1961 Cardiganshire County Council election

The twenty-second election to Cardiganshire County Council took place in April 1961. It was preceded by the 1958 election and followed by the 1964 election.

Candidates

46 candidates were returned unopposed resulting in only four contests, a record low. ^[1]

Outcome

The only surprise in the four contests was at Llandysul, where retiring member Edward Lewis, owner of the Gomer Press, was defeated after eighteen years. ^[2]

Results

Aberaeron

Aberaeron 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan John Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent	Phyllis Warden Sewell	163
Majority			418
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberbanc

Aberbanc 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dr Stanley George Budd*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberporth

Aberporth 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David M.H. Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 1

Aberystwyth Division 1 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John John+	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 2

Aberystwyth Division 2 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mrs T.M. Hoskins*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 3

Aberystwyth Division 3 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ryland Kenneth Clues*	386
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 4

Aberystwyth Division 4 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Richard Rowlands*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 5

Aberystwyth Division 5 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Richard Jenkin Ellis*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 6

Aberystwyth Division 6 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwendolen Eluned Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aeron

Aeron 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan Glyn Davies+	405
	Independent	Evan Hughes*	249
Majority			156
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

Borth

Borth 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W. Jones Morris	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Bow Street

Bow Street 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Bodin Trevor Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cardigan North

Cardigan North 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Arthur Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cardigan South

Cardigan South 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Lewis	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilcennin

Cilcennin 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	L.E. Jones	298
	Independent	William Jenkin Jones*	238
Majority			60
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

Cwmrheidol

Cwmrheidol 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Geraint Wyn Howells*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Devil's Bridge

Devil's Bridge 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ivor Charles Williams	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Felinfach

Felinfach 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Goginan

Goginan 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Isaac Richard Lewis*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Lampeter Borough

Lampeter Borough 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev T. Oswald Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarth

Llanarth 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev. Edwin Pryce Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanbadarn Fawr

Llanbadarn Fawr 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Percy Ewart Davies	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanddewi Brefi

Llanddewi Brefi 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Morgan Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandygwydd

Llandygwydd 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Melbourne Evan Griffiths*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandysul North

Llandysul North 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Griffith Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandysul South

Llandysul South 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Leighton Davies	485
	Independent	Edward Lewis*	456
Majority			29
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

Llansysiliogogo

Llandysiliogogo 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ben Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfair Clydogau

Llanfair Clydogau 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Daniel Owen Morgan*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfarian

Llanfarian 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Zadrach Jones+	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Howell Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangoedmor

Llangoedmor 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangeitho

Llangeitho 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Lloyd*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangrannog

Llangrannog 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Griffiths*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanilar

Llanilar 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Charles Morgan*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanrhystyd

Llanrhystyd 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Idwal James*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanllwchaiarn

Llanllwchaiarn 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev Thomas Pugh Jarman*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llansantffraed

Llansantffraed 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	G.T. Davies*	354
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwnen

Llanwnen 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Grey Hughes*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwenog

Llanwenog 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Donald Gwarnant Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Lledrod

Lledrod 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John David Herbert*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Nantcwnlle

Nantcwnlle 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	R.O. Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

New Quay

New Quay 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Owen Williams*	Unopposed

Penbryn

Penbryn 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Morgan Lloyd Jenkins*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Strata Florida

Strata Florida 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.H.R. Llewellyn	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Taliesin

Taliesin 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwilym Caradog Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Talybont

Talybont 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Isaac Richard Jenkins*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trefeurig

Trefeurig 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Jenkin Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Tregaron

Tregaron 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Lewis	417
	Independent	Windsor Jenkins	273
Majority			144
	Independent hold		Swing

Troedyraur

Troedyraur 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Hywel Heulyn Roberts*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Ysbyty Ystwyth

Ysbyty Ystwyth 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Caradog Edwards*	188
	Independent	John Jones	157
Majority			31
	Independent hold		Swing

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 50 councillors the council consisted of 16 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1961election, there were eight aldermanic vacancies which were filled at the annual meeting. ^[3]

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

• Evan Davies, Llechryd
• W.Z. Jones, Llanfarian
• Meredydd Ll.G. Williams, Llanwenog

In addition, the following four new aldermen were elected:

• Mrs G.E. Jones, Aberystwyth
• D.H. Jones, Capel Seion
• E.J. Thomas, Aberaeron
• W. Morgan Davies, Llanddewi Brefi
• Morgan Lloyd Jenkins, Brynhoffnant

John John, Aberystwyth, the sole Labour member of the authority, and Evan Glyn Davies, Aberarth, were not re-elected aldermen.

By-elections

Six by-elections were called following the election of aldermen. ^[4] Five of the wards were contested in elections held on 3 June. ^[5] At Llanfarian, the former councillor who had stood down in favour of Alderman W.Z. Jones was returned unopposed. There were no vacancies in the other two wards due to the incumbents being life aldermen.

Aberaeron by-election

Aberaeron by-election 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Glyn Griffiths Herbert	537
	Independent	John Jordan Jones	198
	Independent	Phyllis W. Sewell	67
Majority			339
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 6 by-election

Aberystwyth Division 6 by-election 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Griffith Davies	357
	Independent	Graham B.J. Hughes	198
Majority			159
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanddewi Brefi by-election

Llanddewi Brefi by-election 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Charles Emlyn Jones	226
	Independent	Edward Jenkin Davies	185
	Independent	Daniel James Jones	32
Majority			41
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfarian by-election

Llanfarian by-election 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.D.H. Matthews*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn by-election

Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn by-election 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev John Harold Rees	319
	Independent	Richard Evan Richards	204
Majority			115
	Independent hold		Swing

Penbryn by-election

Penbryn by-election 1961

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Owen James Davies	437
	Independent	Nellie Eirwen Evans	158
Majority			279
	Independent hold		Swing

References

1. "County Council Election. Only 4 Contests". Welsh Gazette. 30 March 1961. p. 7. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
2. "Chairman-Elect Defeated in Poll. Loses Seat After 18 Years". Welsh Gazette. 20 April 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
3. "Ald. M. Ll. G. Williams is County Chairman for Second Time". Welsh Gazette. 4 May 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
4. "County Council By-Elections". Welsh Gazette. 25 May 1961. p. 6. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
5. "County Council By-Election Results". Welsh Gazette. 8 June 1961. p. 2. Retrieved 7 October 2025.