1949 Welsh local government election
The eighteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in April 1949. It was preceded by the 1946 election and followed by the 1952 election.
Overview
Labour's comfortable majority on the council, including the aldermanic bench, remained unchanged.
Boundary changes
There were no boundary changes at this election.
Candidates
Many candidates were returned unopposed.
Among the Labour candidates returned unopposed was John Shea (Briton Ferry) who had been selected in a 'referendum' to succeed George Gethin, who had died some months before the election.[1]
Outcome
Labour retained their majority as comfortably as in all previous elections, and captured both the Garw Valley ward[2] and the Coedffranc ward[3] from the Communists.
Results
Aberaman
Aberaman 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Florence Rose Davies** | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Aberavon
Aberavon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Edward Lewis Hare* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Abercynon
Abercynon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Joseph Dicks** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Aberdare Town
Aberdare Town 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Thomas Alwyn John | 1,292 | | |
| Labour | Tom Williams | 977 | | |
| Independent | Henry Cohen | 242 | | |
Majority | 315 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bargoed
Bargoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William John Kedward* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dudley Howe had previously represented Cadoxton and gained the neighbouring Barry ward from Labour. However, Labour won Cadoxton for the first time against the new candidate.
Barry 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Dudley Thomas Howe* | 2,304 | | |
| Labour | W. East* | 2,004 | | |
Majority | 300 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Barry Dock
Barry Dock 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Dorothy Rees** | 1,965 | | |
| Independent | G. Edward Smith | 1,762 | | |
Majority | 203 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blaengwawr
Blaengwawr 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William J. Edwards* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Bridgend
Bridgend 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | H.P. Williams | 1,808 | | |
| Labour | W.T. Ellis | 1,344 | | |
| Conservative | H.D. Bellew | 945 | | |
Majority | 464 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Briton Ferry
Briton Ferry 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Shea | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cadoxton 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Digby Smith | 1,499 | | |
| Independent | A.L. Davies | 1,158 | | |
Majority | 341 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Caerphilly
Caerphilly 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Evan Phillips* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cilfynydd
Cilfynydd 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | W. Edryd Lewis | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Coedffranc
Coedffranc 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | D.T. Jenkins | 3,278 | | |
| Communist | Alun Thomas* | 1,456 | | |
| Independent | Bessie Davies | 908 | | |
Majority | 1,822 | | |
| Labour gain from Communist | Swing | | |
Cowbridge
Cowbridge 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | D.I. Morgan | 2,770 | | |
| Independent | D.H. Hopkin | 2,410 | | |
Majority | 360 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cwm Aber
Cwm Aber 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev David M. Jones* | Unopposed |
Majority | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cwmavon
Cwmavon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Jones Edwards* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cymmer 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John James Garwood* | 1,167 | | |
| Independent | Evan Thomas | 485 | | |
Majority | 682 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dinas Powys
Dinas Powys 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ivor Broadbent Thomas* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Dulais Valley
Dulais Valley 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | George Adams* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ferndale 1934 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Alfred Evans* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Gadlys
Gadlys 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Thomas Phillips* | 1,802 | | |
| Labour | David Idris Bruton | 796 | | |
Majority | 1,006 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Garw Valley
Garw Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Gunter* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Glyncorrwg
Glyncorrwg 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sir William Jenkins** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Gower
Gower 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Fredrick William Davies | 2,083 | | |
| Labour | Stanley Jones | 1,480 | | |
Majority | 603 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Hengoed
Hengoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Frank Loveday* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Hopkinstown
Hopkinstown 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Tom Waite | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Kibbor
Kibbor 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Edgar L. Chappell | 1,769 | | |
| Independent | John Kane | 1,400 | | |
Majority | 369 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Castell Coch
Castell Coch 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Sir Lewis Lougher* | 1,458 | | |
| Labour | Edward Harry Follis | 606 | | |
Majority | 852 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Llandeilo Talybont
Llandeilo Talybont 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Caradoc Jones** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Llanfabon
Llanfabon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Bowen** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Llwydcoed
Llwydcoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Martha Emma Jones* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Llwynypia
Llwynypia 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Philip Haines Rowlands* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Loughor
Loughor 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David John Davies | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | E.D. Evans* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg, East and West
Maesteg East and West 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Tom Jenkins* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Mountain Ash
Mountain Ash 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Justin Lewis | Unopposed |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Neath (North)
Neath (North) 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | W.K. Owen* | 2,072 | | |
| Labour | J.W. Morgan | 1,462 | | |
Majority | 610 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Neath (South)
Neath (South) 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Reg Francis* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Newcastle
Newcastle 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Philip Squire* | 3,081 | | |
| Conservative | W.T. Baker | 530 | | |
Majority | 2,551 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ogmore Valley
Ogmore Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Communist | Frederick Arthur Llewellyn* | 1,963 | | |
| Labour | Stanley James Moore | 833 | | |
Majority | 1,130 | | |
| Communist hold | Swing | | |
Penarth North
Penarth North 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | H.J. Cook | 1,001 | | |
| Independent | F.R. Cratchley | 801 | | |
Majority | 200 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Penarth South
Penarth South 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | D.B. Jones | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Pencoed
Pencoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Mervyn W. Paine* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Penrhiwceiber
Penrhiwceiber 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John William Bath* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pentre
Pentre 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Glyn L. Wales | 2,530 | | |
| Labour | Glyn Evans | 978 | | |
| Communist | Thomas Evans | 414 | | |
Majority | 1,552 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Pontardawe
Pontardawe 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Daniel Davies** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontyclun
Pontyclun 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Johnson Miles** | 2,483 | | |
| Independent | Annie Mary Russell | 1,554 | | |
Majority | 929 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot East
Port Talbot East 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Thomas** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot West
Port Talbot West 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rees L. Matthews | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Porthcawl
Porthcawl 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Jenkin Francis John* | 3,634 | | |
| Independent | Bruce Cameron | 2,287 | | |
Majority | 1,347 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontlottyn
Pontlottyn 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | W.A. Hancock* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontypridd Town
Pontypridd Town 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Ivor M. Jenkins | 1,458 | | |
| Independent | Cyril R. Morgan | 1,450 | | |
Majority | 308 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Penygraig
Penygraig 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Churchill* | 2,148 | | |
| Independent | William John Gribble | 981 | | |
Majority | 1,267 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Porth
Porth 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Griffiths | 976 | | |
| Independent | Daniel Jones* | 974 | | |
| Communist | Murray Williams | 868 | | |
Majority | 2 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Swansea Valley
Swansea Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Jenkins* | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Rogers* | 1,484 | | |
| Communist | David John Griffiths | 711 | | |
| Independent | Harold Whitton Davies | 584 | | |
| Independent | Evan Jones | 97 | | |
Majority | 773 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Trealaw
Trealaw 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Communist | Lewis Jones | 1,945 | | |
| Labour | Richard Jones | 1,315 | | |
Majority | 630 | | |
| Communist hold | Swing | | |
Treforest 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Arthur W. Harris | 2,507 | | |
| Independent | Ceiriog Williams | 1,029 | | |
Majority | 1,478 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Treherbert 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Llewellyn* | 3,345 | | |
| Communist | George Thomas | 1,964 | | |
Majority | 1,391 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Treorchy
Treorchy 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rhys Evans** | 4,401 | | |
| Communist | Ivor Williams | 1,077 | | |
Majority | 3,324 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tylorstown
Tylorstown 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Llewellyn Jones | 1,984 | | |
| Communist | Frederick J. Morton | 942 | | |
Majority | 1,042 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Vale of Neath
Vale of Neath 1949 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Frances Handy* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ynyshir 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Ivor Jones | 1,855 | | |
| Independent | Morgan Benjamin | 1,418 | | |
Majority | 437 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ystalyfera
Ystalyfera 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Alice Williams* | 2,051 | | |
| Plaid Cymru | Wynne Samuel | 873 | | |
Majority | 1,176 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ystrad 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sidney Cadogan** | 1,931 | | |
| Communist | Annie Powell | 1,189 | | |
| Independent | Thomas Aldridge | 853 | | |
Majority | 742 | | |
| Labour 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 1928 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, all of which all of which were filled by Labour nominees despite the protestations of their opponents.[4]
The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:
- Sidney Cadogan (Lab, Rhondda)
- W.H. Davies (Lab, Gower)
- Alfred Evans (Lab, Rhondda)
- Rhys Evans (Lab, Treorchy)
- Tom Evans (Lab, Pengam)
- Daniel T. Jones (Lab, Ystalyfera)
- W. Arthur Jones (Lab, Tonyrefail)
- Evan Phillips (Lab, Caerphilly)
- Rev W. Degwel Thomas (Lab, Neath)
The following new aldermen were elected:
- H.J. Cook (Lab, Penarth)
- Mervyn Payne (Lab, Pencoed)
By-elections
Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.
Aberaman by-election
Aberaman by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sydney Herbert Stephens* | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Abercynon by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Barry Dock by-election
Labour lost the by-election held following the re-election of Dorothy Rees to the aldermanic bench.[5] The Labour candidate had been elected following Rees's original election as alderman three years previously and at the recent election had unsuccessfully contested the neighbouring Barry ward.
Barry Dock by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | J. Edward Smith | 2,080 | | |
| Labour | W. East* | 1,783 | | |
Majority | 297 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Glyncorrwg by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Hopkinstown by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Llandeilo Talybont by-election
Llandeilo Talybont Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Llewellyn Davies | 1,501 | | |
| Labour | J. Powell | 1,378 | | |
Majority | | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Llanfabon by-election
Llanfabon by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Herbert Davies | 1,387 | | |
| Independent | Rev. Henry Withers | 798 | | |
Majority | 589 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Pontardawe by-election
Pontardawe by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Williams | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot by-election
Tylorstown by-election
Tylorstown by-election 1947 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Mardy Evans* | 1,977 | | |
| Communist | George Edward Maslin | 584 | | |
| Independent | David John | 284 | | |
Majority | 1,393 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
References
- ^ "County Council Election Candidates". Neath Guardian. 4 March 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "County Council Election Results. Mid Glamorgan Area". Glamorgan Gazette. 8 April 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Labour Regains Skewen By Big Majority. County Council Election Results". Glamorgan Gazette. 8 April 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Seniority Ignored in Selection of Chairman". Western Mail. 15 March 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "County Council By-Elections". Western Mail. 20 April 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
Bibliography
- Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.