West House, Penarth, the council's headquarters

Penarth Town Council is an elected community council serving the town of Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

Background

Penarth has had a council of one form or another since the 1890s. Penarth Town Council came into existence in 1974^[1] at the same time as local government reorganisation.

Town councillors represent Penarth's views on various committees and to wider public bodies. It gives out awards^[2] and grants. The council is responsible for Penarth Cemetery (which was originally acquired by Penarth Urban District Council in 1903)^[3] and the town allotments.^[4]

The council also manages three important buildings in the town, namely West House (the council headquarters), The Paget Rooms (a theatre in the town centre) and The Kymin (a Georgian house near the seafront).^[4][5] West House was purchased from Vale of Glamorgan Council for £100,000 and is the location for the council chamber (where council meetings are held), a Register Office (for births and deaths) and is a licensed wedding venue.^[6]

Representation

Electoral wards of Penarth

Sixteen councillors are elected from the four electoral wards in the town, namely: Cornerswell (4), Plymouth (4), St Augustine's (5) and Stanwell (3). In 2017 eleven of the seats were won by the Labour Party and five by the Conservatives.^[7][8]

In January 2018 the council supported recommendations that five senior councillors would receive an allowance of £500 per year.^[9]

Mayor

The council elects a town mayor and deputy mayor annually.^[10]

Council composition

Following the election on 4 May 2017 Labour were the largest party. The Conservatives increased their numbers from four to five, winning back a seat from Labour for the St Augustine's ward.^[7] Candidates also stood for Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Penarth First Independents, though these other parties didn't win any seats.^[7] Stanwell councillor Janice Birch, who'd first been elected in 1975, stood down at this election.^[11]

West House

West House which has Victorian additions dates back several centuries. There are records from the mid 1700s which show it was originally a farm house. In 1765 the Will of Edward Edwards (1702-1765) states that West House Farm which he owned as a rental property was to be left to his daughter Catherine Edwards.^[12] He also mentions in the Will that he owned Marsh House Farm.

It seems that the Edwards family immediately sold the two farms as in a Survey of 1766^[13] they were shown to both be in the possession of the Earl of Plymouth as part of the Plymouth Estate. At this time the Earl was Other Windsor, 4th Earl of Plymouth (1731-1771). After his dealth it was inherited by his son Other Windsor, 5th Earl of Plymouth (1751-1799) and then by his son Other Windsor, 6th Earl of Plymouth (1789-1833). After his death in 1833 his sister Harriet Windsor-Clive, 13th Baroness Windsor (1797-1869) became the owner. The Tithe map of 1843 for Penarth shows that she and her husband Robert Windsor- Clive were the owners of West House and Elizabeth Lawrence was the occupier.^[14] Lady Harriet Windsor-Clive was a major benefactor of Penarth. She built the Penarth Dock^[15] and made large financial contributions to the schools. When Harriet died in 1869 her grandson Robert Windsor-Clive, 14th Baron Windsor (1857-1923) inherited the Plymouth Estate including West House.

Elizabeth Lawrence who was the tenant farmer of the house in 1843 was the widow of Thomas Lawrence who had died in 1839. She is recorded in the 1841 Census with her three sons and three daughters. In the 1851 Census it states that she and two of her sons were farmers of 400 acres at West House. She died in 1852 and her son Llewellen Lawrence continued to run the farm.^[16] He left the property in 1864.^[17]

Sale notice for West House in 1880 describing the property before the 1887 Victorian additions were made.

By 1871 the Edwards family were the tenants of West House. James Edwards (1837-1892) was the harbour superintendent at Penarth Dock. He married in 1860 Jane Isabella Price^[18] and the couple had seven children. In 1875 he signed a 99 year lease with Lord Windsor who was the owner of West House at this time.^[19] In 1880 he advertised the house for sale. The advertisement is shown and describes the building before the alterations and additions were made in 1887 (see below). The house was purchased by Frederick Henry Jotham.

Frederick Henry Jotham (1845-1925) was for about 25 years a Councilor on the Glamorgan County Council. Before that he was a Councilor on the Cardiff Council. He also owned a clothing business called Jotham and Sons in Cardiff. In 1874 he married Emma Francis (1854-1930) and the couple had four children.

In 1887 the Cardiff firm of architects called Seward and Thomas were commissioned to make alterations and additions to West House.^[20] The most famous architect in this firm was Edwin Seward who built several notable buildings on the area. The Jotham family continued to live at West House until 1901 when it was sold to the Lambert family.

Francis Henry Lambert (1866-1929) was a partner in the firm Lambert, Barnett and Co who were ship owners. He was also a director of several companies most notably Lambert Brothers, coal exporters.^[21] In 1891 he married Florence Lilley Hovenden (1866-1940) but the couple had no children. Francis died in 1929 and Florence continued to live at West House until her death in 1940. In 1941 the house was advertised for sale. The advertisement can be seen at this reference.^[22] It was bought by the Penarth Council^[23] who still own it today.

References