance and the Free Trade League respectively. The Miners' Federation of Great Britain also strongly supported Roch. His opponent, John Lort-Williams, the Conservative candidate, was supported by emissaries from the Tariff Reform League and the National Trade Defence Association.[5] The Women's Social and Political Union, led by Emmeline Pankhurst came to Pembrokeshire to campaign against Roch,[5] not because they disliked him, or supported Lort-Williams, but because H.H. Asquith, the Liberal Prime Minister, opposed the enfranchisement of women.[6] In fact, Roch was a supporter of Votes for Women. Roch comfortably held the seat.

Result
1908 Pembrokeshire by-election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Walter Roch 5,465 62.4 -6.9
Conservative John Lort-Williams 3,293 37.6 +6.9
Majority 2,172 24.8 -13.8
Turnout 8,758 77.3 +2.3
Liberal hold Swing -6.9

Roch successfully contested the seat in Pembrokeshire until 1918.[8]

Later electoral record
General election January 1910: Pembrokeshire[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Walter Roch 6,135 65.1 +2.7
Conservative Edward Marlay Samson 3,291 34.9 -2.7
Majority 2,844 30.2 +5.4
Turnout 9,426 80.2 +2.9
Registered electors 11,750
Liberal hold Swing +2.7
General election December 1910: Pembrokeshire[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Walter Roch 5,682 65.5 +0.4
Conservative Edward Marlay Samson 2,989 34.5 −0.4
Majority 2,693 31.0 +0.8
Turnout 8,671 73.8 −6.4
Registered electors 11,750
Liberal hold Swing +0.4

Roch was appointed to the Dardanelles Commission in 1916. He was the author of Mr. Lloyd George and the War (1920). In 1934 he was appointed JP for Monmouthshire. He and his wife spent the last twenty-five years of his life on their estates.

References
  1. "Forthcoming Marriage". South Wales Gazette. Newport, Wales. 31 March 1911. p. 5.
  2. "Sands & Co". Westminster Gazette. London, UK. 31 May 1913. p. 5.
  3. "V.A.D. Revival". Brecon County Times. Brecon, Wales. 30 October 1924. p. 2.
  4. The source for most of this information is Walter Roch's mini-biography by Dr John Graham Jones. . Retrieved 10 August 2007
  5. "PEMBROKE VACANCY". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 4 July 1908. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Use your vote: the Suffragette movement in Pembrokeshire remembered, Western Telegraph, by Joanna Sayers, 10 April 2015
  7. British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  8. Dr Jones, Ibid. . Retrieved 10 August 2007
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