Labour Party members and friends gathered to listen to one of Pembrokeshire's most famous 'sons' last Saturday morning, when Lord Gordon Parry addressed them at their usual monthly meeting in Tenby's St. Teilo's Church Hall.
After a short business meeting, which Lord Parry sat through, he began his opening remarks by saying that he had got into the habit, when addressing meetings, of estimating how many people were in his audience. He noted that, as they were that morning at least double the number of Jesus's apostles, and they had changed the world...
In a lively and often very amusing address, Lord Parry relived some of the historic moments of his own career, that of the Labour Party as a movement, and of Saundersfoot and Tenby's involvement in the political struggles of the past.
He spoke intimately of his relationships with the 'giants' of Labour's past, like Aneurin Bevan, D. Donelly, the first - and youngest Labour MP for this area - and Harold Wilson, all of whom he shared platforms with.
To listen to Lord Parry is to hear a living history and his quick and self-deprecatory sense of humour enlivened the anecdotes he told so well.
Members present at the meeting remembered well some of the characters and incidents Lord Parry described. His visit, postponed from last year because of the ill-health of his late wife, was worth waiting for.
At the Party's next meeting on Saturday, June 19, MP Nick Ainger will address the members. It is hoped, too, that AM Christine Gwyther will be present to aid the discussion of the Richards Commission Report on the Welsh Assembly Government.