Glamorgan County Council election, 1895

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 1895 there were more unopposed results than in previous elections and the Conservatives made some headway, reflecting the position in the United Kingdom as a whole where the party took power that year.

Results are drawn from the Cardiff Times. Results also appeared in the Celt (Bala). Some additional results are drawn from local newspapers in South Wales.

Boundary Changes

There were some boundary changes at this election. In the Aberdare area the wards were reorganised too reflect those operating for the new Aberdare Urban District Council.

An additional ward was created at Cadoxton following the division of the existing Barry division.

Unopposed Returns

As in previous elections there were a fair number of unopposed returns, including some seats not contested by the Liberals.

Retiring Aldermen

Of the eleven retiring aldermen, two were Conservatives. Following the episode in 1892 when all but two aldermen did not seek re-election, only for the Council to decide that this was a pre-requisite for election as aldermen, a larger number sought re-election. Each was re-elected, including Sir John Llewelyn at Loughor and Penderry, although he faced Liberal opposition unlike in 1889.

Those who did not seek re-election included F.L. Davis at Ferndale.

Contested Elections

There were more uncontested elections than in the previous two contests for the County Council and the vast majority of those contested were straight fights between Liberal and Conservative candidates (or in some cases Independents who were widely regarded as Conseravtives). In a small number of cases, Liberals faced each other.

Aberaman

The sitting member, first elected at the 1889 election and re-elected in 1895 was opposed by Thomas Rees, landlord of the Swan Hotel, Aberaman and elected a member of the Aberdare Urban District Council at the inaugural 1894 election. The Merthyr Times opined that there was no necessity for a contest, and that the unsuccessful candidate had wasted his time and money.

Aberavon

John Morgan Smith had previously stood as an Independent, though this was commonly regarded as meaning Conservative.

Barry

The former seat of Barry and Cadoxton was divided.

Blaengwawr

The new Blaengwawr ward was created following boundary changes connected to the formation of the Aberdare Urban District Council.

Bridgend

The election was fought on party lines and covered in detail in the Glamorgan Gazette. The election was said to have attracted 'an exceptionally keen and widespread interest, not only immediately within the town boundaries, but in many an adjacent town, hamlet and village besides'. Against the tide in the county the Liberals captured Bridgend for the first time

Cadoxton

Boundary Changes. A new seat of Cadoxton was created.

Caerphilly

As a result of boundary changes, two sitting members opposed each other. Hill-Male admitted that he had once been a Conservative but claimed to have been converted to the Liberal cause during his twenty years in Wales.

Cwmavon

It was reported that Thomas Davies, the sitting member, was expected to be returned unopposed, but he was opposed by Llewellyn Griffiths, overseer, and a fellow deacon at Penuel Baptist Church, Cwmavon. Davies eventually withdrew.

Cyfarthfa

The result was largely attributed to the fact that Thomas was a member of several public bodies and this was a difficult arguemnet to counter.

Ferndale

Morgan Thomas, the sitting member, was defeated by another Liberal candidate.

Gadlys

Morgan was re-elected although heavily defeated in the Aberdare Urban District Council election a short time before.

Llwydcoed

As a result of boundary changes, the Hirwaun Ward had been abolished and the sitting member, Richard Morgan, challenged the incumbent, Rees Hopkin Rhys in the Llwydcoed Ward.

Maesteg

James Barrow, the sitting member, was opposed by another Liberal candidate, Jenkin Jones, due to his voting against disestablishment at a council meeting. It was a lively election, with all workmen having a holiday, leaving the streets crowded throughout the day. On the following day, some od Barrow's supporters paraded through the locality on horseback but were attacked by women who threw buckets of water and ashes over them.

Merthyr Town

This result was attributed by the Merthyr Times to Liberal Party apathy and to publicans' support for the Conservative candidate.

Merthyr Vale

There was initially some uncertainty whether Walter Bell, who had been narrowly defeated in 1892, would oppose the sitting member.

Ogmore

In this largely rural ward, J.D. Nicholl of Merthyr Mawr captured the seat, reversing the result of three years previously.

Pontlottyn

Two rival Liberal candidates enabled innkeeper David Benjamin Owen to win by 23 votes from Baptist minister John Penry Williams.

Swansea Valley

Boundary Change

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 1895 election, there were twelve Aldermanic vacancies (the additional one following the death of a sitting alderman).

The following aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council. They included three miners' agents who, together with Moses Moses, elected as alderman in 1892, made four labour members on the aldermanic bench. Conversely, following the retirement of Sir William Thomas Lewis, Sir John Llewellyn was now the only Conservative among the aldermen. Lewis and another retiring alderman, the prominent Liberal, Thomas Williams of Gwaelod y Garth, received some votes (presumably from Conservative councillors) but the liberal group held to the convention that only elected councillors could be made aldermen.

elected for three years

Gadlys by-election

Following the election of David Morgan as alderman, Richard Morgan, member for Hirwaun from 1889 until 1895 was selected as Liberal candidate following a well-attended public meeting. As a result of boundary changes, Morgan had contested Llwydcoed against Rees Hopkin Rhys and had been narrowly defeated. Richard Morgan's selection was not immediately accepted and other meetings were held to promote other candidates, including Benjamin Evans. Eventually, however, Richard Morgan was comfortably elected.

Garw Valley by-election

Following the election of John Thomas, miners' agent, as alderman, D. Johns was elected after a contest with two other Liberal candidates, including Thomas Lewis who was also unsuccessful at the initial election.

Gellifaelog by-election

Following the election of Evan Lewis as alderman, concerns had been expressed that a split Liberal vote would lead to a Conservative victory. But this did not prove to be the case.

Loughor and Penderry by-election

Following the election of Sir John Llewelyn as alderman, Samuel Thomas, defeated by Llewelyn at the original election, was now returned. His opponent had sought to succeed Llewelyn on his appointment as alderman in 1889 but was defeated on that occasion by Edward Rice Daniel. This can be considered a Liberal hold as Daniel had stood down at the original election in favour of Llewelyn.

Maesteg by-election

Following the election of James Barrow as alderman, Jenkin Jones, narrowly defeated in a hotly contested initial election, was on this occasion successful.

Penydarren by-election

The by-election took place following the election of David Davies, Glebeland, as alderman. Thomas Williams, Gwaelodygarth, Merthyr, vice-chairman of the previous council, did not seek re-election partly due to the desire of Davies, as the sitting councillor, David Davies, Glebeland, to contest the seat but also because Williams himself was visiting Palestine and Egypt.

Pontypridd by-election

Following the re-election of Walter Morgan as alderman, Hopkin Smith Davies, who stood down in his favour, was returned amongst 'great enthusiasm'.

Porth and Penygraig by-election

The election followed John Jones Griffiths's re-election as alderman.

Resolven by-election

Following the election of Isaac Evans as alderman, Daniel Evans of Abergwynfi was elected in a four-cornered contest.

Treherbert by-election

Following the re-election of William Morgan as alderman, John Walters, who had stood down to enable Morgan to be re-elected, retained his seat.