1931 Glamorgan County Council election

The thirteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in March 1931. It was preceded by the 1928 election and followed by the 1934 election.

Overview of the Result

Labour was defending a secure majority in an election where they faced opposition from the left in the form of the Communist Party, as well as more traditional oppoenents. The result showed little change from previous years.

Boundary Changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Candidates

13 candidates were returned unopposed.^[1]

Contested Elections

Most of the retiring aldermen were returned.

Outcome

Labour retains their majority.^[2]

Results

Aberaman

Aberaman 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Florence Rose Davies**	2,408
	Independent	T.Ll. Davies	1,833
Majority			575
	Labour hold		Swing

Aberavon

Aberavon 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Edward Lewis Horne*	2,369
	Independent	E. Marchant Jenkins	1,984
Majority			385
	Labour hold		Swing

Abercynon

Abercynon 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Richard A. Thomas	2,473
	Liberal	Edward J. Thomas	1,579
Majority			394
	Labour hold		Swing

Aberdare Town

Aberdare Town 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Bargoed

Bargoed 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	W.H. Hopkins*	2,760
	Independent	Gus Jones	1,786
Majority			974
	Labour hold		Swing

Barry

Barry 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Rev D.H. Williams**	1,953
	Labour	Rev R.H. Lomas*	1,494
Majority			459
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Barry Dock

Barry Dock 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.M. Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Blaengwawr

Blaengwawr 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	W.J. Edwards*	1,156
	Independent	Henry Vause	518
	Communist	Trevor Williams	152
Majority			638
	Labour hold		Swing

Bridgend

Bridgend 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent Liberal	Dapho Llewellyn Powell*	1,713
	Ind. Conservative	William W. Phillips	1,227
Majority			486
	Independent hold		Swing

Briton Ferry

Briton Ferry 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	George Gethin*	1,946
	Independent	W.J. Hill	1,714
Majority			232
	Labour hold		Swing

Cadoxton

Cadoxton 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Dudley Thomas Howe	1,631
	Labour	Frederick Cook	1,160
Majority			471
	Independent hold		Swing

Caerphilly

Alderman Joseph Howells won the seat after the sitting Independent councillor withdrew in his favour.

Caerphilly 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Thomas Edwards*	2,412
	Labour	Evan Phillips	2,345
Majority			67
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Cilfynydd

Labour had won the seat in 1922 when long-serving member W.R. Davies, first elected in 1898, was re-elected alderman. In previous elections, Davies had been returned unopposed but on this occasion was narrowly defeated.

Cilfynydd 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Arthur Pearson	1,912
	Independent	William Roberts Davies**	1,773
Majority			139
	Labour hold		Swing

Coedffranc

Coedffranc 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	W.T. Jenkins*	2,149
	Independent	Ogley L. David	2,077
Majority			72
	Labour hold		Swing

Cowbridge

Cowbridge 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Colonel H.R. Homfray*	2,061
	Labour	David E. Harris	1,132
Majority			919
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Cwm Aber

Cwm Aber 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Hubert Jenkins*	Unopposed
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Cwmavon

Cwmavon 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Jones Edwards*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Cymmer

In 1922 David Watts-Morgan had stood down in favour of retiring Liberal alderman Morgan Williams but by 1928 Williams had retired from public life.

Cymmer 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	David Watts-Morgan*	1,378
	Independent	Mrs R.D. Chalke	925
Majority			453
	Labour hold		Swing

Dinas Powys

Dinas Powys 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ivor Broadbent Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Dulais Valley

Dulais Valley 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwilym Davies*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ferndale

Ferndale 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Alfred Evans*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Gadlys

Gadlys 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	John Prowle	1,328
	Independent	T. Marchant Harries*	1,000
Majority			328
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Glyncorrwg

Glyncorrwg 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sir William Jenkins**	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Gower

Gower 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Frederick W. Davies*	2,041
	Labour	William Henry Davies**	1,534
Majority			407
	Independent hold		Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Thomas Evans	1,810
	Independent	Edward Richards*	1,466
Majority			344
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Hopkinstown

Hopkinstown 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E.H. Fleming**	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Kibbor

Kibbor 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	H. Spence Thomas*	2,501
	Labour	W.S. Collins	857
Majority			1,644
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Llandaff

Llandaff 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lewis Lougher*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Llandeilo Talybont

Llandeilo Talybont 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Thomas Jones	2,086
	Independent	Ben Oliver	1,437
Majority			649
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanfabon

Llanfabon 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	William Bowen*	1,502
	Independent	Arthur Hopkins	1,037
Majority			465
	Labour hold		Swing

Llwydcoed

Llwydcoed 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Martha Emma Jones*	1,563
	Labour	Owen Powell	926
Majority			637
	Independent hold		Swing

Llwynypia

Llwynypia 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	James Evans**	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Loughor

Loughor 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas J. Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Hughes*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Maesteg, East and West

Maesteg East and West 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	A.E. Lockyer	2,471
	Labour	George Hitchings	1,129
Majority			1,612
	Independent hold		Swing

Mountain Ash

Mountain Ash 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lord Aberdare*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Neath (North)

Neath (North) 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Hopkin Morgan**	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Neath (South)

Neath (South) 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Rev W. Degwel Thomas	1,880
	Independent	David G. Davies	1,714
Majority			175
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Newcastle

Newcastle 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev H.R. Protheroe*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ogmore Valley

Three years previously, the SWMF candidate had defeated a railwaymen's nominee but that result was now reversed.

Ogmore Valley 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent Labour	Thomas A. Job	Unopposed
	Labour	David J. Thomas*	1,808
Majority			349
	Independent Labour gain from Labour		Swing

Penarth North

Penarth North 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Peter Freeman	802
	Independent	Walter Hallett*	801
Majority			1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Penarth South

Penarth South 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Samuel Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Pencoed

Pencoed 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.A. Howell*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Penrhiwceiber

Penrhiwceiber 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John William Bath	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pentre

Pentre 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.A. Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Pontardawe

Pontardawe 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	C. Gilbertson	2,150
	Labour	C. Williams*	1,986
Majority			164
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Pontyclun

Pontyclun 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Thomas Jenkins*	1,949
	Labour	Johnson Miles	1,636
Majority			313
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Port Talbot East

Port Talbot East 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Taliesin Mainwaring	1,461
	Independent	William A. Davies	1,363
Majority			98
	Labour hold		Swing

Port Talbot West

Port Talbot West 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Llewelyn David*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Porthcawl

Porthcawl 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	William Elias	2,585
	Labour	William J. Owen	1,626
Majority			959
	Independent hold		Swing

Pontlottyn

Pontlottyn 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.A. Hancock	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontycymmer

Pontycymmer 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ted Williams*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontypridd Town

Pontypridd Town 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	H.R. Evans*	1,651
	Labour	D.L. Davies	1,127
Majority			524
	Independent hold		Swing

Penygraig

Penygraig 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	J.P. Davies	1,680
	Labour	Nefydd Thomas*	1,628
Majority			52
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Porth

Porth 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Evans*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Swansea Valley

Swansea Valley 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Richard Thomas*	2,300
	Labour	J.L. Rees	1,622
Majority			678
	Independent hold		Swing

Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch

Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	William Arthur Jones*	1,646
	Independent	E.W. Evans	1,535
Majority			111
	Labour hold		Swing

Trealaw

Trealaw 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Enoch Treharne*	1,764
	Independent	Rev T.L. Jones	1,133
	Independent Labour	A. Boyce	1,072
Majority			631
	Labour hold		Swing

Treforest

Treforest 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Arthur James Chick*	2,175
	Independent	R. Roper	1,850
Majority			325
	Labour hold		Swing

Treherbert

Enoch Davies was defeated after 27 years after the sitting Labour councillor did not withdraw in his favour

Treherbert 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	David Edward Williams*	2,426
	Independent	Enoch Davies**	2,019
Majority			407
	Labour hold		Swing

Treorchy

Treorchy 1931
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Hughes*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Tylorstown

Tylorstown 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	John M. Evans*	2,060
	Independent	Daniel Ashton	874
Majority			1,186
	Labour hold		Swing

Vale of Neath

Vale of Neath 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.H. Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Ynyshir

Ynyshir 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	George Dalling*	2,145
	Independent	Dan Jones	1,449
Majority			699
	Labour hold		Swing

Ystalyfera

Ystalyfera 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	J.D. Brazell*	2,177
	Independent	T. Alex Evans	1,170
Majority			1,007
	Labour hold		Swing

Ystrad

Ystrad 1928
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dr W.E. Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		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 1919 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies.

References

^ "Glamorgan Contests. Eleven Aldermen Seek Election". Western Mail. 24 February 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^ "County Council Elections. Small Polls in Monmouth and Glamorgan". Western Mail. 3 March 1931. p. 5. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

Bibliography

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

[WM_24-2-31-1] "Glamorgan Contests. Eleven Aldermen Seek Election". Western Mail. 24 February 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

[WM_3-3-31-2] "County Council Elections. Small Polls in Monmouth and Glamorgan". Western Mail. 3 March 1931. p. 5. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

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