Aberdare Town (electoral ward)

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Aberdare Town was, for much of the twentieth century, an electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. It currently comprises two electoral wards, Aberdare East and Aberdare West/Llwydcoed, for the purposes of electing members to the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Aberdare East is composed mainly of a part of Aberdare itself while Aberdare West includes the community of Llwydcoed which, for many years was itself as electoral ward.

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Aberdare Town first became an electoral ward in the late nineteenth century with the formation of Glamorgan County Council. Aberdare Town was also one of the five electoral wards of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894. The other wards were Aberaman, Blaengwawr, Gadlys and Llwydcoed.

History 1889-1914

Glamorgan County Council 1889-1914

In 1889, David Price Davies became the first Liberal member for Aberdare Town.

Aberdare Town 1889
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal David Price Daviesunopposed
Majority

Davies was returned unopposed again in 1892.

Aberdare Town 1892
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal David Price Davies*unopposed
Liberal hold Swing

Following David Price Davies's elevation to the aldermanic bench in 1892, the by-election was said to have created an intense amount of enthusiasm and more excitement than has been known to an election in this parish for many years.

Aberdare Town by-election 1892
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Thomas702
Liberal Griffith George 512
Liberal hold Swing

In 1895, Thomas Thomas was defeated by John William Evans.

Aberdare Town 1895
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John William Evans* 586
Liberal Thomas Thomas*376
Majority210
Liberal hold Swing

In 1898, David Price Davies's term as alderman came to an end but Evans declined to stand down in his favour, as was the convention when there were two sitting members of a similar political persuasion. Davies consequently withdrew, resulting in the loss of his aldermanic seat.

Aberdare Town 1898
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John William Evans* unopposed
Liberal hold Swing

Evans was made an alderman after the election, possible to facilitate Davies's re-election. At the resulting by-election, Thomas Thomas, the former member, was initially nominated but withdrew allowing Davies to be returned unopposed. However, Davies had now lost his primacy as the senior representative.

Aberdare Town by-election 1898
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal David Price Davies*unopposed
Liberal hold Swing

In 1901, Davies was defeated by David Hughes. [1]

Aberdare Town 1901
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal David Hughes709
Liberal David Price Davies*488
Liberal hold Swing

Hughes stood aside in 1904 at the end of J.W. Evans's aldermanic term. [2]

Aberdare Town 1904
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John William Evans**unopposed
Liberal hold Swing

Hughes was returned at the by-election.

Hughes narrowly held the seat in 1907, having been opposed by Edward Morgan, a leading member of the district council. [3]

Aberdare Town 1907
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal David Hughes*677
Liberal Edward Morgan632
Majority45
Liberal hold Swing

Aberdare Urban District Council

Aberdare (Town) was also an electoral ward of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894.

Town Ward 1894
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Edward Morgan837
David Williams639
Thomas Thomas618
David Davies493
Joseph Price474

Thomas Thomas, the sitting member and a former county councillor was said to have been removed as candidate by the Liberal and Labour Association in favour of Lewis Noah Williams, a prominent local businessman and son of William Williams (Carw Coch). [4] John William Evans, who had ousted Thomas from the seat at the 1895 election was also nominated but also withdrew before the poll. [5]

Town Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Lewis Noah Williams unopposed

In 1974 the authority was abolished, and together with the former urban district of Mountain Ash and some outlying areas, formed the Cynon Valley Borough Council which, in turn, was subsumed into the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf in 1996.[ citation needed ]

21st century

Aberdare is currently made up of two wards, Aberdare East and Aberdare West/Llwydcoed, for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections. Since 1995 it has been represented by Labour councillors.

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Aberdare Urban District

Aberdare Urban District Council was a local authority in Aberdare, Wales. It was created in 1894 as a result of the 1894 Local Government of England and Wales Act and the 1894 Aberdare Urban District Council election saw the election of the first members of the authority. The Council existed until 1973 and replaced the Aberdare Local Board of Health which had functioned since the 1840s. Its boundaries were identical to those of the original parish of Aberdare. Initially, the Council had fifteen members but this was increased to twenty in 1906, as a result of the increase in population. There were five wards, namely Aberaman, Blaengwawr, Gadlys, Llwydcoed, and the Town Ward.

The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare. Its responsibilities included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.

The first election to the Glamorgan County Council were held on 17 January 1889. Results were announced over several days. They were followed by the 1892 election. The authority, by far the largest county in Wales in terms of population, was established by the 1888 Local Government Act. The county of Glamorgan was at this time becoming heavily industrialised although some areas such as the Vale of Glamorgan remained essentially rural.

The third election to Glamorgan County Council election was held on 4 March 1895. It was preceded by the 1892 election and followed by the 1898 election.

The Glamorgan County Council election, 1898 was the fourth contest for seats on this authority. It was preceded by the 1895 election and followed by the 1901 election. Glamorgan was by far the largest county in Wales in terms of population. Glamorgan County Council had been established by the 1888 Local Government Act, and the first elections held in early 1889. The county of Glamorgan was at this time becoming heavily industrialised, although some areas such as the Vale of Glamorgan remained essentially rural. The rise of nonconformist liberalism, especially since the 1860s, throughout Wales, had challenged the prevailing influence of the landed gentry. However, even in 1889, the traditional forces remained influential and no working men were elected to the Council. This changed in 1892 with the unopposed return of David Morgan in Aberdare and the success of Isaac Evans in Resolven.

The Glamorgan County Council election, 1901 was the fifth contest for seats on this authority in south Wales. It was preceded by the 1898 election and followed by the 1904 election. Glamorgan was by far the largest county in Wales in terms of population. Glamorgan County Council had been established by the Local Government Act 1888, the first elections being held in early 1889.

The community of Aberaman, Rhondda Cynon Taf was an electoral ward for much of the twentieth century, for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. It currently comprises two electoral wards, Aberaman North and Aberaman South, for the purposes of electing members to the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Aberaman North is composed mainly of Aberaman itself while Aberaman South includes Abercwmboi, Cwmaman, Godreaman and Glynhafod.

The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare. Its responsibilities included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.

The 1907 Glamorgan County Council election was the seventh contest for seats on this local authority in south Wales. It was preceded by the 1904 election and followed by the 1910 election.

The community of Llwydcoed, Rhondda Cynon Taf was, for much of the twentieth century, and electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. Llwydcoed is no longer an electoral ward but forms part of Aberdare West/Llwydcoed electoral ward for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections

Blaengwawr was, for much of the twentieth century, an electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. Blaengwawr no longer forms an electoral ward and is part of Aberaman.

The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare. Its responsibilities included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.

Owen Harris was a Liberal politician and municipal leader in Aberdare, South Wales.

Ebenezer, Trecynon is an Independent (Congregationalist) chapel in Ebenezer Street, Trecynon, Aberdare, Wales. It was one of the earliest Independent chapels in the Cynon Valley and remained an active place of worship until 2009.

References

  1. ↑ "Etholiad Cynghor Sirol Morgannwg. Aberdar ". Tarian y Gweithiwr. 2 May 1901. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "County Council Nominations". Aberdare Leader. 5 March 1904. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "County Council Election. Declaration of the Poll at Aberdare". Aberdare Leader. 16 March 1907. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "Aberdar. Etholiadau am Seddau ar y Cyngor Dosbarthol". Tarian y Gweithiwr. 12 March 1896. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Aberdare Urban District Council Elections". Merthyr Times. 26 March 1896. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
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