The eighteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in April 1949. It was preceded by the 1946 election and followed by the 1952 election.

Overview

Labour's comfortable majority on the council, including the aldermanic bench, remained unchanged.

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Candidates

Many candidates were returned unopposed.

Among the Labour candidates returned unopposed was John Shea (Briton Ferry) who had been selected in a 'referendum' to succeed George Gethin, who had died some months before the election.[1]

Outcome

Labour retained their majority as comfortably as in all previous elections, and captured both the Garw Valley ward[2] and the Coedffranc ward[3] from the Communists.

Results

Aberaman

Aberaman 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Florence Rose Davies**
Labour hold Swing

Aberavon

Aberavon 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Lewis Hare* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Abercynon

Abercynon 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Dicks** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Aberdare Town

Aberdare Town 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Thomas Alwyn John 1,292
Labour Tom Williams 977
Independent Henry Cohen 242
Majority 315
Independent hold Swing

Bargoed

Bargoed 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William John Kedward* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Barry

Dudley Howe had previously represented Cadoxton and gained the neighbouring Barry ward from Labour. However, Labour won Cadoxton for the first time against the new candidate.

Barry 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Dudley Thomas Howe* 2,304
Labour W. East* 2,004
Majority 300
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Barry Dock

Barry Dock 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dorothy Rees** 1,965
Independent G. Edward Smith 1,762
Majority 203
Labour hold Swing

Blaengwawr

Blaengwawr 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William J. Edwards* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Bridgend

Bridgend 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent H.P. Williams 1,808
Labour W.T. Ellis 1,344
Conservative H.D. Bellew 945
Majority 464
Independent hold Swing

Briton Ferry

Briton Ferry 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Shea Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Cadoxton

Cadoxton 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Digby Smith 1,499
Independent A.L. Davies 1,158
Majority 341
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Caerphilly

Caerphilly 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Evan Phillips* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Cilfynydd

Cilfynydd 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Edryd Lewis Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Coedffranc

Coedffranc 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D.T. Jenkins 3,278
Communist Alun Thomas* 1,456
Independent Bessie Davies 908
Majority 1,822
Labour gain from Communist Swing

Cowbridge

Cowbridge 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D.I. Morgan 2,770
Independent D.H. Hopkin 2,410
Majority 360
Labour hold Swing

Cwm Aber

Cwm Aber 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rev David M. Jones* Unopposed
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Cwmavon

Cwmavon 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Jones Edwards* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Cymmer

Cymmer 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John James Garwood* 1,167
Independent Evan Thomas 485
Majority 682
Labour hold Swing

Dinas Powys

Dinas Powys 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ivor Broadbent Thomas* Unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Dulais Valley

Dulais Valley 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Adams* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Ferndale

Ferndale 1934
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alfred Evans* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Gadlys

Gadlys 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Thomas Phillips* 1,802
Labour David Idris Bruton 796
Majority 1,006
Independent hold Swing

Garw Valley

Garw Valley 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Gunter* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Glyncorrwg

Glyncorrwg 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sir William Jenkins** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Gower

Gower 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Fredrick William Davies 2,083
Labour Stanley Jones 1,480
Majority 603
Independent hold Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Loveday* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Hopkinstown

Hopkinstown 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Waite Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Kibbor

Kibbor 1931
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Edgar L. Chappell 1,769
Independent John Kane 1,400
Majority 369
Independent hold Swing

Castell Coch

Castell Coch 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Sir Lewis Lougher* 1,458
Labour Edward Harry Follis 606
Majority 852
Independent hold Swing

Llandeilo Talybont

Llandeilo Talybont 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Caradoc Jones** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Llanfabon

Llanfabon 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Bowen** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Llwydcoed

Llwydcoed 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Martha Emma Jones* Unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Llwynypia

Llwynypia 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Haines Rowlands* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Loughor

Loughor 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David John Davies Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E.D. Evans* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Maesteg, East and West

Maesteg East and West 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Jenkins* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Mountain Ash

Mountain Ash 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Justin Lewis Unopposed
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Neath (North)

Neath (North) 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent W.K. Owen* 2,072
Labour J.W. Morgan 1,462
Majority 610
Independent hold Swing

Neath (South)

Neath (South) 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Reg Francis* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Newcastle

Newcastle 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Squire* 3,081
Conservative W.T. Baker 530
Majority 2,551
Labour hold Swing

Ogmore Valley

Ogmore Valley 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Communist Frederick Arthur Llewellyn* 1,963
Labour Stanley James Moore 833
Majority 1,130
Communist hold Swing

Penarth North

Penarth North 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H.J. Cook 1,001
Independent F.R. Cratchley 801
Majority 200
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Penarth South

Penarth South 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent D.B. Jones Unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Pencoed

Pencoed 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mervyn W. Paine* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Penrhiwceiber

Penrhiwceiber 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John William Bath* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Pentre

Pentre 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Glyn L. Wales 2,530
Labour Glyn Evans 978
Communist Thomas Evans 414
Majority 1,552
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Pontardawe

Pontardawe 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Daniel Davies** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Pontyclun

Pontyclun 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Johnson Miles** 2,483
Independent Annie Mary Russell 1,554
Majority 929
Labour hold Swing

Port Talbot East

Port Talbot East 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Thomas** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Port Talbot West

Port Talbot West 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rees L. Matthews Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Porthcawl

Porthcawl 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jenkin Francis John* 3,634
Independent Bruce Cameron 2,287
Majority 1,347
Labour hold Swing

Pontlottyn

Pontlottyn 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W.A. Hancock* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Pontypridd Town

Pontypridd Town 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivor M. Jenkins 1,458
Independent Cyril R. Morgan 1,450
Majority 308
Labour hold Swing

Penygraig

Penygraig 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Churchill* 2,148
Independent William John Gribble 981
Majority 1,267
Labour hold Swing

Porth

Porth 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Griffiths 976
Independent Daniel Jones* 974
Communist Murray Williams 868
Majority 2
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Swansea Valley

Swansea Valley 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Jenkins*
Labour hold Swing

Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch

Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Rogers* 1,484
Communist David John Griffiths 711
Independent Harold Whitton Davies 584
Independent Evan Jones 97
Majority 773
Labour hold Swing

Trealaw

Trealaw 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Communist Lewis Jones 1,945
Labour Richard Jones 1,315
Majority 630
Communist hold Swing

Treforest

Treforest 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur W. Harris 2,507
Independent Ceiriog Williams 1,029
Majority 1,478
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Treherbert

Treherbert 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Llewellyn* 3,345
Communist George Thomas 1,964
Majority 1,391
Labour hold Swing

Treorchy

Treorchy 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rhys Evans** 4,401
Communist Ivor Williams 1,077
Majority 3,324
Labour hold Swing

Tylorstown

Tylorstown 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Llewellyn Jones 1,984
Communist Frederick J. Morton 942
Majority 1,042
Labour hold Swing

Vale of Neath

Vale of Neath 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frances Handy* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Ynyshir

Ynyshir 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivor Jones 1,855
Independent Morgan Benjamin 1,418
Majority 437
Labour hold Swing

Ystalyfera

Ystalyfera 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alice Williams* 2,051
Plaid Cymru Wynne Samuel 873
Majority 1,176
Labour hold Swing

Ystrad

Ystrad 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sidney Cadogan** 1,931
Communist Annie Powell 1,189
Independent Thomas Aldridge 853
Majority 742
Labour hold Swing

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 66 councillors the council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1928 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, all of which all of which were filled by Labour nominees despite the protestations of their opponents.[4]

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

The following new aldermen were elected:

By-elections

Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.

Aberaman by-election

Aberaman by-election 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Herbert Stephens*
Labour hold Swing

Abercynon by-election

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
Independent
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Barry Dock by-election

Labour lost the by-election held following the re-election of Dorothy Rees to the aldermanic bench.[5] The Labour candidate had been elected following Rees's original election as alderman three years previously and at the recent election had unsuccessfully contested the neighbouring Barry ward.

Barry Dock by-election 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent J. Edward Smith 2,080
Labour W. East* 1,783
Majority 297
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Glyncorrwg by-election

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
Independent
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Hopkinstown by-election

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
Independent
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Llandeilo Talybont by-election

Llandeilo Talybont
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Llewellyn Davies 1,501
Labour J. Powell 1,378
Majority
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Llanfabon by-election

Llanfabon by-election 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Herbert Davies 1,387
Independent Rev. Henry Withers 798
Majority 589
Labour hold Swing

Maesteg by-election

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour
Independent
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Pontardawe by-election

Pontardawe by-election 1946
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Williams Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Port Talbot by-election

Tylorstown by-election

Tylorstown by-election 1947
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Mardy Evans* 1,977
Communist George Edward Maslin 584
Independent David John 284
Majority 1,393
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "County Council Election Candidates". Neath Guardian. 4 March 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  2. ^ "County Council Election Results. Mid Glamorgan Area". Glamorgan Gazette. 8 April 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Labour Regains Skewen By Big Majority. County Council Election Results". Glamorgan Gazette. 8 April 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Seniority Ignored in Selection of Chairman". Western Mail. 15 March 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  5. ^ "County Council By-Elections". Western Mail. 20 April 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 20 April 2021.

Bibliography

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