1952 Carmarthenshire County Council election
An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in April 1952.[1] It was preceded by the 1949 election and followed, by the 1955 election.
Overview of the result
After capturing control of the Council for the first time in 1949, Labour strengthened their hold by gaining an additional six seats in the Llanelli area. These included the two new wards created after boundary changes and the two wards in Llanelli town lost in by-elections in 1949. This counterbalanced the loss of Llangeler where Labour did not field a candidate. This was augmented by taking seven of the nine vacancies on the aldermanic bench.[2]
Boundary changes
Two additional seats were created, at Burry Port and Felinfoel.
Retiring aldermen
The aldermen who retired at the election were ...
Retiring Labour councillors Haydn Lewis and Evan Bevan stood down in Ammanford and Llandybie respectively to allow Aldermen Frank Davies, and D.B. Lewis to be returned unopposed. Likewise, H.H. Harries and J.H. Davies stood down in Llandissilio and Llansteffan in favour of Edward James and T.Ll. Harries. Aldermen John Phillips (Cwmamman) and J.D. Rees (St Clears) withdrew at the last moment.[3]
Unopposed returns
34 members were returned unopposed, which included both rural and urban seats.[3]
Contested elections
25 seats were contested, including a number of instances where rival Independents fought each other. As in 1949, Independents sought to fight elections in Llanelli as a group, but had little success. Following the elections, Labour held all nine wards in Llanelli town for the first time.
A number of retiring aldermen stood as candidates and were returned unopposed. In Carmarthen, Alderman William Edwards, a member of the Council since 1928, stood in a town ward rather than in Llangunnor which he represented as a councilor until 1946. Edwards was defeated by the retiring Labour member.
Summary of results
This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections.
This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 53 councillors were elected.
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | |||||||||
Plaid Cymru | |||||||||
Independent |
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | |||||||||
Plaid Cymru | |||||||||
Independent |
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | |||||||||
Plaid Cymru | |||||||||
Independent |
Ward results
Abergwili
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William John Phillips | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Ammanford No.1
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Frank Davies** | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Ammanford No.2
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Harries* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Berwick
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Isaac Daniel* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Burry Port East
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Labor Dennis | 921 | |||
Independent | Dr W.D. Williams | 471 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Burry Port West
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Edward Lewis* | 901 | |||
Independent | Gwyn Thomas | 273 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Caio
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Thomas Davies* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G.V. Davies* | 1,240 | |||
Independent | William Edwards** | 1,022 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Carmarthen Division 2
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | J.O. Morgans* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Carmarthen Division 3
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | J. Verdi Jenkins* | 931 | |||
Labour | Ellis J. Powell | 708 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Cenarth
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | D.E. James Jones* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Cilycwm
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | D.I. Lewis | 448 | |||
Independent | J.A. Owen* | 290 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Conwil
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | W.A. Phillips* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Cwmamman
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David Davies* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Felinfoel
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Joseph Howells** | unopposed | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Hengoed
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David John Stone* | 864 | |||
Independent | J.G. Thomas | 358 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Kidwelly
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J.H. Williams* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Laugharne
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | W.G. John | 797 | |||
Independent | H.R. Lewis | 582 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanarthney
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Edgar Lewis* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanboidy
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William Joshua Phillips* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llandebie North
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwilym R. Thomas* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llandebie South
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D.B. Lewis** | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llandilo Rural
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | David Marlais Humphreys | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llandilo Urban
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | James Morgan Davies* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llandovery
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William Davies | 565 | |||
Independent | Anthony H. Gower* | 425 | |||
Independent | James James | 157 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llandyssilio
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Edward James** | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanedy
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyn Howells* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanegwad
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Griffith Evans* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanelly Division.1
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Rev David Penry Jones* | 1,064 | |||
Independent | W.G. Edmunds | 1,041 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanelly Division 2
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Dr H.D. Llewellyn | 1,117 | |||
Independent | John Zammit* | 1,070 | |||
Labour gain from Independent | Swing |
Llanelly Division 3
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Mrs Claudia R. Rees* | 696 | |||
Independent | Edith A. Francis | 283 | |||
Majority | |||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanelly Division 4
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Mrs Charlotte Hopkins* | 1,306 | |||
Independent | Thomas B.J. Perks | 685 | |||
Majority | |||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanelly Division 5
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sidney Lewis | 532 | |||
Independent | Frederick Howells* | 500 | |||
Majority | |||||
Labour gain from Independent | Swing |
Llanelly Division 6
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William J. Davies* | 859 | |||
Independent | William Hughes | 93 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanelly Division 7
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D.J. Williams | 1,387 | |||
Independent | Eleanor Thomas* | 651 | |||
Labour gain from Independent | Swing |
Llanelly Division 8
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George M. McConkey | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanelly Division 9
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S.I. Thomas | 1,150 | |||
Independent | A.H. Olive* | 865 | |||
Labour gain from Independent | Swing |
Llanfihangel Aberbythick
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | T.J. Williams* | 766 | |||
Labour | D.G. Williams | 446 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | John Davies* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llangadog
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Richard Evans | 618 | |||
Independent | William Jones | 486 | |||
Plaid Cymru hold | Swing |
Llangeler
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | John Evans | unopposed | |||
Independent gain from Labour | Swing |
Llangendeirne
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Rev R.G. James* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llangennech
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Thomas Bowen* | 959 | |||
Plaid Cymru | Trefor Beasley | 289 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llangunnor
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | John Dobson Phelps | 626 | |||
Independent | William Parry Thomas* | 557 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanon
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sidney Jones* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llansawel
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Daniel Williams* | 312 | |||
Independent | John Morgan | 295 | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanstephan
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | T.Ll. Haries* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanybyther
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Benjamin Edward Davies* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Myddfai
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Morgan Lewis Jones* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Pembrey
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Simon John Elwyn Samuel* | 1,180 | |||
Independent | Evelyn M. Thomas | 503 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Pontyberem
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Williams* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Quarter Bach
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Josiah Jones* | 1,674 | |||
Independent | Owen A. Jenkins | 658 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Rhydcymmerai
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | David Thomas* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
St Clears
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | T.E. Williams* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
St Ishmaels
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Trevor Rhys Morris* | 815 | |||
Independent | M.T. Evans | 418 | |||
Independent | M. Jones | 240 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Trelech
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Simon Owen Thomas* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Trimsaran
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Brinley Jenkins* | 718 | |||
Independent | William Harries | 288 | |||
Independent | C. Phillips | 206 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Westfa
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W.J.F. Thomas | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Whitland
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William Hughes Mathias* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Election of aldermen
In addition to the 59 councillors the council consisted of 19 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections, seven of the nine aldermanic vacancies were taken by Labour. The leader of the Labour group, Douglas Hughes, justified this by stating that the Independents had behaved in a similar fashion over many years.[2]
- Joseph Howells, Labour
- D.B. Lewis, Labour
- Frank Davies, Labour
- John Harries, Labour
- Edgar Lewis, Labour
- D.J. Stone, Labour
- Gwilym R. Thomas, Labour
- Edward James, Independent
- T.Ll. Harries, Independent
By-elections
Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held. Four members of the previous authority who had stood down in favour of retiring aldermen were now returned unopposed.[4] The two contested elections included a strong showing by Plaid Cymru in Ammanford.[5]
Ammanford No.1 by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Haydn Lewis* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Ammanford No.2 by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Thomas Elias Evans | 663 | |||
Plaid Cymru | David Samuel Gwynfor Evans | 558 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Felinfoel by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Arthur Cledwyn Francis | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Hengoed by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Edgar S. Samuel | 497 | |||
Independent Labour | Gwilym Thomas | 344 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llanarthney by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D.M. Davies | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llandybie North by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Evan Bevan* | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llandybie South by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Morris | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Llandyssilio by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | H.H. Harries | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
Llanstephan by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | J.H. Davies | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing |
References
- ^ "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 11 April 1952.
- ^ a b "New County Aldermen". Carmarthen Journal. 25 April 1952.
- ^ a b "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 28 March 1952.
- ^ "County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 16 May 1955.
- ^ "County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 6 June 1955.