1892 Merionethshire County Council election

The second election to the Merionethshire County Council was held in March 1892.^[1] They were preceded by the 1889 election and followed by the 1895 election.

Overview of the result

The Liberals held their large majority with most seats being uncontested.^[2]

Unopposed Returns

At the inaugural election the majority of seats had been contested, and in many cases the majorities were very small. By 1892, however, most wards were uncontested.

Contested Elections

There were a large number of contested elections and the majorities were small in most instances. In most cases there were contests between Liberal and Conservative candidates.

The New Council

The first meeting of the council was held in Dolgellau.

Summary of Results

This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections. This was the inaugural county election and therefore no comparison can be made with the previous elections. One councillor was described as an Independent candidate but was also grouped in some reports with the Conservatives.

This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 42 councillors were elected.

Merionethshire County Council 1889: elected members
Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal	33
	Conservative	8
	Independent	1

This table summarises the position following the election of aldermen. Eight were elected from among the elected members and eight from outside the council. This brought the total number of councillors and aldermen to 56.

Merionethshire County Council 1889 : following election of new aldermen
	Seats	Gains	Net gain/loss
Liberal	43	10	+11
Conservative	9	1	+1
Independent	1		0

This table summarises the position following the by-elections for the three seats vacated following the election of aldermen. Technically these were new seats, taking the total number of councillors to 56. However, the Liberals defended three seats.

Merionethshire County Council 1889 : following by-elections
	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss
Liberal	46	3	0	0
Conservative	9	0	0	0
Independent	1

Results

Aberdovey District

Enoch Lewis, Balkan Hill, standing as an Independent defeated William Jones, Sea View Terrace.^[1] The previous member sat as a Conservative.

Aberdovey District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Enoch Lewis	93
	Liberal	William Jones	81
Majority			12

Bala District

Bala District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Jones	unopposed

Barmouth Urban District

Barmouth Urban District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Lewis Lewis*	Unopposed

Bowydd (two seats)

Bowydd 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Griffith Williams*	unopposed

Conglywal District

Conglywal District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert Roberts*	unopposed

Corris

Corris 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Morris Thomas*	unopposed

Corwen, Northern Division

Corwen, Northern Division 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Ffoulkes Jones*	unopposed

Corwen, Southern Division

Corwen, Southern Division 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert David Roberts*	unopposed

Cynfal and Teigl District (two seats)

William Davies, farmer, of Caerblaidd, Ffestiniog and John Hughes, farmer, of Hafodfawrisaf, Maentwrog, were elected at the expense of George Henry Ellis, solicitor, of Penymount, Ffestiniog and Edward Henry Jonathan, draper, of Paris House, Four Crosses.^[3]

Dolgelley Combined District 1889
	Candidate	Votes
Conservative	William Davies	159
Liberal	John Hughes	105
Independent	George Henry Ellis	95
Liberal	Edward Henry Jonathan	89

Cwmorthin and Ystradau (two seats)

Cwmorthin and Ystradau 1889
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Alexander Milne Dunlop	unopposed
	Liberal	William Parry Evans	unopposed

Dolgelley Northern

Dolgelley Northern 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C.E.J. Owen	160
	Liberal	W. Hughes	98

Dolgelley Southern

Dolgelley Southern 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Morris Jones*	145
	Conservative	T.H. Roberts	76

Dolgelley Rural District

Dolgelley Rural District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Robert Pugh	111
	Conservative	Richard Edward Lloyd Richards	95
Majority			16

Dyffryn

Samuel Pope, having been caught in the controversy over use of the Welsh language in 1889, did not seek re-election. John Davies, Glanymorfa, was elected in his place, defeating W. Ansell, Corsygedol.^[1]

Dyffryn 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	John Davies	106
	Conservative	W. Ansell	82
Majority			24

Gwyddelwern

Gwyddelwern 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Davies	unopposed

Harlech District

The sitting member, Richard Thomas Jones, surgeon, of Penygarth Villa, Harlech defeated F.R. Lloyd of Bronygraig by a much larger margin than his success in 1889.^[1]

Harlech District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Richard Thomas Jones	175
	Conservative	F.R. Lloyd	58
Majority			117

Llanaber

Llanaber 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Williams*	unopposed

Llandrillo

Llandrillo 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry Davies*	unopposed

Llandderfel

Llandderfel 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones	unopposed

Llanegryn

Llanegryn 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Robert Maurice Wynne*	Unopposed

Llanfachreth

Llanfachreth 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Robert Vaughan	136
	Liberal	Edward Griffith	91
Majority			45

Llanfor

Richard John Price of Rhiwlas defeated William Thomas Rowlands, farmer, of Tanycoed, Llanfor (L).^[3]

Llanaber 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Richard John Price	141
	Liberal	William Thomas Rowlands	64
Majority			77

Llanfrothen

John Jones, gentleman, of Ynysfor, Llanfrothen defeated William Hughes, farmer, of Cwmcaeth, Nantmor, Beddgelert.^[3]

Llanaber 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	John Jones	142
	Liberal	William Hughes	74
Majority			68

Llansantffraid

Llansantffraid 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hugh Jones	unopposed

Llanuwchllyn District

Llanuwchllyn 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones	unopposed

Llanycil

Llanycil 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Roger Hughes*	unopposed

Llwyngwril

Llwyngwril 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Hughes	unopposed

Maenofferen and Diphwys Combined District (two seats)

John Parry Jones of the District Bank, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Robert Owen Jones, solicitor, of High Street, Blaenau Ffestiniog were elected at the expense of Morris Jones, flour dealer, of Blaenbowydd House, Blaenau Ffestiniog.^[3]

Maenofferen and Diphwys Combined District 1892
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	John Parry Jones	276
Liberal	Robert Owen Jones	264
Independent	Morris Jones	173

Maentwrog

William Edward Oakeley of Plas Tanybwlch was elected unopposed.

Maentwrog 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Edward Oakeley	unopposed

Mawddwy District

Mawddwy 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Jones*	unopposed

Pennal

Pennal 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hugh Jones	unopposed

Penrhyn and Talsarnau (two seats)

J. B. Jones, miller, of Brynyfelin and John Rowe, quarry manager, of Glasfryn View, Penrhyn, were elected at the expense of Edmund Morgan Roberts, farmer, of Cefntrefor- isaf, Talsarnau and John Morgan, grocer, of Canton House, High Street, Blaenau Ffestiniog.^[3]

Penrhyn and Talsarnau 1892
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	J. B. Jones	223
Liberal	John Rowe	219
Conservative	Edmund Morgan Roberts	207
Liberal	John Morgan	72

Rhiw (two seats)

Rhiw 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Griffith Jones*	unopposed

Talyllyn

Talyllyn 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Pugh Jones	unopposed

Teigl

Ellis Hughes, a quarryman, was returned unopposed.^[2]

Teigl 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ellis Hughes	unopposed

Towyn Rural District

Towyn Rural District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Davies	unopposed

Towyn Urban District

Towyn Urban District 1892
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry Haydn Jones*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Trawsfynydd Eastern and Western Districts (two seats)

John Humphreys, physician and surgeon, of Fronwynion-street, Trawsfynydd and Robert Hugh Pughe, farmer, of Brynllefrith, Trawsfynydd, were elected at the expense of David Tegid Jones, farmer, of Y Goppa and William Evans, draper, of Meirion House, Trawsfynydd.^[3]

Trawsfynydd Eastern and Western Districts 1889
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	John Humphreys	162
Independent	Robert Hugh Pughe	109
Liberal	David Tegid Jones	107
Liberal	William Evans	81

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 42 councillors the council consisted of 14 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the election of the initial sixteen aldermen, half of the aldermanic bench would be elected every three years following the triennial council election. After the initial elections, there were sixteen Aldermanic vacancies and the following Alderman were appointed by the newly elected council:^[4]

Only three of those elected were members of the council.^[5]

Elected for six years

S. Pope, Liberal, (elected councillor at )
A. O. Williams, Liberal
J. Cadwaltwdr, Liberal
Edward Griffith, Liberal (defeated candidate at Llanfachreth)
Richard Jones, Plasyracre, Liberal (elected councillor at Bala)
Wm. Williams, Liberal
J. Hughes Jones, Liberal

Elected for three years

C. H. Wynn, Conservative
John Evans, Liberal
E. H. Jonathan, Liberal
Andreas Roberts. Liberal
Edward Peters, Liberal (elected councillor at Llanycil)
Rev G. Ceidiog Roberts, Liberal (defeated candidate at Maentwrog)
William Davies, Pant, Liberal

Aldermanic Vacancies 1889-1895

Richard Jones died suddenly in February 1889, creating an immediate vacancy.^[6]

Therefore, the following appointment was made for the remaining six years in May 1892.

By-elections

Three by-elections were caused by the election of aldermen.

Bala by-election

Edward Watkin, land agent, Rhiwlas, standing as an Independent, defeated the Liberal candidate by fifteen votes. Richard Jones, who had been elected alderman, died three days later.^[6]

Bala by-election 1889
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Edward Watkin	147
	Liberal	Evan Jones	132
Majority			15

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Merioneth County Council". Cambrian News. 11 March 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Merioneth County Council. Nomination of Candidates". Cambrian News. 4 March 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Merioneth County Council Elections". Cambrian News. 25 January 1889. p. 8. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
^ "Merioneth County Council". Cambrian News. 8 February 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^ "Merioneth County Council". Cambrian News. 1 February 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Bala. County Council". Cambrian News. 22 February 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 15 July 2015.

Bibliography

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

[CN_11-3-92_Mer_CC_results-1] "Merioneth County Council". Cambrian News. 11 March 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 20 July 2015.

[CN_4-3-92_CC_Mer_noms-2] "Merioneth County Council. Nomination of Candidates". Cambrian News. 4 March 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 20 July 2015.

[CN_25-1-89_Mer_CC_results-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Merioneth County Council Elections". Cambrian News. 25 January 1889. p. 8. Retrieved 8 July 2015.

[4] "Merioneth County Council". Cambrian News. 8 February 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 13 July 2015.

[5] "Merioneth County Council". Cambrian News. 1 February 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 13 July 2015.

[CN_22-2-89_Bala_by-el-6] "Bala. County Council". Cambrian News. 22 February 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 15 July 2015.

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