The sixteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in March 1937. It was preceded by the 1934 election and followed, due to the Second World War by the 1946 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.[1]

Contested elections

Labour contested almost every seat on the council, with a significant proportion of candidates returned unopposed.

Of the eleven aldermen retiring at the end of their sixth year term, the ten Labour aldermen all sought re-election while Rev D.H. Williams (Ind) stood down from the Council after over thirty years. Alderman Dorothy Rees (Lab), who was elected for three years to fill a vacancy in 1934, also sought re-election.

Outcome

Labour retained their majority, losing two seats but gaining three.[2]

Results

Aberaman

Aberaman 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Florence Rose Davies** Unopposed N/A N/A
Labour hold

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

Barry

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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent William W. Phillips* Unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Briton Ferry

Briton Ferry 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Gethin* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Cadoxton

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 1934
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Pearson* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Coedffranc

Coedffranc 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D.T. Jenkins 2,916
Independent Isaac David 1,798
Majority 1,118
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Cowbridge

Cowbridge 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. John Smith Unopposed
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

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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gwilym Davies* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Ferndale

Ferndale 1937
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

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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E.H. Fleming** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Kibbor

Kibbor 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Edgar L. Chappell 1,769
Independent John Kane 1,400
Majority 369
Independent hold Swing

Castell Coch

Castell Coch 1937
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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Evans** Unopposed
Labour hold

Maesteg, East and West

Maesteg East and West 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Jenkins* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Mountain Ash

The sitting member, the Hon. John Bruce (Ind) stood down and Labour gained the seat without a contest.[1]

Mountain Ash 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Justin Lewis Unopposed
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Neath (North)

Neath (North) 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent David Griffith Davies* 1,336
Labour J.W. Morgan 1,042
Majority 294
Independent hold Swing

Neath (South)

Neath (South) 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles P. Huins 1,679
Independent Col. R.G. Llewellyn 912
Majority 767
Labour hold Swing

Newcastle

Newcastle 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rev Horatio R. Protheroe* Unopposed
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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Tye Andrews* 1,609
Communist Abigail Evans 765
Majority 844
Labour hold Swing

Pontardawe

Pontardawe 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Daniel Davies** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Pontyclun

Pontyclun 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Johnson Miles* Unopposed
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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Llewelyn David* Unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Porthcawl

Porthcawl 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent W.A. Howell* Unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Pontlottyn

Pontlottyn 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W.A. Hancock* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Pontypridd Town

Pontypridd Town 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jesse Powderhill* Unopposed
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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
People's Candidate Daniel Jones 1,067
Labour John Talfryn Llewellyn 1,008
Majority 59
Independent hold Swing

Swansea Valley

Swansea Valley 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Jenkins* Unopposed N/A N/A
Labour hold

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

Treforest 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Hopkin J. Smith 1,840
Labour Arthur James Chick* 1,836
Majority 4
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Treherbert

Treherbert 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Edward Williams* 2,856
Independent Edwin Jenkins 402
Majority 2,454
Labour hold Swing

Treorchy

Treorchy 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Hughes* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Tylorstown

Tylorstown 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Lewis** Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Vale of Neath

Vale of Neath 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William A. Betty* 2,557
Plaid Cymru Oliver J. Evans 1,083
Independent J.W. Davies 659
Majority 1,474
Labour hold Swing

Ynyshir

Ynyshir 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Robins 1,192
People's Candidate Morgan Benjamin 1,177
Majority 15
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

Ystrad 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Henry Winter* 1,235
Communist Edwin Brinley Roberts 881
Independent David Jenkins 871
Majority 354
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 1937 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, and the retiring aldermen were all re-elected.[3]

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

  • William Bowen (Lab, Llanfabon)
  • David Daniel Davies (Lab, Pontardawe)
  • Rose Davies (Lab, Aberaman)
  • John Evans (Lab, Maesteg)
  • Johnson Dicks (Lab, Abercynon)
  • E.H. Fleming (Lab, Hopkinstown)
  • William Jenkins (Lab, Glyncorrwg)
  • Caradoc Jones (Lab, Llandeilo Talybont)
  • David Lewis (Lab, Tylorstown)
  • Dorothy Rees (Lab, Barry Dock)
  • John Thomas (Lab, Port Talbot)

By-elections

Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.

Aberaman by-election

Aberaman by-election 1937
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.[4] 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 1937
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 1937
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 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Williams Unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Port Talbot by-election

Joe Brown, former agent to Ramsay Macdonald when he was MP for Abervaron, failed to gain the Labour nomination and ran as an Independent.[5]

Port Talbot by-election 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Llewellyn Heycock 1,817
Independent Joseph A. Brown 1,248
Majority 569
Labour hold Swing

Tylorstown by-election

Tylorstown by-election 1937
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

  1. 1 2 "Nominations for County Council Elections. Many Unopposed Returns in Glamorgan and Gwent". Western Mail. 16 February 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Glamorgan and Gwent Elections. Little Change in Position of Parties". Western Mail. 2 March 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "County Councillors's Plea to Boycott "Western Mail"". Western Mail. 19 March 1937. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "County Council By-Elections". Western Mail. 20 April 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "Councillor J.A. Brown Leaves Labour Party". Port Talbot Guardian. 14 April 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 20 April 2021.

Bibliography

  • Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
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