1894 Carmarthen Rural District Council election

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The first election to the Carmarthen Rural District Council in Carmarthenshire, Wales was held in December 1894. [1] It was followed by the 1898 election. The successful candidates were also elected to the Carmarthen Board of Guardians. In rural parishes, many councillors were returned unopposed. [2]

Contents

The rural district included the parishes of Abergwili, Abernant, Cynwyl Elfed, Laugharne, Llanarthney, Llanddarog, Llandyfaelog, Llanddowror, Llanfihangel Abercowyn, Llangain, Llangyndeyrn, Llangynog (with Llandeilo Abercywyn), Llangynin, Llangunnor, Llanllawddog, Llanpumsaint, Llansteffan, Llanwinio, Merthyr, Meidrym, Newchurch, St Clears, St Ishmaels, and Trelech a'r Betws.

Outcome

The majority of those elected to the first Rural District Council were farmers. Women were eligible to stand in contests for district councils, and in St Ishmaels, Elizabeth Mary Gwyn was successful by a small majority. Political affiliations were generally not declared during the election.

Due to "a curious blunder" no councillor was elected to represent the Llandawke and Llansadurnen ward. [3]

The 1894-98 Council

The first meeting of the authority took place at the Shire Hall, Carmarthen on 29 December 1894. A vote was taken to elect a chairman, and John Phillips of Caerlleon, Llanwinio defeated David E. Stephens by sixteen votes to ten. [3] Phillips was a prominent Liberal who was also a member of Carmarthenshire County Council. [4] Stephens, in contrast, had stood unsuccessfully in county elections at Llangunnor in 1889 and Cynwyl Elfed in 1892.

Ward results

Abergwili (two seats)

Abergwili 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Griffiths 195
Independent David Davies 146
Independent David Harries Davies122
Independent E.H. Francis111
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Abernant (one seat)

Abernant 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David BowenUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Conwil (two seats)

Conwil 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David GriffithsUnopposed
Independent David ThomasUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Laugharne Parish (one seat)

Laugharne Parish 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Rees JohnUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Laugharne Township (one seat)

Morse withdrew too late to avoid a poll. [1]

Laugharne Township 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent William Thomas 120
Independent John D. Morse8
Independent win (new seat)

Llanarthney (two seats)

Llanarthney 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Stephen StephensUnopposed
Independent William ThomasUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Llandawke and Llansadurnen (one seat)

No nominations were received. [3]

Llanddarog (one seat)

Llanddarog 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John DaviesUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llandeilo Abercowyn and Llangynog (one seat)

Llandeilo Abercowyn and Llangynog 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David HarriesUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llanddowror (one seat)

Llanddowror 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Rev Thomas JonesUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llandyfaelog (one seat)

It was reported that the contest had been instigated after Rees defeated the local Independent minister, Evan Powell, at a parish meeting. [1]

Llandyfaelog 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Thomas Rees 127
Independent John Jones 49
Independent hold Swing

Llanfihangel Abercowin (one seat)

Llanfihangel Abercowin 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David Thomas 65
Independent David Walters48
Independent win (new seat)

Llangain (one seat)

Llangain 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Lloyd ThomasUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llangendeirne (two seats)

Llangendeirne 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent William ThomasUnopposed
Independent Thomas WilliamsUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Llangunnor (one seat)

Llangunnor 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David ProsserUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llangynin (one seat)

Llangynin 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Roger Davies
Independent John Thomas Williams
Independent win (new seat)

Llanllawddog (one seat)

Llanllawddog 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Evan DanielUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llanpumsaint (one seat)

Llanpumsaint 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David Evans 87
Independent Henry Harries
Independent John Richards
Independent win (new seat)

Llanstephan (one seat)

Llanstephan 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Griffith Barrett EvansUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Llanwinio (one seat)

Llanwinio 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John PhillipsUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Merthyr (one seat)

Merthyr 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David EvansUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Mydrim (one seat)

Mydrim 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Howell DaviesUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

Newchurch (one seat)

Newchurch 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David Evan StephensUnopposed
Independent win (new seat)

St Clears (one seat)

St Clears 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Philip Thomas 114
Independent Thomas Beynon55
Independent win (new seat)

St Ishmaels (one seat)

St Ishmaels 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Elizabeth Mary Gwyn 98
Independent William Thomas95
Independent win (new seat)

Carmarthen Board of Guardians

All members of the District Council also served as members of Carmarthen Board of Guardians. In addition, six members were elected to represent the borough of Carmarthen. [1] Edith Hancock was a member of a prominent Carmarthen family, being the daughter of David Archard Williams, incumbent of St David's Church for 37 years until his death in 1879

Carmarthen (six seats)

Carmarthen 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Edith Mary Hancock 892
Independent Jonah Davies 752
Independent Jonathan Phillips 705
Independent Isobel Gertrude Anne Thomas 692
Independent William Thomas 596
Independent Thomas Thomas 550
Independent Edward Lewis550
Independent John Patagonia Lewis509
Independent D. Parcell Rees489
Independent James Phillips396
Independent John Lewis371
Independent Walter Jenkin Evans 274
Independent Andrew Fuller-Mills269
Independent John Jeremy135
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Contested Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 21 December 1894. p. 8. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  2. "Parish and District Councils. Further Lists of Nominations". South Wales Daily News. 10 December 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Carmarthen Rural District Council". Welshman. 4 January 1895. p. 8. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  4. "Mr John Phillips, Caerlleon". Carmarthen Weekly Reporter. 28 March 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 30 June 2019.