First Cabinet meeting of British Government outside London held in Inverness in 1921
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AN emergency meeting of British Cabinet Ministers was convened at Inverness Town House on September 7 as the future of British-Irish relations hung in the balance.
Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, was on holiday at Gairloch when he learned that Ireland had rejected the King and Empire. Eamon de Valera, the leader of Sinn Fein, had announced an "irrevocable rejection" of the UK Government's peace offer, implying that only full independence for Ireland would satisfy Sinn Fein's demands.
Rather than travel back to London, as his deputy was at Beaufort and King George V was on a grouse shooting holiday at Moy, the Prime Minister decided to call a meeting in Inverness – the first time one had ever been held outside Downing Street or Chequers.
Large crowds gathered in a bid to catch a glimpse of the Ministers arriving for the meeting which took place in the council chamber starting at 11am.
"The behaviour of the crowds was unexceptionable," the Courier reported. "It was too great an occasion for noisiness or rough play.
"People who were about before the breakfast hour had the opportunity of seeing Mr Lloyd George on his motor-run from Brahan Castle to Moy Hall.
"It was a lovely morning and the Premier, who was accompanied by Sir Edward Grigg, secretary, greatly enjoyed the journey to Moy Hall where he had breakfast with his Majesty the King and the distinguished part of guests of the Mackintosh and Mrs Mackintosh of Mackintosh.
"His Majesty and the Prime Minister were together afterwards for two hours or longer, discussing great affairs of state and no doubt, the future of Ireland."
The ensuing debate that day led to the drawing up of the Inverness Formula which guided later discussions on the treaty creating the Irish Free State.
