1901 Glamorgan County Council election

The Glamorgan County Council election, 1901 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. The 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

Party		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 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
	Liberal 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
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cwmavon[]

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

Cwmavon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Herbert Evans*	unoppposed
	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[]

Dowlais

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Lib-Lab	John Davies*	unopposed
	Lib-Lab hold		Swing

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	%	±%
		A.S. Pleace	423
		Evan Parker	380
		Charles Kenshole*	249
Majority			43
	Lib-Lab hold		Swing

Garw Valley[]

Garw Valley

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas*	unopposed

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*	unoppposed

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	%	±%
		William John Percy Player	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

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	%	±%
		Hopkin Morgan*	Unopposed
	Unionist hold		Swing

Neath (South)[]

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

Neath (South) 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.B. Trick*	Unopposed
	Conservative 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

Party		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

Party		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

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Lib-Lab	Daronwy Isaac*	unopposed
	Lib-Lab hold		Swing

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[]

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[]

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.