1901 Glamorgan County Council election

The 1901 Glamorgan County Council election was the fifth contest for seats on this authority in south Wales. It was preceded by the 1898 election and followed by the 1904 election. Glamorgan was by far the largest county in Wales in terms of population. Glamorgan County Council had been established by the Local Government Act 1888, the first elections being held in early 1889.

Overview of the result

As in most parts of Wales, the Liberal Party was once again triumphant and won a majority of the seats. In 1901 the majority of the seats were uncontested, in contrast to the position at previous elections.^[1]

Results are drawn from a number of sources. They include a number of newspapers.

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Retiring aldermen

Eight of the eleven retiring aldermen were Liberals.

Results

Aberaman

Aberaman
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Thomas Davies
Majority
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberavon

Aberavon 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Morgan Smith*	unopposed

Aberdare Town

David Price Davies, a member of the Council since 1889 and an alderman from 1892 until 1898 was defeated.^[2]

Aberdare Town 1901
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	David Hughes	709
Liberal	David Price Davies*	488
Liberal hold		Swing

Barry

Barry 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Captain Hamilton Murrell*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Blaengwawr

Blaengwawr 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Howell*	unopposed

Cadoxton

Cadoxton 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr P.J. O' Donnell	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bridgend

Bridgend 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Morgan Randall	unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Briton Ferry

Jenkin Hill recaptured the seat he lost three years previously.

Briton Ferry 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Jenkin Hill*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Caeharris

Caeharris 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Edward Pritchard Martin	unopposed

Caerphilly

Caerphilly
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	H.E. Morgan Lindsay	864
	Liberal	Richard Hill Male	488
Majority			365
	Conservative hold		Swing

Cilfynydd

Cilfynydd 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Roberts Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Coedffranc

Coedffranc 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Howell	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Coity

Coity 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Howell*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cowbridge

Cowbridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R.T. Bassett	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Cwmavon

Two Liberals, a sitting alderman and sitting councillor, opposed each other.

Cwmavon
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Herbert Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cyfarthfa

Thomas Thomas recaptured the seat he lost three years previously.

Cyfarthfa 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Lib-Lab	Thomas Thomas*	515
	Liberal	Thomas Davies	266
Majority
	Lib-Lab gain from Liberal		Swing

Cymmer

Cymmer 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Morgan Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Dinas Powys

Dinas Powys 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Oliver Henry Jones*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dowlais

^[3]

Dowlais 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Lib-Lab	John Davies*	Unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Lib-Lab hold

Dulais Valley

Dulais Valley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Evan Evans Bevan*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Ferndale

Three candidates were nominated to contest the vacancy left by the former member, Rev Silas Charles, who had moved to Cardiff.^[4]

Ferndale 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Silas Charles	778
	Liberal	Thomas Samuel	629

Gadlys

Charles Kenshole, elected unopposed in 1898 was defeated.^[2]

Gadlys 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Lib-Lab	A.S. Pleace	423
		Evan Parker	380
		Charles Kenshole*	249
Majority			43
	Lib-Lab hold		Swing

Garw Valley

Garw Valley 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas*	Unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*

Gellifaelog

Gellifaelog
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lewis*	unopposed

Gelligaer

Gelligaer
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Henry William Martin	unopposed

Gower

Gower 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		George E. Gordon*	unopposed

Kibbor

Kibbor
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Lewis*	unopposed

Llandaff

Llandaff
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Forrest*	unopposed

Llandeilo Talybont

Llandeilo Talybont 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rees Harries*	unopposed

Llansamlet

Llansamlet 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Jordan*	unopposed

Llantrisant

Llantrisant
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Blandy Jenkins*	unopposed

Llwydcoed

Rees Llewellyn, prominent industrialist and member of Aberdare Urban District Council won the seat.^[2]

Llwydcoed 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rees Llewellyn	759
		T. Lewis	289

Llwynypia and Clydach

Llwynypia and Clydach 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Lewis*	unopposed

Lougher and Penderry

Loughor and Penderry 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir J.T.D. Llewellyn**	unopposed

Maesteg

The same two candidates had faced each other in 1895. On that occasion, Barrow had won and was elected as alderman for a three-year period. Jenkin Jones was then returned at a by-election.

Maesteg
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Jenkin Jones*	972
	Liberal	James Barrow**	842

Margam

The previous councillor, Edward Knox, was said to have left the district.^[1] D.R. David was the owner of the Taibach Tinplate Works and a prominent figure in the public life of the district.^[5]

Margam 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		D.R. David	unopposed

Merthyr Town

Merthyr Town
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J.W. Lewis	706
	Liberal	Alfred Edwards	597

Merthyr Vale

Merthyr Vale
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	David Prosser	538
	Liberal	Walter Bell	523
Majority			153

Morriston

Morriston 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William John Percy Player	Unopposed
	Liberal hold

Mountain Ash

Mountain Ash
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Thomas Morris	549
	Liberal	Samuel Evans	459
	Liberal	John Lewis	316
Majority			90
	Liberal hold		Swing

Neath (North)

Neath (North) 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Hopkin Morgan*	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

Neath (South)

At the previous election, Trick had stood as a Conservative.

Neath (South) 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.B. Trick*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Newcastle

Newcastle 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas J. Hughes	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ogmore

Ogmore 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J.D. Nicholl	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Ogmore Valley

Ogmore Valley 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Llewellyn*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Oystermouth

Oystermouth 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		T.W. James	unopposed
			Swing

Penarth North

Penarth North
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	W.B. Shepherd*	377
	J.L. Norris	240
Liberal hold		Swing

Penarth South

Penarth South 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Frederick Henry Jotham*	unopposed

Penrhiwceiber

Penrhiwceiber
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Dr. R. W. Jones	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pentre

Morris appears to have defected to the Unionists, leading to his defeat.

Pentre 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Elias Henry Davies	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Penydarren

Penydarren
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	David Davies*	516
	Conservative	T.E. Morgan	270
Majority			146

Pontardawe

Pontardawe 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frank W. Gilbertson*	unopposed

Plymouth

Plymouth
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry W. Lewis*	603
	Conservative	A. Daniel	440

Pontlottyn

Although a Liberal gain, the shock was the defeat of Alderman Aaron Davies.

Pontlottyn 1898
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	Alfred Phillips	570
Liberal	Rev Aaron Davies**	355
Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Pontypridd

Pontypridd 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Walter H. Morgan**	unopposed

Porth and Penygraig

Porth and Penygraig 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Jones Griffiths**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Resolven

Resolven 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Evans**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Sketty

John Davies had been defeated in the two previous elections but was now returned unopposed.

Sketty 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev John Davies	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Clydach

Clydach 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Treforest

James Roberts had won the seat at a by-election following the death of the previous member, David Leyshon

Treforest 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Samuel Evans	671
	Liberal	James Roberts*	614
Majority			57

Treherbert

Treherbert 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Morgan**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Treorchy

Treorchy 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Lib-Lab	Daronwy Isaac*	Unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Lib-Lab hold

Trealaw and Tonypandy

Tonypandy 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.W. Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Tylorstown and Ynyshir

Tylorstown and Ynyshir 1898
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T.H. Morris*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ystalyfera

Ystalyfera
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dr David Thomas*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Ystrad

Clifford Cory

Ystrad 1901
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Clifford John Cory*	unopposed
	Liberal 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 1901 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies.

The following aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council.^[6] A notable feature was the non-election of Sir John Llewelyn, an alderman since 1889. As a result, there were no Conservative aldermen on Glamorgan County Council, the first time that this had occurred.

elected for six years

Richard Lewis, Liberal (elected councillor at Llwynypia and Clydach)
Walter H. Morgan, Liberal, retiring alderman (elected councillor at Pontypridd)
John Jones Griffiths, Liberal, retiring alderman (elected councillor at Porth)
William Morgan, Liberal, retiring alderman (elected councillor at Treherbert)
Thomas Williams
John Thomas, Liberal-Labour (elected councillor at Garw Valley)
Morgan Williams, Liberal, Ynyshir
Edward Edwards, Liberal, Nelson
Thomas Thomas, Liberal, Merthyr
Thomas Jones, Liberal, Swansea Valley
Jenkin Hill, Liberal (elected councillor at Briton Ferry)

References

^ ^a ^b "Glamorgan County Council. Nominations and Unopposed Returns". Cambrian. 8 March 1901. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Etholiad Cynghor Sirol Morgannwg. Aberdar ". Tarian y Gweithiwr. 2 May 1901. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
^ "County Council elections". Evening Express. 4 March 1901. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
^ "County Council Contests". Evening Express. 1 March 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
^ "Death of Colonel D.R. David". Glamorgan Gazette. 4 January 1907. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
^ "Glamorgan County Council. Annual Meeting at Pontypridd". Weekly Mail. 16 March 1901. Retrieved 1 May 2014.

Bibliography

Parry, Jon (1989). "Labour Leaders and Local Politics 1888-1902: The Example of Aberdare". Welsh History Review. 14 (3): 399–416. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

[cambrian_8-3-01_nominations-1] "Glamorgan County Council. Nominations and Unopposed Returns". Cambrian. 8 March 1901. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

[TG_14-3-01_eth_cs-2] "Etholiad Cynghor Sirol Morgannwg. Aberdar ". Tarian y Gweithiwr. 2 May 1901. Retrieved 2 May 2014.

[3] "County Council elections". Evening Express. 4 March 1901. Retrieved 4 June 2019.

[EE_1--3-01-4] "County Council Contests". Evening Express. 1 March 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2020.

[GG_4-1-07_D_R_David_obit-5] "Death of Colonel D.R. David". Glamorgan Gazette. 4 January 1907. Retrieved 8 June 2014.

[WkM_16-3-01-6] "Glamorgan County Council. Annual Meeting at Pontypridd". Weekly Mail. 16 March 1901. Retrieved 1 May 2014.

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