1949 Carmarthenshire County Council election

An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1949.^[1] It was preceded by the 1946 election and followed, by the 1952 election.

Overview of the result[]

After steadily increasing their representation throughout the inter-war period, the Labour Party finally won a majority on the Council, and strengthened their hold by taking nine of the ten vacancies on the aldermanic bench. Labour victories included taking a seat in the Borough of Carmarthen for the first time. Gwynfor Evans, President of Plaid Cymru, was returned for the Llangadog ward.

Boundary changes[]

There were no boundary changes.

Unopposed returns[]

There were a number of unopposed returns, both in Labour held seats and in the western part of the county, which was described as still being 'traditionally Liberal in character'.^[2]

Contested elections[]

While there were more unopposed returns than in 1946, many wards were keenly contested. Electioneering reached a peak in Llanelli where an Independent association was formed to fight the elections as a united front against Labour. However, Labour won all but two seats in Llanelli town.

Retiring aldermen faced the electorate for the first time since 1937. In Llangyndeyrn, Alderman Rev. James Jenkins, a member of the Council since 1925, was defeated by the retiring Labour councilor. However, Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw was one of only two Independent candidates to secure election in Llanelli.

Summary of results[]

This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections. In some cases there is an ambiguity in the sources over the party affiliations and this is explained below where relevant.

This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 53 councillors were elected.

Carmarthesnhire County Council 1949: elected members

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour
	Plaid Cymru	1
	Independent

Carmarthenshire County Council 1949 : following election of new aldermen

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour
	Plaid Cymru	1
	Independent

Carmarthenshire County Council 1949 : following election of new aldermen and by-elections

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour
	Plaid Cymru	1
	Independent

Ward results[]

Abergwili[]

Abergwili 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Col. Grismond P. Philipps*	631
	Labour	David John Evans	399
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Ammanford No.1[]

Ammanford No.1 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Haydn Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ammanford No.2[]

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.2 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Harries*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Berwick[]

Berwick 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas Sidney Bowen*	1,172
	Independent	William John Thomas	743
	Independent	Elvet Pugh	155
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Burry Port[]

Burry Port 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Edward Lewis*	1,525
	Independent	Archibald Edgar Morgan	714
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Caio[]

Caio 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Davies*	685
	Independent	Frank Wolsely Armitage	271
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 1[]

Carmarthen Division 1 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G.V. Davies	769
	Independent	William Jones*	736
	Independent Labour	D.W. Davies	49
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Carmarthen Division 2[]

Carmarthen Division 2 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.O. Morgans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 3[]

Carmarthen Division 3 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Verdi Jenkins*	700
	Labour	W.D. Jones	575
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Cenarth[]

Cenarth 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.J. James Jones*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilycwm[]

Cilycwm 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.A. Owen*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Conwil[]

Conwil 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.A. Phillips*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cwmamman[]

Cwmamman 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Hengoed[]

Hengoed 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Stone*	1,312
	Independent	Sydney Phillip James	393
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly[]

Kidwelly 1946

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Amos Jones*	869
	Independent	David Phillips	626
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Laugharne[]

Laugharne 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev. Chancellor S.B. Williams*	689
	Labour	W.J. John	497
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarthney[]

Llanarthney 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Edgar Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanboidy[]

Llanboidy 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Joshua Phillips*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandebie North[]

Llandebie North 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwilym R. Thomas*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandebie South[]

Llandebie South 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Evan Bevan*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandilo Rural[]

Llandilo Rural 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William John Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandilo Urban[]

Llandilo Urban 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	James Morgan Davies*	866
	Labour	E. Gwyn Williams	224
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandovery[]

Llandovery 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Anthony H. Gower*	564
	Independent	James James	412
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandyssilio[]

Llandyssilio 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Hugh Davies	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanedy[]

Llanedy 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas William Morgan*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanegwad[]

Llanegwad 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Griffith Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division.1[]

Llanelly Division.1 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev David Penry Jones*	1,016
	Independent	Henry Richards	764
	Independent	James Jones	222
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 2[]

Llanelly Division 2 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William T. Griffiths*	976
	Independent	John Zammit	737
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 3[]

Llanelly Division 3 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs Claudia R. Rees*	631
	Independent	David J. Edmunds	313
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 4[]

Llanelly Division 4 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs Charlotte Hopkins*	1,115
	Independent	Sidney Ellis	955
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 5[]

Llanelly Division 5 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw**	530
	Labour	Ben Howells	403
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 6[]

Llanelly Division 6 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Douglas Hughes*	815
	Independent	William Hughes	182
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 7[]

Llanelly Division 6 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Llewellyn Evans*	762
	Independent	Aneurin Thomas	462
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 8[]

Llanelly Division 7 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George M. McConkey	868
	Independent	Fred Howells*	530
	Communist	Martin H. Thomas	17
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Llanelly Division 9[]

Llanelly Division 8 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	A.H. Olive*	987
	Labour	John A. Palmer	803
	Communist	Brinley James	80
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel Aberbythick[]

Llanfihangel Aberbythick 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.J. Williams*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth[]

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Davies*	789
	Independent	William Harry	211
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangadog[]

Llangadog 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Gwynfor Richard Evans	unopposed
	Plaid Cymru gain from Independent		Swing

Llangeler[]

Llangeler 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Daniel Griffiths	908
	Independent	John Evans	812
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangendeirne[]

Llangendeirne 1946

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev R.G. James*	1,012
	Independent	Rev James Jenkins**	unopposed
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangennech[]

Llangennech 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas Bowen*	815
	Independent	John Rees	369
	Independent	Trefor Beasley	101
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangunnor[]

Llangunnor 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Parry Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanon[]

Llanon 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sidney Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llansawel[]

Llansawel 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Daniel Williams	317
	Independent	John Morgan*	275
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanstephan[]

Llanstephan 1946

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.Ll. Haries*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanybyther[]

Llanybyther 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Edward Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Myddfai[]

Myddfai 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Morgan Lewis Jones*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Pembrey[]

Pembrey 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Simon John Elwyn Samuel*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontyberem[]

Pontyberem 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Quarter Bach[]

Quarter Bach 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Watkin Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Rhydcymmerai[]

Rhydcymmerai 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Clears[]

St Clears 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Joseph David Rees*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Ishmaels[]

St Ishmaels 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Trevor Rhys Morris*	685
	Independent	William Anthony	600
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Trelech[]

Trelech 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Simon Owen Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trimsaran[]

Trimsaran 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Labour	Brinley Jenkins*	unopposed
	Independent Labour hold		Swing

Westfa[]

Westfa 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Emrys Aubrey*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Whitland[]

Whitland 1946

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Hughes Mathias*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Election of aldermen[]

In addition to the 57 councillors the council consisted of 19 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections the following nine aldermen were elected.

• W. Douglas Hughes, Labour
• Emrys Aubrey, Labour
• T.S. Bowen, Labour
• T.W. Morgan, Labour
• D.J. Jones, Labour
• W.W. Davies, Labour
• J. Amos Jones, Labour
• W.T. Griffiths, Labour
• J. Llewellyn Evans, Labour
• Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw, Independent

By-elections[]

Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held.^[3] In Llanelli, the Independents gained two seats but Labour won the seat vacated by Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw.

Berwick by-election[]

Berwick by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Isaac Daniel	921
	Independent Labour	Emrys Daniel Lewis	873
	Independent	Elvet Pugh	22
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly by-election[]

Kidwelly by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J.H. Williams	999
	Independent	W.G. Gilbert	294
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanedy by-election[]

Llanedy by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwyn Howells	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 2 by-election[]

Llanelly Division 2 by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Zammit	984
	Labour	T.M. Price	795
Majority
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Llanelly Division 5 by-election[]

Llanelly Division 5 by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ben Howells	454
	Independent	Harry Richards	307
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Llanelly Division 6 by-election[]

Llanelly Division 6 by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.J. Davies	666
	Independent	Harry Beaton	310
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 7 by-election[]

Llanelly Division 7 by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mrs Eleanor Thomas	616
	Labour	Miss Elsie Jones	590
Majority
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Pontyberem by-election[]

Pontyberem by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Williams	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Quarter Bach by-election[]

Quarter Bach by-election 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Josiah Jones	1,422
	Independent	Owen A. Jenkins	920
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Westfa by-election[]

Westfa 1949

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.J.F. Thomas	1,389
	Independent	Archibald Ivor Bailey	373
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

References[]