In this first post-war election a significant advance was made by the Labour Party, which captured a number of seats, and established a comfortable majority on the Council for the first time.[1]
Boundary Changes
A number of boundary changes had taken place since the previous election. The extension of the Swansea Borough boundary caused the disappearance of the Llansamlet, Morriston, Sketty, and Oystermouth divisions which were no longer part of the county. Four new divisions were created in other parts of the county. The old Margam division was divided into two (Margam East and Port Talbot West), and the Llantrisant division was likewise divided into two new wards, namely Gilfach Goch and Tonyrefail. Llantwit Fardre, a new division was also created at Hopkinstown, Pontypridd and the old Aber division was divided into the Cwm Aber and Llanfabon divisions.[2] The number of wards remained at 66.
Candidates
38 of the 66 councilors were returned unopposed.[3]
Party
Unopposed Returns
Conservative
8
Labour
10
Liberal
12
Independent
0
Liberal-Labour
1
Most of the re-elected Conservatives represented wards on the outskirts of Cardiff and in the Vale of Glamorgan. Labour candidates were returned unopposed in a number of the mining valleys although sitting Liberals were also unopposed in some of these localities.
Of the eleven retiring aldermen, seven sought re-election to the Council. Three of these namely E.H. Fleming (Lab, Hopkinstown), William Jones (Lab, Mountain Ash) and William Llewellyn (Lib, Ogmore Vale) were returned unopposed.
Contested Elections
Many of the contested elections resulted in the decision of the Labour Party to run more candidates than ever before. The distribution of these candidates was not uniform, with candidates being run in all Rhondda wards bar two (where two long-serving Liberals went unopposed). In contrast there was only one contested elections in the Aberdare district, and this was more personal than political.[4] Despite the Labour advance at district level in the pre-war period they fielded no candidates.
Outcome
A number of seats changed hands as Labour captured twelve seats and lost only one. Most attention focused on the defeat of two members who had served since 1889, namely Alderman J.M. Smith (Aberavon) and Alderman W.H. Mathias (Rhondda) lost to Labour challengers, but Labour victories occurred in most parts of the county .[5] A third retiring alderman, Evan Davies (Lib, Maesteg) was also defeated while the Rev D.H. Williams (Lib, Barry) sought off a Labour challenger.
In addition to the elected councillors the County Council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1919 election, there were twelve aldermanic vacancies, following the resignation of Alderman J.E. Evans.[8]
It was initially resolved to re-elect the four retiring aldermen who had been successful at the recent election, namely:
E.H. Fleming (Lab, Hopkinstown)
William Jones (Lib, Mountain Ash)
William Llewellyn (Lib, Ogmore Vale)
Rev D.H. Williams (Lib, Barry)
In addition, the following eight new aldermen were elected:
Llewellyn David (Ind, Port Talbot)
Daniel Daniels (Lib, Dulais Valley)
W.H. Davies (Lab, Gower)
Joseph Howells (Lib, Caerphilly)
Hubert Jenkins (Lab, Cwm Aber) - elected alderman for three years
William Jenkins (Lab, Glyncorrwg)
David Lewis (Lab, Tylorstown)
William Thomas (Lib, Aberdare)
By-elections
Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.
Aberdare
Retired grocer F.W. Mander was returned unopposed following William Thomas's election as alderman.[9]
The by-election at Barry was caused by the re-election of the Rev, D.H. Williams as alderman. John Lowden, who had held the seat for fifteen years and had stood down in favour of D.H. Williams at the recent election, was defeated by a Labour candidate.[10]
The successful candidate, John Tristram, was an engine driver on the Taff Vale Railway and the local secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen.[12]
Edward Lowther, general manager of the Port Talbot Railway and Docks company chosen as joint Conservative and Liberal candidate defeated Thomas Griffiths (Lab).[13]
