1913 Glamorgan County Council election

The 1913 Glamorgan County Council election was the ninth contest for seats on this local authority in south Wales. It was preceded by the 1910 election and followed, due to the First World War, by the 1919 election.

Overview of the Result

As in most parts of Wales, the Liberal Party was once again triumphant and won a majority of the seats. The Conservatives made some impact, as did the Labour Party, although in case of the latter there was no sign of a breakthrough.

Boundary Changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Contested Elections

49 of the 66 councilors were returned unopposed.^[1] Only a small number of those seats that were contested changed hands. In many areas, contests between Liberal and Labour candidates were avoided and the Progressive label widely adopted. The Conservatives gained two seats at Llandeilo Talybont and Llansamlet while Labour lost at both Cwmavon and Ystalyfera. This was counterbalanced by a Labour victory at Pontardawe.^[2]

Aberdare and Mountain Ash

All eight members were returned unopposed in the Aberdare Valley and no Labour candidates entered the fray.^[3]

Bridgend and Maesteg districts

There were a number of contested elections in this area.

Swansea, Pontardawe and Port Talbot districts

In these areas the Conservatives again performed well, mainly at the expense of the Liberals.

Results

Aberaman

Aberaman 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Luther Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberavon

Aberavon 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Morgan Smith**	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Abercynon

Abercynon 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr I. Llewelyn Morris	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberdare Town

Aberdare Town 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Hughes**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bargoed

Bargoed 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	Rev D. Leyshon Evans	729	54.4
	Labour	Walter Lewis	611	45.6
Majority			118
	Liberal gain from Independent		Swing

Barry

Barry 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Rev D.H. Williams	899
	Conservative	F.P. Jones-Lloyd	629
Majority			270
	Liberal hold		Swing

Barry Dock

Barry Dock 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	James Jones*	595
	Liberal	Eliza Benjamin Smith Jones	265
Majority			230
	Liberal hold		Swing

Blaengwawr

Blaengwawr 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Gwilym Alexander Treharne*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bridgend

Randall was again returned unopposed, with the Liberals deciding not to oppose him.

Bridgend 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Morgan Randall*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Briton Ferry

Briton Ferry 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Gwynn*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cadoxton

Cadoxton 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Gwyn Morris	729
	Liberal	P.J. O' Donnell*	492
Majority			237
	Liberal hold		Swing

Caerphilly

Boundary Change. The previous Caerphilly division was divided.

Caerphilly 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Joseph Howells	778
	Independent Liberal	Josiah Morgan	641
Majority			137
	Liberal win (new seat)

Cilfynydd

Cilfynydd 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.R. Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Coedffranc

Coedffranc 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Howell*	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Coity

Coity 1910
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	William Evans*	571
Liberal	Rev H. Eynon Lewis	286
Liberal hold		Swing

Cowbridge

Cowbridge 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Colonel Homfray*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Cwmavon

Cwmavon 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Percy Jacobs	673
	Labour	Henry Davies*	747
Majority			82
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Cymmer

Cymmer 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Morgan Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Dinas Powys

Dinas Powys 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Oliver Henry Jones*	654
	Liberal	David Richard Morgan	364
Majority			290
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dulais Valley

Dulais Valley 1913
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	Daniel Daniels*	932
Labour	George Jones	320
Liberal hold		Swing

Ferndale

Ferndale 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Thomas Samuel*	1,224
	Conservative	E. Nelmes	546
Majority			678
	Liberal hold		Swing

Gadlys

Gadlys 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T. Walter Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Garw Valley

Garw Valley 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas*	Unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*

Gelligaer

Gelligaer 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Evan Thomas	739
	Conservative	D.S. Jones*	494
Majority			245
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Glyncorrwg

Glyncorrwg 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Jenkins*	unopposed

Gower

Gower 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	George E. Gordon*	608
	Labour	W.H. Davies	386

Hengoed

In this new ward, long-serving alderman David Prosser was defeated.

Hengoed 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.D. Lloyd	616
	Liberal	David Prosser**	315

Kibbor

Henry Lewis again returned after many years.

Kibbor 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Henry Lewis*	1,035
	Liberal	D. Morgan Rees	379
Majority			656
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llandaff

Robert Forrest held the seat comfortably.

Llandaff 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Forrest*	969
	Liberal	William Evans	544

Llandeilo Talybont

Llandeilo Talybont 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	E.M. Clason Dahne	705
	Liberal	Thomas Williams*	513
Majority			192
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llansamlet

Llansamlet 1913
	Candidate	Votes
Conservative	A.T. Williams	767
Liberal	J.W. Johnson*	361
Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llantrisant

Llantrisant 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Blandy Jenkins*	unopposed

Llwydcoed

Llwydcoed 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Lewis	unopposed

Llwynypia and Clydach

James Evans, grocer, elected following Richard Lewis's election as alderman in 1901, was returned unopposed.

Llwynypia and Clydach 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Evans*	unopposed

Loughor and Penderry

Loughor and Penderry 1913
	Candidate	Votes
Conservative	John Glasbrook*	1,145
Labour	William Lloyd	202
Conservative hold		Swing

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Evans	822
	Liberal	Rev B. Thomas	438

Maesteg, East and West

This was a repeat of the contest three years previously with the same result.

Maesteg East and West 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan E. Davies	1,067
		J.P. Gibbon	776

Margam

Having run as an Independent in 1910, narrowly defeating the Labour candidate, the sitting member was returned as a Conservative.

Margam 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Llewelyn David*	unopposed
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

Merthyr Vale

Merthyr Vale 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	David Prosser*	880
	Liberal	Rowland Evans	729
Majority			151
	Liberal hold		Swing

Morriston

Morriston 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William John Percy Player	unopposed
			Swing

Mountain Ash

Mountain Ash 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Lord Aberdare	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Neath (North)

Neath (North) 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hopkin Morgan*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Neath (South)

Neath (South) 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Frederick William Gibbins*	Unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Liberal hold

Newcastle

T.J. Hughes, vice-chairman of the county council was returned unopposed.

Newcastle 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T.J. Hughes**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ogmore

The ward was renamed Porthcawl. In a close contest a prominent Liberal defeated the former Conservative councillor.

Ogmore 1907
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	Rev W.J. Phillips	573
Conservative	J.D.I. Nicholl	502
Liberal hold		Swing

Ogmore Valley

Alderman William Llewellyn was again returned unopposed.

Ogmore Valley 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Llewellyn**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Oystermouth

Oystermouth 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	T.W. James*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Penarth North

Penarth North 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Rev E.S. Roberts	387
	Liberal	Jenkin Llewellyn	385
Majority			2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Penarth South

Penarth South
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Frederick Henry Jotham	unopposed

Penrhiwceiber

Penrhiwceiber 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr. Ben Phillips Jones	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pentre

E.T. Davies, auctioneer, had been elected at a by-election following Elias Henry Davies's appointment as alderman in 1902. He was now returned unopposed.

Pentre 1910
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	E.T. Davies	996
Liberal	J.B. Price	476
Liberal hold		Swing

Pontardawe

Pontardawe 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	David Daniel Davies	811
	Independent	L.W. Francis	376
	Liberal	Thomas Howells	153
Majority			435
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Porthcawl

Porthcawl 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev W.J. Phillips*	634
	Conservative	J.C. Coath	374

Pontlottyn

Pontlottyn 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	William Williams	563
	Liberal	J. E. Jones	372
Majority			191
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pontypridd

Pontypridd 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Fleming	602
	Liberal	James Roberts*	398
	Conservative	H.M. Gregory	383
Majority			204
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Penygraig

Penygraig appears to be a new ward.

Penygraig 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rees Lloyd	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Porth

Porth and Penygraig 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	William Evans	920
	Labour	John Hughes	411
Majority			509
	Liberal hold		Swing

Resolven

Resolven 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Evans**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Sketty

Sketty 1913
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	Rev John Davies*	505
Labour	William John Morgan	283
Liberal hold		Swing

Swansea Valley

Swansea Valley 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	D.T. Williams*	1,047
	Liberal	J. Arnold	407
Majority			640
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trealaw

Trealaw 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	D.C. Evans	587
	Labour	William John	47
Majority			540
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Treforest

Treforest 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	David Williams	1,240
	Liberal	William Spickett*	595
Majority			645
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Treherbert

Enoch Davies, returned in 1901 following William Morgan's re-election as alderman, was elected unopposed.

Treherbert 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Enoch Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Treorchy

Thomas Jones, Co-operative stores manager, was returned unopposed.

Treorchy 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trealaw and Tonypandy

D.W. Davies, the member since 1898, was returned unopposed for the second successive election.

Tonypandy 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.W. Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Tylorstown and Ynyshir

Sitting councillor Dr T.H. Morris stood down to allow Alderman W.H. Mathias to be returned unopposed.

Tylorstown and Ynyshir 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.H. Mathias**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Vale of Neath

Vale of Neath 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Col. J. Edwards-Vaughan	960
	Liberal	Dr Pritchard	926
Majority			34
	Conservative hold		Swing

Ystalyfera

Ystalyfera 1913
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	D.W. Davies	636
	Labour	John Griffiths*	480
Majority			156
	Liberal gain from Labour		Swing

Ystrad

Clifford Cory, the member since 1892, was once again returned unopposed.

Ystrad 1904
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Clifford John Cory*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 66 councillors the council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Boundary changes following the secession of Merthyr kept the number of councillors at 66 through the creation of additional wards. The number of aldermen therefore remained unchanged. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1910 election, there were twelve Aldermanic vacancies rather than eleven owing to the resignation of John Davies, an alderman elected for a Merthyr ward.

The following aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council.

elected for six years Thomas, W. M. David G. h- Fleming, Rhys 11 airies, Dd. Hughes G. J. Hughes, W. Jones, J. Jordan, Rhys Llew- ellyn, W. Llewellyn, W. H. Matthews, W. M. Williams, and Rev. D. H. Williams.

elected for three years

By-Elections

The following by-elections were held following the election of aldermen.

References

^ "County Councils. Nominations in Glamorgan and Carmarthenshire". Cambria Daily Leader. 1 March 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
^ "County Councils Elections. Some Surprises". Cambria Daily Leader. 10 March 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 8 December 2015. Details of all contested elections are listed here.
^ "Local Election". Aberdare Leader. 8 March 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

Bibliography

Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

[CDL_1-3-13_Glam_noms-1] "County Councils. Nominations in Glamorgan and Carmarthenshire". Cambria Daily Leader. 1 March 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 8 December 2015.

[CDL_10-3-13_Glam_results-2] "County Councils Elections. Some Surprises". Cambria Daily Leader. 10 March 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 8 December 2015. Details of all contested elections are listed here.

[AL_8-3-13_CCNoms-3] "Local Election". Aberdare Leader. 8 March 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

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