Aberdare Town was, for much of the twentieth century, an electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. It currently comprises two electoral wards, Aberdare East and Aberdare West, for the purposes of electing members to the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Aberdare East is composed mainly of a part of Aberdare itself while Aberdare West includes the community of Llwydcoed which, for many years was itself as electoral ward.
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Aberdare Town first became an electoral ward in the late nineteenth century with the formation of Glamorgan County Council. Aberdare Town was also one of the five electoral wards of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894. The other wards were Aberaman, Blaengwawr, Gadlys and Llwydcoed.
Glamorgan County Council 1889-1914
In 1889, David Price Davies became the first Liberal member for Aberdare Town.
Davies was returned unopposed again in 1892.
Following David Price Davies's elevation to the aldermanic bench in 1892, the by-election was said to have created an intense amount of enthusiasm and more excitement than has been known to an election in this parish for many years.
In 1895, Thomas Thomas was defeated by John William Evans.
In 1898, David Price Davies's term as alderman came to an end but Evans declined to stand down in his favour, as was the convention when there were two sitting members of a similar political persuasion. Davies consequently withdrew, resulting in the loss of his aldermanic seat.
Evans was made an alderman after the election, possible to facilitate Davies's re-election. At the resulting by-election, Thomas Thomas, the former member, was initially nominated but withdrew allowing Davies to be returned unopposed. However, Davies had now lost his primacy as the senior representative.
In 1901, Davies was defeated by David Hughes.
Hughes stood aside in 1904 at the end of J.W. Evans's aldermanic term.
Hughes was returned at the by-election.
Hughes narrowly held the seat in 1907, having been opposed by Edward Morgan, a leading member of the district council.
Aberdare Urban District Council
Aberdare (Town) was also an electoral ward of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894.
Thomas Thomas, the sitting member and a former county councillor was said to have been removed as candidate by the Liberal and Labour Association in favour of Lewis Noah Williams, a prominent local businessman and son of William Williams (Carw Coch). John William Evans, who had ousted Thomas from the seat at the 1895 election was also nominated but also withdrew before the poll.
21st Century
Aberdare is currently made up oif two wards, Aberdare East and Aberdare West, for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections. Since 1995 it has been represented by Labour councillors.