The 1892 Cardiff County Borough Council election was held on Tuesday 2 November 1892 to elect councillors to Cardiff County Borough Council in Cardiff, Wales. These were the fourth all-Cardiff elections since the creation of the county borough. The previous elections were in November 1891 and the next elections were in November 1893.

The Liberal Party remained the largest party after the election, but with reduced numbers.

Background

Cardiff had become a county borough in April 1889. The council consisted of 30 councillors who were elected by the town's voters and ten aldermen who were elected by the councillors.[1] Elections took place every November. Not all council seats were included in each contest, because the three councillors in each ward stood down for election in three-yearly rotation.

Ten councillor seats were up for public election in November 1892.

Overview of the result

Contests took place in eight of the ten electoral wards. The candidates in the Central and South wards were re-elected unopposed.[2]

The Western Mail described the 58% turnout as making the election "the most uneventful on record in the history of the town" with interest in Cardiff elections "fallen off marvellously".[3] The Progressive Labour candidates took some votes away from the sitting Liberal candidates, except for the Cathays ward where the Liberals put their support behind the Labour nominee.[2]

As a result of the election, the Liberal Party lost three seats, two of which were gained by the Conservatives and one by Labour candidates. The Liberals remained the largest party on the council, with 23 seats. the Conservatives had 14 seats and Labour members held two.[2] A vacancy remained in the Cathays ward, due to the death of a Liberal councillor, Peter Price.[2]

Ward results

Adamsdown

Adamsdown ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Benjamin John 396 59.5
Labour John Ings 259 38.9
Liberal hold Swing

The retiring Liberal councillor, Philip Morel, chose not to re-stand.[2] Turnout was lowest in the Adamsdown ward, at only 39%.[3]

Canton

Canton ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. M. Gerhold 533 42.7
Liberal Mr Symonds * 422 33.8
Labour Mr Chasey 284 22.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

In Canton there was a marked battle between the retiring Liberal councillor, from the Cardiff Master Builders Association; and the Labour candidate, who represented the workmen's strike committee.[2]

Cathays

Cathays ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab William S. Crossman * 660 57.9
Conservative Dr Morgan Williams 475 41.7
Lib-Lab hold Swing

Central

Central ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Hughes * Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing

Grangetown

Grangetown ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Johnston 531 55.0
Liberal Samuel Mildon * 431 44.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Park

Park ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Hurry Riches * 748 60.6
Labour John Richards 486 39.4
Conservative hold Swing

Riverside

Riverside ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Noah Rees * 658 53.1
Conservative George Beynon Harris 581 46.9
Liberal hold Swing +1.8

Roath

Roath ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Ramsdale 572 63.0
Labour Tom Taylor 328 36.1
Liberal hold Swing

South

South ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Tucker * Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing

Splott

Splott ward 1892
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal E. W. Shackell * 353 55.3
Labour Richard Davies 279 43.7
Liberal hold Swing

References

  1. ^ B. W. Row, F. G. Squire (1974), Cardiff 1889-1974 - The Story of the County Borough, The Corporation of Cardiff, City Hall, Cardiff, pp. 14–16
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Municipal Elections - Cardiff - Defeat of the Labour Party - Conservative Gains". The Western Mail. 2 November 1892. p. 5 – via Welsh Newspapers Online.
  3. ^ a b "Municipal Elections". The Western Mail. 2 November 1892. p. 4 – via Welsh Newspapers Online.
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