1892 Carmarthenshire County Council election

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.

1892 Carmarthenshire County Council election

All 68 seats to Carmarthenshire County Council 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Liberal Conservative Liberal Unionist Last election 53/68 12/68 2/68 Seats before 55/68 9/68 2/68 Seats won 55/68 9/68 1/68 Councillors 40 7 1 Aldermen 15 2 0 Seats +/– 2 3 1   Fourth party   Party Independent Last election 1/68 Seats before 1/68 Seats won 3/68 Councillors 1 Aldermen 0 Seats +/– 2
Council control after election Liberal Liberal Party

Overview of the result

The Liberals retained a strong majority which they had gained at the inaugural election in 1889, although they lost a small number of seats. The election coincided with a divisive debate over the choice of a Liberal candidate to contest the Carmarthen Boroughs constituency at the forthcoming General Election.

Boundary changes

There were no significant changes but the multi-member seats which existed in 1889, mostly in Llanelli area but also at Pembrey (Burry Port) and Whitland were replaced by single-member wards.

Candidates

Of the 51 seats, only 20 were contested, compared with a very small number of unopposed returns at the inaugural election three years previously. 32 of those elected in 1889 stood for re-election.

Of the seven retiring aldermen, only two stood as candidates at the election. Sir James Hills-Johnes contested Caio for the Conservatives while C.E. Morris, elevated to the aldermanic bench following a vacancy the previous year, was returned unopposed for his former seat at Llangunnor. Alderman Morgan Davies of Llandeilo died shorthly before the election.

Outcome

The contested elections saw a number of closely-fought wards and the defeat of some high profile members of the previous council. These included Gwilym Evans, the chairman of the council, who was defeated in one of the new Llanelli wards by another retiring member, W.J. Wilson, and another leading Liberal, Henry Wilkins, lost by six votes to Conservative Ernest Trubshaw. Prominent Conservative, J.S. Tregoning, was also defeated at Llanelli by a large margin. At Llangeler, disputes in the woollen industry centred on Drefach Felindre predominated in a contest where the Conservative Thomas Thomas ousted the sitting member, John Lewis, a woollen manufacturer. Evans, Tregoning, Wilkins and Lewis all remained members of the council, however, as they were made aldermen.

At Caio, Sir James Hills-Johnes won the seat where he was defeated in 1889, A closely fought contest at Carmarthen saw veteran Liberal Unionist Henry Norton losing by nine votes to the Liberal candidate, John Thomas.

Notwithstanding these individual contests, the Liberals were assured of their majority before a single vote was cast and while their position was slightly stronger than in 1889 the numbers were unchanged as two seats (one elected and one aldermanic) had been gained during the term of the previous council.

The Liberal members of the Council were criticised by local Conservative newspapers, notably the Carmarthen Journal, for allocating only one aldermanic seat to their political opponents. This contrasted to the position in neighbouring Cardiganshie, where three of the eight aldermanic seats were allocated to Conservatives. Colonel Gwynne Hughes of Glancothy, a retiring alderman, finished in tenth place in the vote and was not re-elected.

Ward results

Abergwili

Some sources state that Lloyd stood as an Unionist candidate at this election.

Abergwili 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Lloyd	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bettws

Bettws 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Nathaniel Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Caio

Caio 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir James Hills-Johnes**	253
	Liberal	Rev T. Thomas	153
Majority			100
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Lower Division)

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Lower Division) 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jenkins*	293
	Conservative	E.A. Rogers	146
Majority			147
	Liberal hold		Swing

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Upper Division)

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Upper Division) 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas	189
	Liberal Unionist	H. Norton*	180
Majority			9
	Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist		Swing

Carmarthen Western Ward (Lower Division)

Carmarthen Western Ward (Lower Division) 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D.H. Thomas*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Carmarthen Western Ward (Upper Division)

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Lower Division) 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Professor D.E. Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cenarth

Cenarth 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Edward Davies*	151
	Conservative	D. Davies	30
Majority
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cilycwm

Cilycwm 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Thomas Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Conwil

Conwil 1889

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Jones	253
	Conservative	David Evan Stephens	168
Majority			85
	Liberal hold		Swing

Kidwelly

Kidwelly 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Stephens*	254
	Conservative	Rowland Browne	221
Majority			33
	Liberal hold		Swing

Laugharne

Laugharne 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John D. Morse	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanarthney

Llanarthney 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry Jones-Davies	263
	Conservative	Rev R.G. Lawrence*	208
Majority			55
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llanboidy

Llanboidy 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Llewelyn*	244
	Liberal	David Thomas	242
Majority			2
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandebie

Llandebie 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry Herbert	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llandilo Rural

Llandilo Rural 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Jones*	297
	Liberal	Morgan Williams	255
Majority			55
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Llandilo Urban

Llandilo Urban 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J.W. Gwynne Hughes*	147
	Conservative	T.G. Williams	124
Majority			23
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandovery

Llandovery 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Walter G. Jeffreys	146
	Liberal	J. Walter Jones	122
Majority			24
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanedy

Llanedy 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Ll. Thomas	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanegwad

Llanegwad 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	H.J. Thomas	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Division.1

Llanelly Division.1 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.J. Wilson*	250
	Liberal	Gwilym Evans*	203
Majority			47
	Independent win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 2

Llanelly Division 2 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Mayberry*	unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 3

Llanelly Division.3 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ernest Trubshaw	223
	Liberal	Henry Wilkins*	217
Majority			6
	Conservative win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 4

Llanelly Division 4 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Thomas Johns	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 5

Llanelly Division 5 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.C. Parry*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 6

Llanelly Division 6 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Phillips*	unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 7

Llanelly Division 7 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Isiah Beavan	317
	Conservative	J.S. Tregoning*	133
Majority
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 8

Llanelly Division 8 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Bourne*	250
	Conservative	John S. Tregoning jnr.	186
Majority			64
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Rural, Berwick

Llanelly Rural, Berwick 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Owen Bonville*	unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Rural, Hengoed

Llanelly Rural, Hengoed 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David John	Unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanelly Rural, Westfa and Glyn

Llanelly Rural, Westfa and Glyn 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev P. Phillips*	60
	Liberal	J. Philpott	52
	Liberal	D. Evans	2
Majority			9
	Liberal win (new seat)

Llanfihangel Aberbythick

Llanfihangel Aberbythick 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Viscount Emlyn*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Harries*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangadock

Llangadock 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	L. Beavan
	Liberal	Rev W. Thomas
Majority
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangeler

Llangeler 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Thomas	316
	Liberal	John Lewis*	264
Majority			52
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llangendeirne

Llangendeirne 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W. Harries	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangennech

Llangennech 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangunnor

Llangunnor 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	C.E. Morris**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanon

Llanon 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev W.E. Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llansawel

Llansawel 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir J.H.W. Drummond, Bart.*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold

Llanstephan

Llanstephan 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Thomas Morris*	unopposed
	Liberal Unionist hold		Swing

Llanybyther

Llanybyther 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.H. James	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Mothvey

Mothvey 1889

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	George Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pembrey North

Pembrey North 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	W.J. Buckley*	255
	Liberal	John Owen	238
Majority			22
	Independent Liberal win (new seat)

Pembrey South

Pembrey South 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.S. Marsh	unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Quarter Bach

Quarter Bach 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr Howell Rees*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Rhydcymmerai

Rhydcymmerai 1892

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

St Clears

St Clears 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Williams	270
	Liberal	John Jones	210
Majority			60
	Liberal hold		Swing

St Ishmael

St Ishmael 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Lloyd Thomas*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trelech

Trelech 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Phillips	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Whitland

Whitland 1892

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev William Thomas*	unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Election of Aldermen

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 elections, the following aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council. In addition to the eight vacancies, a ninth alderman was appointed in place of the late Morgan Davies.

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

• J. Bagnall Evans, Liberal
• Robert Scourfield, Llansteffan, Liberal
• David Evans, Llangennech, Liberal

In addition, the following six new aldermen were elected:

• John Lewis, Meirios Hall, Liberal (defeated candidate at Llangeler)
• Gwilym Evans, Liberal (defeated candidate at Llanelli)
• D.L. Jones, Derlwyn, Liberal
• R.W. Stephens, Coedybrain, Liberal
• J.S. Tregoning, Iscoed, Conservative
• Henry Wilkins, Liberal (defeated candidate at Llanelli)

Two retiring aldermen were elected as councillors but were not re-elected as aldermen:

• Sir James Hills-Johnes, Conservative
• C.E. Morris, Liberal

Two retiring aldermen were not re-elected:

• Col. Gwynnne Hughes JP, Liberal
• D. James, Bailibedw, Liberal

By-elections between 1892 and 1895

Myddfai by-election, 1894

George Jones, the member for Myddfai, died in March 1894. His son, J. Walter Jones, was the only candidate nominated to succeed him

Myddfai by-election, 1894

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Walter Jones	Unopposed

Bibliography

• Morgan, Kenneth O. (1967). "Cardiganshire Politics: The Liberal Ascendancy 1885-1923". Ceredigion. 5 (4): 311–346.