1910 Glamorgan County Council election

The 1910 Glamorgan County Council election was the eighth contest for seats on this local authority in south Wales. It was preceded by the 1907 election and followed by the 1913 election.

As in most parts of Wales, the Liberal Party was once again triumphant and won a majority of the seats. The Conservatives made a further advance in the western part of the county where they also held on in a number of industrial wards where the influence of paternalism remained strong. A more striking factor was the advance of Labour candidates in several areas and there were also a number of Liberal members who were returned under a 'progressive' banner with support from the labour movement.

There were numerous boundary changes resulting from the secession of Merthyr Tydfil from Glamorgan to create a new County Borough.^[1] There were boundary changes at Maesteg, leading to the creation of a second seat.^[2]

All eleven retiring aldermen were Liberals, or Lib-Lab members as the Conservatives and their allies had been denied any seats on the aldermanic bench since 1901.

Most seats were contested. In the western part of the county, industrialists standing as Conservatives continued to hold their found in some wards.^[3]

There were only two contested elections in the Aberdare district, and both were again more personal than political.

There were a number of contested elections in this area.

In these areas the Conservatives again performed well, mainly at the expense of the Liberals.

Aberaman 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Luther Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

J.M. Smith held on to the seat he had held since 1889, increasing his majority over Labour. The result was said to have been greeted by a large crowd.^[4]

Aberavon 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Morgan Smith*	729
	Labour	Josiah Charles	337
Majority			392
	Independent hold		Swing

Boundary Change. The Labour candidate had entered the fray at the last moment causing a three-cornered contest in this new ward.^[5]

Abercynon 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr Isaac Llewelyn Morris*	709
	Liberal	James Evans	508
	Labour	W.H. May	461
Majority			201
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberdare Town 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Hughes*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bargoed 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev D.L. Evans	729
	Labour	Walter Lewis	611
Majority			118
	Liberal gain from Independent		Swing

Barry 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev D.H. Williams	899
	Conservative	F.P. Jones-Lloyd	629
Majority			270
	Liberal hold		Swing

Barry Dock 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Jones*	888
	Conservative	F.T. Moesford	311
Majority			577
	Liberal win (new seat)

In a contest between two Liberals, John Howell, first elected in 1895, was defeated by Gwilym Treharne who had opposed him on several occasions in the past.

Blaengwawr 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Gwilym Alexander Treharne	696
	Liberal	John Howell*	624
Majority			72
	Liberal hold		Swing

Randall was again returned unopposed, with the Liberals deciding not to oppose him.

Bridgend 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Morgan Randall*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Briton Ferry 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Gwynn*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Caeharris 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Edward Pritchard Martin	unopposed

Cadoxton 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Gwyn Morris	729
	Liberal	P.J. O' Donnell*	492
Majority			237
	Liberal hold		Swing

Boundary Change. The previous Caerphilly division was divided.

Caerphilly 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Howells	778
	Independent Liberal	Josiah Morgan	641
Majority			137
	Liberal win (new seat)

Cilfynydd 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.R. Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Coedffranc 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Howell	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Coity 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Evans*	571
	Liberal	Rev H. Eynon Lewis	286
	Liberal hold		Swing

The sitting member, a timber merchant at Pendoylan, who had captured the seat three years previously, was now returned unopposed.

Cowbridge 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas William David*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Henry Davies held on to the seat he won in 1907.

Cwmavon 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Henry Davies*	747
	Liberal	Moses Thomas	433
Majority			314
	Labour hold		Swing

Cyfarthfa 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Lib-Lab	Thomas Thomas*	515
	Liberal	Thomas Davies	266
Majority
	Lib-Lab gain from Liberal		Swing

Cymmer 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Morgan Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

The sitting member had held the seat for many years and was again returned.

Dinas Powys 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Oliver Henry Jones*	527
	Liberal	D.R. Morgan	405
Majority			122
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dowlais 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Davies*	410
	Liberal	D. Jenkins	397
Majority			13
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dulais Valley 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Daniels	679
	Liberal	'Ll.D. Howell*	378
	Labour	George Jones	185
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ferndale 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Samuel*	1,224
	Conservative	E. Nelmes	546
Majority			678
	Liberal hold		Swing

Following the recent death of Griffith George, a fellow Liberal was elected in his place. There was no Labour candidate.

Gadlys 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T. Walter Williams	838
	Liberal	William Thomas Harris	136
Majority			702
	Liberal hold		Swing

Garw Valley 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Gellifaelog

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lewis*	unopposed

Gelligaer 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Thomas	739
	Conservative	D.S. Jones*	494
Majority			245
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Glyncorrwg 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Jenkins*	unopposed

Gower 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	George E. Gordon*	561
	Labour	W.H. Davies	496

In this new ward, long-serving alderman David Prosser was defeated.

Hengoed 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.D. Lloyd	616
	Liberal	David Prosser**	315

Henry Lewis again returned after many years.

Kibbor 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Lewis*	1,035
	Liberal	D. Morgan Rees	379
Majority			656
	Conservative hold		Swing

Robert Forrest held the seat comfortably.

Llandaff 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Forrest*	969
	Liberal	William Evans	544

First elected in 1889, Rees Harries was again returned by a substantial majority.

Llandeilo Talybont 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rees Harries**	764
	Liberal	J.R. Watkins	218
Majority			546
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llansamlet 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Jordan*	unopposed

Llantrisant 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Blandy Jenkins*	unopposed

Llwydcoed 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rees Llewellyn*	unopposed

James Evans, grocer, elected following Richard Lewis's election as alderman in 1901, was returned unopposed.

Llwynypia and Clydach 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Evans*	unopposed

John Glasbrook was elected unopposed following the retirement of Sir John Llewelyn.

Loughor and Penderry 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Glasbrook	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Vernon Hartshorn, miners agent was returned by a huge majority

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Vernon Hartshorn	933
	Liberal	John Roderick	171

This was a repeat of the contest three years previously with the same result.

Maesteg East and West 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan E. Davies	1,067
		J.P. Gibbon	776

Following the retirement of the Liberal member, the son of the former Independent councillor, defeated in 1904, won a narrow victory over Labour.

Margam 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Llewelyn David	973
	Labour	Rees Llewellyn	941
Majority			32
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Merthyr Town 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.D. Jones	663
	Conservative	Dan Thomas	297
Majority			366
	Liberal hold		Swing

Merthyr Vale 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Prosser*	880
	Liberal	Rowland Evans	729
Majority			151
	Liberal hold		Swing

Morriston 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William John Percy Player	unopposed
			Swing

Mountain Ash 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Neath (North) 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hopkin Morgan*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Neath (South) 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Frederick William Gibbins*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Liberal hold

T.J. Hughes, vice-chairman of the county council was returned unopposed.

Newcastle 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T.J. Hughes**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

The ward was renamed Porthcawl. In a close contest a prominent Liberal defeated the former Conservative councillor.

Ogmore 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev W.J. Phillips	573
	Conservative	J.D.I. Nicholl	502
	Liberal hold		Swing

Alderman William Llewellyn was again returned unopposed.

Ogmore Valley 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Llewellyn**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Oystermouth 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	T.W. James*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Penarth North 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Rev E.S. Roberts	387
	Liberal	Jenkin Llewellyn	385
Majority			2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Penarth South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Frederick Henry Jotham	unopposed

Penrhiwceiber 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr. Ben Phillips Jones	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

E.T. Davies, auctioneer, had been elected at a by-election following Elias Henry Davies's appointment as alderman in 1902. He was now returned unopposed.

Pentre 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	E.T. Davies	996
	Liberal	J.B. Price	476
	Liberal hold		Swing

Penydarren

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Davies*	516
	Conservative	T.E. Morgan	270
Majority			146

Pontardawe 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frank W. Gilbertson*	922
	Labour	Johnny James	710
Majority			212
	Conservative hold		Swing

Plymouth

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry W. Lewis*	603
	Conservative	A. Daniel	440

Pontlottyn 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Williams	563
	Liberal	J. E. Jones	372
Majority			200
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pontypridd 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E.H. Fleming	602
	Liberal	James Roberts*	398
	Conservative	H.M. Gregory	383
Majority			204
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Penygraig appears to be a new ward.

Penygraig 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rees Lloyd	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Porth and Penygraig 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Evans	920
	Labour	John Hughes	411
Majority			509
	Liberal hold		Swing

Resolven 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Evans**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Sketty 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev John Davies	355
	Labour	Thomas Hopkins	300
	Liberal hold		Swing

Swansea Valley 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	E. Lewis*	825
	Liberal	Dr J. Jones	364
Majority			461
	Liberal hold		Swing

Treforest 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Samuel Evans	671
	Liberal	James Roberts*	614
Majority			57

Enoch Davies, returned in 1901 following William Morgan's re-election as alderman, was elected unopposed.

Treherbert 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Enoch Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Thomas Jones, Co-operative stores manager, was returned unopposed.

Treorchy 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

D.W. Davies, the member since 1898, was returned unopposed for the second successive election.

Tonypandy 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.W. Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Sitting councillor Dr T.H. Morris stood down to allow Alderman W.H. Mathias to be returned unopposed.

Tylorstown and Ynyshir 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.H. Mathias**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ystalyfera 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Griffiths	528
	Liberal	Edgar Rees	308
	Liberal	D.W. Davies	38
Majority			220
	Labour hold		Swing

Clifford Cory, the member since 1892, was once again returned unopposed.

Ystrad 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Clifford John Cory*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

In addition to the 66 councillors the council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Boundary changes following the secession of Merthyr kept the number of councillors at 66 through the creation of additional wards. The number of aldermen therefore remained unchanged. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1910 election, there were twelve Aldermanic vacancies rather than eleven owing to the resignation of John Davies, an alderman elected for a Merthyr ward.

The following aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council.

elected for six years Thomas, W. M. David G. h- Fleming, Rhys 11 airies, Dd. Hughes G. J. Hughes, W. Jones, J. Jordan, Rhys Llew- ellyn, W. Llewellyn, W. H. Matthews, W. M. Williams, and Rev. D. H. Williams.

elected for three years

William Thomas, High Constable of Miskin Higher, who had been nominated at the initial election but agreed to withdraw to prevent a split in the Liberal ranks was now returned unopposed.^[6]

Aberdare Town by-election 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Thomas	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Harris, elected when Llewellyn was initially made an alderman, was again returned.^[6]

Llwydcoed by-election 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	M.J. Harris*	unopposed

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