1919-45 Aberdare Urban District Council elections

The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and consisted of the ancient parish of Aberdare. It took over the former responsibilities of the Aberdare Local Board of Health which had been in place since the 1850s. The responsibilities of the new authority included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.

The authority consisted of the five wards of Aberaman (also known as No. 5 Ward), Blaengwawr (also known as No. 4 Ward), Gadlys (also known as No. 2 Ward), Llwydcoed (also known as No. 1 Ward), and the Town Ward (also known as No. 3 Ward). Initially, each ward had three members, with one member was elected from each ward on an annual basis after the initial election of 1894. In 1904 an additional member was granted to each ward, resulting in the election of ten members, out of a total of 27. As the population of the Urban District continued to grow, an additional seven seats were created. Three of these were in the Aberaman Ward and one each in the other four wards.^[1]

1919 Aberdare Urban District Council election

At the first election held following the Great War, two candidates were elected from each of the five wards. There were contests in four of the five wards.^[2] There were no changes to the political complexion of the council following the results.^[3]

Aberaman Ward (two seats)

Aberaman Ward 1919
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Edmund Mills Hann*	1,968
Labour	Illtyd Hopkins*	1,499
Independent	Gomer Thomas	721

Blaengwawr Ward (two seats)

Blaengwawr Ward 1919
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal	Evan Jones*	Unopposed

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1919
	Candidate	Votes
Liberal	E. Ogwen Williams*	1,285
Labour	Edmund Stonelake*	1,236
Independent	D. Morris Powell	782

Llwydcoed Ward (two seats)

Llwydcoed Ward 1919
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	D.R. Llewellyn*	2,133
Independent	Mrs A.N. Jenkins	1,501
Labour	Isaac Edwards	707

Town Ward (two seats)

Town Ward 1919
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Abel P. Thomas	862
Independent	David James	790
Independent	R.L. Berry	720
Labour	Mrs F. Rose Davies	569
Labour	Ben Brace	383
Independent	John Davies	359

1920 Aberdare Urban District Council election

A total of twelve candidates were to be elected; four in the Aberaman ward and two in each of the other wards. Llwydcoed ward was uncontested and the retiring members returned unopposed.^[4] Labour won two setas at Gadlys; the successful candidates included Rose Davies who became the first woman member of the council. In contrast, the party lost a seat in Aberaman.^[5]

Aberaman Ward (four seats)

Aberaman Ward 1920
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Joseph Martin*	2,176
Labour	Owen Powell*	1,845
Labour	E. Jones*	1,819
Independent	Augustus Davies	1,541
Labour	John Evans*	1,371
Independent	W. Thomas	1,325

Blaengwawr Ward (two seats)

Blaengwawr Ward 1920
	Candidate	Votes
Discharged Soldiers	Rees Williams	1,230
Labour	S. Davies	894
Labour	D.E. Davies*	891
Independent	James Jenkins	703
Independent	Dan Hughes	409

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1920
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Ben Brace	1,114
Labour	Mrs Rose Davies	1,097
Independent	W.K. Thomas	809
Independent	George Powell*	799

Llwydcoed Ward (two seats)

Llwydcoed Ward 1920
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Griffiths*	Unopposed
	Independent	W.M. Llewellyn*	Unopposed

Town Ward (two seats)

Town Ward 1920
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	R.D. Williams*	1,190
Independent	R.L. Berry	1,137
Independent	Rev J.A. Lewis	820
Discharged Soldiers	J. Edwards	769
Labour	Fred Davies	490
Labour	W.T. James	369

1921 Aberdare Urban District Council election

One member was to be returned for each ward; this was the first election for the retiring members to contest given that the 1915 and 1918 elections had not been held. All members were returned unoppposed.^[6]

Aberaman Ward

Aberaman Ward 1921
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Rees*	unopposed

Blaengwawr Ward

Blaengwawr Ward 1921
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Lawrence*	unopposed

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1921
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Idwal Thomas*	Unopposed

Llwydcoed Ward

Llwydcoed Ward 1921
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.O. George*	Unopposed

Town Ward

Town Ward 1921
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Thomas*	Unopposed

1922 Aberdare Urban District Council election

Four of the five wards were contested; the exception being the Llwydcoed ward where two Independents were returned unopposed.^[7] Labour lost two seats as prominent local figure Edmund Stonelake and the long-serving Illtyd Hopkins lost their seats. Prominent coalowner E.M. Hann did not seek re-election.^[8]

Aberaman Ward (two seats)

Aberaman Ward 1922
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Daniel Jones	2,034
Independent	Major E.I. David	2,013
Independent	Jonah Lewis	1,455
Labour	Illtyd Hopkins*	1,397

Blaengwawr Ward (two seats)

Blaengwawr Ward 1922
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Evan Jones*	1,248
Labour	David Davies*	1,096
British Legion	Shapland	1,064

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1922
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	E. Ogwen Williams*	1,504
Independent	D. Morris Powell	1,460
Labour	Edmund Stonelake*	969

Llwydcoed Ward (two seats)

Llwydcoed Ward 1922
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.J. Hodges	Unopposed
	Independent	Mrs A.N. Jenkins*	Unopposed

Town Ward (two seats)

Town Ward 1922
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Abel P. Thomas	1,563
Independent	David James	1,449
Labour	Fred Davies	705

1923 Aberdare Urban District Council election

All five wards were contested with Labour losing a total of four seats.^[9] Labour's defeats consisted of two seats in Gadlys, and one each in Llwydcoed and Aberaman.

In Llwydcoed, prominent local builder D. Tyssul Davies, a native of Llandysul who had lived in Aberdare for 38 years, and had recently purchased the Llwydcoed estate, ousted Labour councillor John Griffiths. Two sitting members were defeated in Gadlys including serving county councillor Rose Davies. It was stated that a factor in the campaign had been her confinement at Aberdare General Hospital, with the Aberdare Leader commenting that "it is remarkable the indignation showed by so many towards this comparatively trivial incident". Glen George, one of the successful candidates in Gadlys, was the son of the late former councillor Griffith George. The other winning candidate, James Evans, was described as a fluent speaker but rather stiff in English.^[9]

Aberaman Ward (four seats)

Aberaman Ward 1923
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Harry Cohen	2,327
Labour	Evan Jones*	1,848
Independent	John Davies	1,591
Independent	Augustus Davies*	1,589
Labour	Owen Powell*	1,515
Labour	J.T. Norman	1,407
Independent	John James	916
Independent	W.R. Morgan	792

Blaengwawr Ward (two seats)

Blaengwawr Ward 1923
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	D. Ezer Davies	1.044
Independent	Tom Howells	1,027
Independent	John Jenkins	987
Labour	W.J. Rees	876

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1923
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Glen George	1,621
Independent	James Evans	1,187
Labour	Ben Brace*	1,108
Labour	Mrs Rose Davies*	1,094

Llwydcoed Ward (two seats)

Llwydcoed Ward 1923
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	W.M. Llewellyn*	2,499
Independent	D. Tyssul Davies	1,585
Labour	John Griffiths*	1,096

Town Ward (two seats)

Town Ward 1923
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Tom M. Miles	2.002
Independent	R.L. Berry*	1,606
Labour	Thomas Williams	817

1924 Aberdare Urban District Council election

Five members were to be elected, one in each ward, and three wards were uncontested.^[10] The two contested wards saw no change in the political composition of the council.^[11]

Aberaman Ward

Aberaman Ward 1924
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Lewis	unopposed

Blaengwawr Ward

Blaengwawr Ward 1924
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Lawrence*	unopposed

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1924
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Idwal Thomas*	1,220
	Independent	Richard Morgan	900

Llwydcoed Ward

Llwydcoed Ward 1924
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	George Jones	1,114
	Labour	W. Smith	741

Town Ward

Town Ward 1924
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Thomas*	Unopposed

1925 Aberdare Urban District Council election

All five wards were contested, resulting in four Labour gains and the defeat of several long-serving Independent members.^[12]

Aberaman Ward (two seats)

Aberaman Ward 1925
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Evan Edwin Jones	2,398
Labour	William Yeoman	2,165
Independent	Daniel Jones*	1,961
Independent	Major E.I. David *	1,733

Blaengwawr Ward (two seats)

Blaengwawr Ward 1925
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	T. Meredith*	1,316
Labour	John Morgan	1,182
Independent	Evan Jones*	1,136
Independent	Cliff Thomas	976

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1925
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Ben J. Brace	1,349
Independent	D. Morris Powell	1,181
Independent	E. Ogwen Williams*	979

Llwydcoed Ward (two seats)

Llwydcoed Ward 1925
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Mrs A.N. Jenkins*	1,492
Independent	W.J. Hodges	1,471
Labour	John Davies	708

Town Ward (two seats)

Town Ward 1925
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	David James	1,553
Independent	Abel P. Thomas	1,542
Labour	Simon Probert	710

1926 Aberdare Urban District Council election

Four of the five wards were contested and, in contrast to three years previously when Labour lost four seats, they gained a further three seats, having made a similar advance in 1925.^[13] Labour gained a seat in Aberaman, Blengwawr and Gadlys.

Aberaman Ward (four seats)

Aberaman Ward 1926
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Harry Cohen*	2,271
Labour	D.H. Jones	2,237
Labour	D.J. Jones	2,050
Labour	W.G. Morton	1,997
Labour	James Lynch	1,984
Independent	Daniel Jones	1,939
Independent	Augustus Davies*	1,694
Independent	James Roberts	1,613

Blaengwawr Ward (two seats)

Blaengwawr Ward 1923
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	D. Ezer Davies*	1.511
Labour	Martin James	1.216
Independent	Tom Howells*	1,081
Independent	Clifford Thomas	866

Gadlys Ward

Gadlys Ward 1926
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Glen George*	1,195
Labour	John R. James	1,190
Independent	James Evans*	1,168
Labour	Mrs Matt Lewis	1,042

Llwydcoed Ward (two seats)

Llwydcoed Ward 1923
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D. Tyssul Davies	Unopposed
	Independent	W.M. Llewellyn*	Unopposed

Town Ward (two seats)

Town Ward 1926
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	E.J. Lewis	1,512
Independent	R.L. Berry*	1,500
Labour	Edmund Stonelake	1,026
Labour	S. Probert	812

References

↑ "Aberdare District Council Elections. Every Ward to be Contested". Aberdare Leader. 18 July 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
↑ "Nominations". Aberdare Leader. 22 March 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
↑ "Aberdare Council Elections". Aberdare Leader. 12 April 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
↑ "Aberdare Council. Twenty-One Candidates for Ten Seats". Aberdare Leader. 20 March 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
↑ "District Council Election (Aberdare)". Aberdare Leader. 3 April 1920. p. 5. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
↑ "No Election at Aberdare". Aberdare Leader. 26 March 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
↑ "Aberdare Council Nominations". Aberdare Leader. 25 March 1922. p. 4. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
↑ "Municipal Elections". Aberdare Leader. 8 April 1922. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
1 2 "Aberdare Council Elections". Aberdare Leader. 31 March 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
↑ "The Local Elections. Two Old Members Retire from the Fray". Aberdare Leader. 29 March 1924. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
↑ "Local Elections". Aberdare Leader. 12 April 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
↑ "Local Elections. Four Labour Gains on the Council". Aberdare Leader. 11 April 1925. p. 8. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
↑ "Aberdare Council Elections". Aberdare Leader. 3 April 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 1 April 2026.

[AL_18-7-14_nom-1] "Aberdare District Council Elections. Every Ward to be Contested". Aberdare Leader. 18 July 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 9 April 2025.

[AL_22-3-19-2] "Nominations". Aberdare Leader. 22 March 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 1 May 2025.

[AL_12-4-19_UDC-3] "Aberdare Council Elections". Aberdare Leader. 12 April 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 1 May 2025.

[AL_20-3-20-4] "Aberdare Council. Twenty-One Candidates for Ten Seats". Aberdare Leader. 20 March 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 28 May 2025.

[AL_3-4-20_UDC-5] "District Council Election (Aberdare)". Aberdare Leader. 3 April 1920. p. 5. Retrieved 28 May 2025.

[AL_26-3-21-6] "No Election at Aberdare". Aberdare Leader. 26 March 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 1 June 2025.

[AL_25-3-22-7] "Aberdare Council Nominations". Aberdare Leader. 25 March 1922. p. 4. Retrieved 28 October 2025.

[AL_8-4-22_UDC-8] "Municipal Elections". Aberdare Leader. 8 April 1922. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2025.

[AL_31-3-23-9] 1 2 "Aberdare Council Elections". Aberdare Leader. 31 March 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 28 October 2025.

[AL_29-3-24-10] "The Local Elections. Two Old Members Retire from the Fray". Aberdare Leader. 29 March 1924. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2025.

[AL_1-4-24-11] "Local Elections". Aberdare Leader. 12 April 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 23 December 2025.

[AL_11-4-25_UDC-12] "Local Elections. Four Labour Gains on the Council". Aberdare Leader. 11 April 1925. p. 8. Retrieved 31 March 2026.

[AL_3-4-26-13] "Aberdare Council Elections". Aberdare Leader. 3 April 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 1 April 2026.

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