Lewis Valentine

Lewis Edward Valentine M.A. (1 June 1893 – 1 March 1986) was a Welsh politician, Baptist pastor, author, editor, and Welsh-language activist. He was the first leader of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru.

Early life Valentine was born in Llanddulas, Conwy, the son of Samuel Valentine, a limestone quarryman, and his wife Mary. He began studying to go into the ministry of the Baptist church at the University College of North Wales, Bangor but his studies were curtailed due to the First World War.

Founding Plaid Cymru His experiences in World War I, and his sympathy for the cause of Irish independence, brought him to Welsh nationalism, and in 1925 he met with Saunders Lewis, H. R. Jones, and others at a 1925 National Eisteddfod meeting, held in Pwllheli, Gwynedd, with the aim of establishing a Welsh party.

Discussions for the need of a "Welsh party" had been circulating since the 19th century. With the generation or so before 1922 there "had been a marked growth in the constitutional recognition of the Welsh nation," wrote historian Dr. John Davies. By 1924 there were people in Wales "eager to make their nationality the focus of Welsh politics". To this end it was agreed that party business be conducted in Welsh, and that members sever all links with other British parties. This was a decrease from the 1891 census with 54.4% speaking Welsh out of a population of 1.5 million.

With these prerequisites Lewis condemned "'Welsh nationalism' as it had hitherto existed, a nationalism characterized by inter-party conferences, an obsession with Westminster and a willingness to accept a subservient position for the Welsh language," wrote Dr. Davies.

Tân yn Llŷn 1936

Welsh nationalism was ignited in 1936 when the UK government settled on establishing a Royal Air Force training camp at Penyberth on the Llŷn peninsula in Gwynedd. The events surrounding the protest, known as Tân yn Llŷn (Fire in Llŷn), helped define Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru. The UK government settled on Llŷn as the site for its new bombing school after similar locations Northumberland and Dorset were met with protests.

However, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin refused to hear the case against building the "bombing school" in Wales, despite a deputation representing half a million Welsh protesters. along with opposition towards the UK government's decision to involve Wales in the conflict.

Lewis and other party members were attempting to strengthen loyalty to the Welsh nation "over the loyalty to the British State." Lewis argued "The only proof that the Welsh nation exists is that there are some who act as if it did exist."

However, most party members who claimed conscientious objection status did so in the context of their moral and religious beliefs, rather than on political policy. Of these almost all were exempt from military service. About 24 party members made politics their sole grounds for exemption, of which twelve received prison sentences. For Lewis, those who objected proved that the assimilation of Wales was "being withstood, even under the most extreme pressures".

Pastor, author, and editor

As a pastor he served church in north Wales and edited the Baptist quarterly magazine, Seren Gomer, from 1951 to 1975. He also wrote of his experience in the war in Dyddiadur milwr (=A soldier's diary), 1988.

Valentine is also famed as the writer of the hymn Gweddi dros Gymru ("A prayer for Wales"), usually sung to the tune of Jean Sibelius's Finlandia Hymn. This is considered by some to be the second Welsh national anthem, and has been recorded and widely performed by Dafydd Iwan.

Whilst he was Baptist pastor at Llandudno, he translated a selection of Psalms called Detholiad o'r Salmau, which was published by Gwasg Ilston in 1936.