This is the former Grammar
School in
Cwlach Street,
Llandudno (built in 1837 as a Welsh Chapel).
The school was run by Dr
George
Roberts and one of his pupils was William Morris Hughes born in London
on 25th
September 1862 of Welsh parents. His father was a deacon of the Welsh
Baptist Church in London and worked as a carpenter at
The House of
Lords at Westminster.
Following the death of his
mother, Billy
Hughes lived with his aunt at 16 Abbey Road, Llandudno from 1868 until
he returned to London and worked as a student teacher at St. Stephen's
School
Westminster
before emigrating in 1884 to Australia where he became a prominent
trade union
organizer. He was elected to the New
South Wales Parliament in 1894 and was a strong supporter of
federalism. He was elected to the first National
parliament in 1901 as Labour MP for West Sydney.
Hughes was the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament, and one of the most colourful figures in Australian political history. Over the course of his 51-year federal parliamentary career, Hughes represented four different electorates and was expelled from three different political parties. In 1915 Hughes became the seventh Prime Minister of Australia and in 1916 returned to
England as a member of Lloyd
George’s
War
Cabinet. He found time for a quick
visit to his old home and school in Llandudno where he was given a
Civic Reception. Later, in 1921, he stayed
with his wife for
a few days at St George’s Hotel in Llandudno before going on to
Caernarfon to
unveil this statue of Lloyd George in the Castle Square, Caernarfon:
He remained active in Australian Politics until his death on 28th October 1952. He was given a State Funeral in Australia.
Billy Hughes was commemorated on an Australian postage stamp in 1972.
HOME - Llandudno the Queen of North Wales Resorts
Following the death of his
mother, Billy
Hughes lived with his aunt at 16 Abbey Road, Llandudno from 1868 until
he returned to London and worked as a student teacher at St. Stephen's
School
Westminster
before emigrating in 1884 to Australia where he became a prominent
trade union
organizer. He was elected to the New
South Wales Parliament in 1894 and was a strong supporter of
federalism. He was elected to the first National
parliament in 1901 as Labour MP for West Sydney. Hughes was the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament, and one of the most colourful figures in Australian political history. Over the course of his 51-year federal parliamentary career, Hughes represented four different electorates and was expelled from three different political parties. In 1915 Hughes became the seventh Prime Minister of Australia and in 1916 returned to
England as a member of Lloyd
George’s
War
Cabinet. He found time for a quick
visit to his old home and school in Llandudno where he was given a
Civic Reception. Later, in 1921, he stayed
with his wife for
a few days at St George’s Hotel in Llandudno before going on to
Caernarfon to
unveil this statue of Lloyd George in the Castle Square, Caernarfon:He remained active in Australian Politics until his death on 28th October 1952. He was given a State Funeral in Australia.
Billy Hughes was commemorated on an Australian postage stamp in 1972.
HOME - Llandudno the Queen of North Wales Resorts
Last updated December 2008