TORY PEER’S DIARIES GO TO ARCHIVES Volumes offer insight on Welsh political affairs over 25 years
ACOLLECTION of papers comprising the diaries of a leading Conservative politician have been donated to the Welsh Political Archive at the National Library of Wales.
The 18 volumes span the period 1970-1995 when Lord Roberts of Conwy (Wyn Roberts) was at the Welsh Office and an opposition front bench spokesman on Welsh Affairs.
As well as thoughts on the events of the day, they contain letters between Lord Roberts and figures such as Lady Thatcher, Sir John Major and Sir Edward Heath.
The diaries refer to a wide range of topics including General Elections, the resignation of Lady Thatcher and the Falklands War although much of the subject matter is related to Welsh affairs.
These include some of the key developments of the 1980s and early 1990s such as the establishment of S4C, the teaching of Welsh in schools and the Welsh Language Act.
Rob Phillips, assistant archivist of the Welsh Political Archive at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, said: “This is a fascinating collection which gives an insight into many of the key debates in Welsh and British politics during the 1970s and throughout the Thatcheratcher and Major years.
“It gives Lord Roberts’ts’ personal perspective e on some of the key events, and traces the political manoeuvrings both within the government and with politicians of other parties to get many of the e key measures through.
“We’re expecting a lot of interest in the collection.”
The Welsh Political Archive was set up in 1983 to co-ordinate the collection of documentary evidence of all kinds about politics in Wales.
It collects the records and papers of political parties, politicians, quasi-political organisations, campaigns and pressure groups; leaflets, pamphlets, ephemera, posters, photographs, and tapes of radio and television programmes.
Ieuan Wyn Pritchard Roberts (pictured inset) was MP for Conwy from 1970 to 1997.
He was parliamentary private secretary to the Welsh Secretary from 1970 to 1974 and opposition front bench spokesman for Wales alongside Nicholas Edwards between 1974 and 1979.
He served in the Welsh Office as parliamentary under-secretary and Minister of State between 1979 and 1995 when he returned to the backbenches. He was knighted for political service in 1990.
His father was a minister in a chapel in Llansadwrn near Beaumaris and they lived in the schoolhouse. Prior to his election he enjoyed a career in broadcasting with both TWW and HTV. After his retirement from the House ofo Commons in 1997 he wasw elevated as a life pee peer with the title of Ba Baron Roberts of Conwy an and served as an oppos sition spokesman on Wales in the House of Lords until 2007.
He died in December 20 2013, at his home in Row Rowen near Conwy.