Career
He stepped down from Parliament at the 1922 general election, and did not stand again. Matthews was a strong supporter of the premiership of David Lloyd George and regarded himself as something of a Welsh nationalist. In 1920 he was one of a group of s who called on the prime minister to create the post of Secretary of State for Wales but Lloyd George apparently urged them to fight for greater devolution instead.
However, in February 1921 Matthews attempted to introduce a Bill to institute the post of Welsh Secretary but without success.
He was a prominent nonconformist in the area and popular with chapel-goers. In 1924 the Freedom of Swansea was bestowed on him, by which time he was an Alderman of Swansea Council.
In business, Matthews was a merchant, a director of the South Wales Fuel Company Limited. and owner of the Park Tinplate Company Limited.