Constituency : Cardiganshire 1895-1921
Matthew took over at Cardiganshire on the retirement of William Rowlands. He won by over a thousand votes.
Matthew was born in the county and educated at Harrow. He was a substantial landowner. He was the Conservative candidate in 1885 and was a Tory stalwart until he married Mary Jenkins, a staunch advocate of female suffrage, in 1889. He was elected to Cardiganshire County Council as a Liberal in 1892. When Rowlands made noises about retiring, Matthew made noises about succeeding him. He faced opposition from some local Librals who doubted his commitment to the cause and looked askance at his poor relations with his tenants. However he triumphed at a selection conference; according to Kenneth Morgan , because he represented rural interests rather than the Aberystwyth middle classes. The Cambrian News , based in the town described his selection as "a more complete defeat of Liberalism than if Mr Harford , the Conservative candidate , had been placed at the head of the poll".
Matthew was unopposed in December 1910. His local Liberal association was however in decline partly because of continued bad blood with the town faction.
Matthew was returned unopposed as a Lloyd George supporter in 1918. After that election he was the oldest member in the House.
Matthew made some contribution to debates on Welsh land issues but otherwise rarely spoke in the House. It was perhaps just as well as he was known for using rather ungentlemanly language. Nevertheless he was regarded by the whips as a loyal and conscientious member who would leave his sickbed for important divisions.
In 1921 Matthew was elevated to the peerage as Baron Ystwyth. He had long been hankering for a peerage and Lloyd George finally gave him one in order to get his private secretary, Ernest Evans into Parliament.
Matthew had a reputation as a philanderer.
Matthew founded the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show.
He died in 1935 aged 94.
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