The first election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in January 1889. [1] It was followed by the 1892 election.
The administrative county of Carmarthenshire and the first Carmarthenshire County Council was established in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888. The first elections were held in January 1889. The county was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974.
1889 was one of those landmark years in the history of Welsh Liberalism, a coming of age symbolized by the triumph across Wales of Liberal candidates in the inaugural county council elections.
The Liberal Party was one of the two major parties in the United Kingdom with the opposing Conservative Party in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The party arose from an alliance of Whigs and free trade Peelites and Radicals favourable to the ideals of the American and French Revolutions in the 1850s. By the end of the 19th century, it had formed four governments under William Gladstone. Despite being divided over the issue of Irish Home Rule, the party returned to government in 1905 and then won a landslide victory in the following year's general election.
Most of the seats were contested by Liberal and Conservative candidates. The number of unopposed returns was small.
There were a large number of contested elections and the majorities were small in most instances.
This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections. This was the inaugural county election and therefore no comparison can be made with the previous elections. In some cases there is an ambiguity in the sources over the party affiliations and this is explained below where relevant.
This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 48 councillors were elected.
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | 37 | ||||||||
Conservative | 9 | ||||||||
Liberal Unionist | 2 | ||||||||
Independent | 1 |
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | |||||||||
Conservative | |||||||||
Liberal Unionist | |||||||||
Independent |
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | |||||||||
Conservative | |||||||||
Liberal Unionist | |||||||||
Independent |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | D.L. Jones | 226 | |||
Liberal | John Lloyd | 221 | |||
Majority | 5 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 277 | |||
Liberal | James Rees | 230 | |||
Majority | 46 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | C. Lewis Davies | 240 | |||
Conservative | Sir James Hills-Johnes | 200 | |||
Majority | 40 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Thomas Jenkins | 235 | |||
Conservative | H. Brunel White | 230 | |||
Majority | 5 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Unionist | H. Norton | 213 | |||
Liberal | Thomas Davies | 192 | |||
Majority | 21 | ||||
Liberal Unionist win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D.H. Thomas | 170 | |||
Liberal | W. de G. Warren | 132 | |||
Majority | 38 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | D. Rixon Morgan | 251 | |||
Conservative | James Phillips | 182 | |||
Majority | 69 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Edward Davies | 239 | |||
Conservative | H.W.T. Howell | 165 | |||
Majority | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rev Thomas Evans | 156 | |||
Conservative | R. Campbell-Davys | 137 | |||
Liberal Unionist | D.G. Vaughan | 63 | |||
Majority | 19 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Charles Jones | 265 | |||
Conservative | Thomas Davies | 121 | |||
Majority | 144 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Daniel Stephens | 135 | |||
Liberal Unionist | T.W.A. Evans | 85 | |||
Conservative | D.J. John | 28 | |||
Majority | 50 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John D. Morse | 145 | |||
Conservative | E. Falkener | 128 | |||
Majority | 17 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Thomas Davies | 217 | |||
Liberal | Rev D.S. Davies | 159 | |||
Conservative | Rev R.G. Lawrence | 62 | |||
Majority | 58 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Lord Dynevor | 260 | |||
Liberal | David Richards | 186 | |||
Majority | 74 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Thomas Powell | 351 | |||
Conservative | Herbert Peel | 202 | |||
Majority | 149 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | J.W. Gwynne Hughes | 174 | |||
Conservative | John Thomas | 120 | |||
Majority | 54 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Col. D.E. Jones | Unopposed | |||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Evan Evans | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | H.J. Thomas | 330 | |||
Conservative | Henry Davies | 109 | |||
Conservative | A.W. Stokes | 62 | |||
Majority | 221 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Gwilym Evans | 1,402 | |||
Liberal | Joseph Mayberry | 1,332 | |||
Liberal | Henry Wilkins | 1,330 | |||
Liberal | Owen Bonville | 1,234 | |||
Liberal | Thomas Jenkins | 1,212 | |||
Liberal | Rev P. Phillips | 1,139 | |||
Independent | Hugh Nevill | 776 | |||
Conservative | James Buckley | 756 | |||
Conservative | Ernest Trubshaw | 722 | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Thomas Phillips | 774 | |||
Liberal | W.J. Wilson | 715 | |||
Liberal | D.C. Parry | 659 | |||
Conservative | Dr Henry J. Buckley | 553 | |||
Liberal Unionist | John A. Williams | 483 | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Bourne | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | J.S. Tregoning | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Viscount Emlyn | Unopposed | |||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Evan Harries | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | James Jenkins | 270 | |||
Liberal | W.N. Lewis | 213 | |||
Majority | 57 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Lewis | 268 | |||
Conservative | Arthur Howell Jones | 260 | |||
Majority | 8 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Evans | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | J. Glyn Thomas | 202 | |||
Conservative | Rev E.A. Davies | 111 | |||
Majority | 91 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | C.E. Morris | 190 | |||
Conservative | D.E. Stephens | 169 | |||
Majority | 21 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rev W.E. Evans | 146 | |||
Conservative | Major Edward Riley | 90 | |||
Majority | 56 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Sir J.H.W. Drummond, Bart. | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Unionist | Thomas Morris | 197 | |||
Liberal | John Johns | 157 | |||
Majority | 40 | ||||
Liberal Unionist win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Col. H. Davies-Evans | 267 | |||
Liberal | D.H. James | 246 | |||
Majority | 21 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Jones | 176 | |||
Liberal | John Lewis | 136 | |||
Majority | 40 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Liberal | W.J. Buckley | 176 | |||
Liberal | William Howell | 460 | |||
Liberal | Rev D. Evans | 397 | |||
Conservative | T. Williams | 394 | |||
Independent Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Dr Howell Rees | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Daniel Evans | 165 | |||
Liberal | Thomas Price | 143 | |||
Majority | 22 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | T. Evans | Unopposed | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
J. Lewis Philipps of Bolahaul, near Carmarthen, had been a prominent figure in county government for many years and was chairman of the Carmarthen Board of Guardians from 1861 until 1884. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J. Lewis Philipps | 203 | |||
Liberal | Evan Stephens | 180 | |||
Majority | 23 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | J. Davies | 245 | |||
Liberal | W. Phillips | 181 | |||
Conservative | D. Jones | 108 | |||
Majority | 40 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rev. William Thomas | 582 | |||
Liberal | J. Llewelyn | 452 | |||
Liberal | J. Bagnall Evans | 321 | |||
Conservative | J. Beynon | 206 | |||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
In addition to the 51 councillors the council consisted of 17 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the election of the initial sixteen aldermen, half of the aldermanic bench would be elected every three years following the triennial council election. After the initial elections, there were seventeen aldermanic vacancies and the following Alderman were appointed by the newly elected council (with the number of votes cast recorded in each case). A second vote was held to determine which aldermen should retire in three years. [3]
Elected for six years
Elected for three years
As in Cardiganshire the Liberals agreed that the Conservatives be allocated three aldermanic seats only. [3] Only John Lewis Philipps was an elected member of the Council.
Initially, Lewis Morris had been elected an alderman but he declined on the basis that he had no sufficient time at his disposal. He was then replaced by W.R. Edwards at the second meeting of the Council. [4]
Sir Lewis Morris was a Welsh academic and politician. He was also a popular poet of the Anglo-Welsh school.
David Bowen died a few weeks after his election as alderman, The council resolved to replace him with another representative from the Llandeilo area to serve for the remainder of the three-year term. [5]
Two vacancies arose in early 1891 following the resignation of W de G Warren and the death of J. Lewis Philipps. The vacancies were filled as followed. [6]
Morgan Davies died in February 1892, shortly before the end of his term as alderman. [7]
In contrast to the position in other counties only one by-election was caused by the election of aldermen. This was in St Ishmaels where the Liberal candidate captured the seat.
Following the election of John Lewis Philipps as an alderman, a Liberal candidate captured the seat after a contest that took place in heavy snow. [8]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | J. Lloyd Thomas | 276 | |||
Conservative | D.T. Morris | 98 | |||
Thomas Davies, Bremenda, the member for Llanarthney, died in August 1889 as a result of injuries sustained falling off his horse. [9] Rev R.G. Lawrence of Middleton Hall, an unsuccessful candidate at the election held earlier in the year was returned unopposed. [10]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Rev R.G. Lawrence | unopposed | |||
A by-election arose in the Pembrey ward following the appointment of William Howell as returning officer for the county. [11]
D. Rixon Morgan, the sitting member, resigned late in 1890. Professor D.E. Jones of the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen, was chosen as his replacement as Liberal candidate. [12]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Professor D.E. Jones | unopposed | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
The first election to the Cardiganshre County Council was held in January 1889. It was followed by the 1892 election. The county was divided into numerous single member wards with two councillors elected to represent Cardigan, Lampeter, New Quay and Llandysul, and four to represent the town of Aberystwyth. 37 Liberals, 10 Conservatives and 1 Unionist were returned.
The second election to the Glamorgan County Council was held on 8 March 1892. The 1889 election was the first contest and the next was the 1895 election. Glamorgan County Council had been established by the 1888 Local Government Act, and the first election held in January 1889. Glamorgan was by far the largest county in Wales in terms of population. 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 first election to Pembrokeshire County Council was held in January 1889. It was followed by the 1892 election. The county was divided into numerous single member wards with two or more councillors elected to represent Tenby and Pembroke Dock.
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 fourth elections for Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1898. They were preceded by the 1895 election and followed by the 1901 election
The fifth elections for Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1901. They were preceded by the 1898 election and followed by the 1904 election
The sixth elections for Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1904. They were preceded by the 1901 election and followed by the 1907 election
The sixth elections for Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1910. They were preceded by the 1907 election and followed by the 1913 election
The ninth elections for Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1913. They were preceded by the 1910 election and followed by the 1919 election as no election took place in 1916 due to the First World War.
The second election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1892. It was preceded by the 1889 election and followed by the 1895 election.
The third election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1895. It was preceded by the 1892 election and followed by the 1898 election.
The third election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1898. It was preceded by the 1895 election and followed by the 1901 election.
The second election to the Merionethshire County Council was held in March 1892. They were preceded by the 1889 election and followed by the 1895 election.
The fifth election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1901. It was preceded by the 1898 election and followed by the 1904 election.
The sixth election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1904. It was preceded by the 1901 election and followed by the 1907 election.
An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1946. The 1940 and 1943 elections were postponed due to the Second World War, therefore the election was preceded by the 1937 election and followed, by the 1949 election.
An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in April 1955. It was preceded by the 1952 election and followed, by the 1958 election.
An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in April 1964. It was preceded by the 1961 election and followed by the 1967 election.
The Glamorgan County Council election, 1913 was the ninth contest for seats on this authority. It was preceded by the 1910 election and followed, due to the First World War, by the 1919 election.