The seventeenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in March 1946. It was preceded by the 1937 election after the 1940 and 1943 elections were postponed due to the Second World War. It was followed by the 1949 election.
Overview
Labour's comfortable majority on the council, including the aldermanic bench, remained unchanged.
Boundary changes
There were no boundary changes at this election.
Candidates
A significant number of Labour candidates were returned unopposed. A number of long-standing members stood down including the Reverend William Saunders, who was not selected as a Labour candidate and Gwilym Davies (Dulais Valley).
There was significant Communist opposition, particularly in the Rhondda where Labour had only narrowly retained the Rhondda West constituency at the previous year's General Election.
In Neath, it was originally reposed that long-serving councillor D.G. Davies, who had been a member of the county council with a few breaks for twenty-five years, would stand again.[1] However, he ultimately stood down.
Nine of the retiring aldermen sought re-election, the exceptions being the Rev William Saunders and Edgar Chappell.
Outcome
Labour retained their majority. In the Rhondda Valley, Labour withstood a Communist challenge[2] This was the first county election for nine years as polling was reported as heavy in a number of wards, including the two contested wards at Pontypridd.[3]
In the Neath area, Labour retained four seats but at Coedffranc the sitting member D.T. Jenkins was defeated by Communist Alun Thomas, a member of the Neath Rural council since 1937.[4]
Results
Aberaman
Aberaman 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Florence Rose Davies** | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Aberavon
Aberavon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Edward Lewis Hare* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Abercynon
Abercynon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Joseph Dicks** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Aberdare Town
Aberdare Town 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Thomas Alwyn John | 1,292 | | |
| Labour | Tom Williams | 977 | | |
| Independent | Henry Cohen | 242 | | |
Majority | 315 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bargoed
Bargoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William John Kedward* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dudley Howe had previously represented Cadoxton and gained the neighbouring Barry ward from Labour. However, Labour won Cadoxton for the first time against the new candidate.
Barry 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Dudley Thomas Howe* | 2,304 | | |
| Labour | W. East* | 2,004 | | |
Majority | 300 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Barry Dock
Barry Dock 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Dorothy Rees** | 1,965 | | |
| Independent | G. Edward Smith | 1,762 | | |
Majority | 203 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blaengwawr
Blaengwawr 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William J. Edwards* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Bridgend
Bridgend 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William W. Phillips* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Briton Ferry
Briton Ferry 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | George Gethin* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cadoxton 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Digby Smith | 1,499 | | |
| Independent | A.L. Davies | 1,158 | | |
Majority | 341 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Caerphilly
Caerphilly 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Evan Phillips* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cilfynydd
Cilfynydd 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | W. Edryd Lewis | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Coedffranc
Coedffranc 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Communist | Alun Thomas | 2,055 | | |
| Labour | D.T. Jenkins* | 1,938 | | |
| Independent | Bessie Davies | 1,286 | | |
| Plaid Cymru | Noah Williams | 84 | | |
Majority | 117 | | |
| Communist gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Cowbridge
Cowbridge 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | P. John Smith | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cwm Aber
Cwm Aber 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev David M. Jones* | Unopposed |
Majority | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cwmavon
Cwmavon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Jones Edwards* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cymmer 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John James Garwood* | 1,167 | | |
| Independent | Evan Thomas | 485 | | |
Majority | 682 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dinas Powys 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ivor Broadbent Thomas* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Dulais Valley 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | George Adams | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ferndale 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Alfred Evans* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Gadlys
Gadlys 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Thomas Phillips* | 1,802 | | |
| Labour | David Idris Bruton | 796 | | |
Majority | 1,006 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Garw Valley
Garw Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Gunter* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Glyncorrwg 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sir William Jenkins** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold |
Gower 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Fredrick William Davies | 2,083 | | |
| Labour | Stanley Jones | 1,480 | | |
Majority | 603 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Hengoed
Hengoed 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Evans** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Hopkinstown
Hopkinstown 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Tom Waite | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Kibbor 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Edgar L. Chappell | 1,769 | | |
| Independent | John Kane | 1,400 | | |
Majority | 369 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Castell Coch
Castell Coch 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Sir Lewis Lougher* | 1,458 | | |
| Labour | Edward Harry Follis | 606 | | |
Majority | 852 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Llandeilo Talybont
Llandeilo Talybont 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Caradoc Jones** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Llanfabon
Llanfabon 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Bowen** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Llwydcoed
Llwydcoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Martha Emma Jones* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Llwynypia 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Philip Haines Rowlands* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Loughor 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David John Davies | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Evans** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold |
Maesteg, East and West
Maesteg East and West 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Tom Jenkins* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Mountain Ash
The sitting member, the Hon. John Bruce (Ind) stood down and Labour gained the seat without a contest.
Mountain Ash 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Justin Lewis | Unopposed |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Neath (North) 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | W.K. Owen | 1,445 | | |
| Labour | Edgar Owen | 991 | | |
Majority | 454 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Neath (South) 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev W. Degwel Thomas** | 1,484 | | |
| Independent | Katie Davies | 1,035 | | |
Majority | 449 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Newcastle 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev Horatio R. Protheroe* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ogmore Valley
Ogmore Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Communist | Frederick Arthur Llewellyn* | 1,963 | | |
| Labour | Stanley James Moore | 833 | | |
Majority | 1,130 | | |
| Communist hold | Swing | | |
Penarth North
Penarth North 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | H.J. Cook | 1,001 | | |
| Independent | F.R. Cratchley | 801 | | |
Majority | 200 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Penarth South
Penarth South 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | D.B. Jones | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Pencoed
Pencoed 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Mervyn W. Paine* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Penrhiwceiber
Penrhiwceiber 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John William Bath* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pentre 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Glyn L. Wales | 2,530 | | |
| Labour | Glyn Evans | 978 | | |
| Communist | Thomas Evans | 414 | | |
Majority | 1,552 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Pontardawe 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Daniel Davies** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontyclun
Pontyclun 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Theo Griffiths | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot East
Port Talbot East 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Thomas** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot West
Port Talbot West 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Llewelyn David* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Porthcawl
Porthcawl 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | W.A. Howell* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Pontlottyn 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | W.A. Hancock* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontypridd Town 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Ivor M. Jenkins | 1,458 | | |
| Independent | Cyril R. Morgan | 1,450 | | |
Majority | 8 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Penygraig 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Churchill* | 2,148 | | |
| Independent | William John Gribble | 981 | | |
Majority | 1,267 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Porth
Porth 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Griffiths | 976 | | |
| Independent | Daniel Jones* | 974 | | |
| Communist | Murray Williams | 868 | | |
Majority | 2 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Swansea Valley
Swansea Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Jenkins* | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Rogers* | 1,484 | | |
| Communist | David John Griffiths | 711 | | |
| Independent | Harold Whitton Davies | 584 | | |
| Independent | Evan Jones | 97 | | |
Majority | 773 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Trealaw
Trealaw 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Communist | Lewis Jones | 1,945 | | |
| Labour | Richard Jones | 1,315 | | |
Majority | 630 | | |
| Communist hold | Swing | | |
Treforest 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Arthur W. Harris | 2,507 | | |
| Independent | Ceiriog Williams | 1,029 | | |
Majority | 1,478 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Treherbert 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Llewellyn* | 3,345 | | |
| Communist | George Thomas | 1,964 | | |
Majority | 1,391 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Treorchy
Treorchy 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rhys Evans** | 4,401 | | |
| Communist | Ivor Williams | 1,077 | | |
Majority | 3,324 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tylorstown
Tylorstown 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Llewellyn Jones | 1,984 | | |
| Communist | Frederick J. Morton | 942 | | |
Majority | 1,042 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Vale of Neath
Vale of Neath 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William A. Betty* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ynyshir 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Ivor Jones | 1,855 | | |
| Independent | Morgan Benjamin | 1,418 | | |
Majority | 437 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ystalyfera
Ystalyfera 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Alice Williams* | 2,051 | | |
| Plaid Cymru | Wynne Samuel | 873 | | |
Majority | 1,176 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ystrad 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sidney Cadogan** | 1,931 | | |
| Communist | Annie Powell | 1,189 | | |
| Independent | Thomas Aldridge | 853 | | |
Majority | 742 | | |
| Labour hold | 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 1946 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, all of which all of which were filled by Labour nominees despite the protestations of their opponents.[5] Rhys Evans was the longest serving alderman, having first been elected in 1922.
The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:
- Sidney Cadogan (Lab, Ystrad)
- W.H. Davies (Lab, Gower)
- Alfred Evans (Lab, Ferndale)
- Rhys Evans (Lab, Treorchy)
- Tom Evans (Lab, Pengam)
- Daniel T. Jones (Lab, Ystalyfera)
- W. Arthur Jones (Lab, Tonyrefail)
- Evan Phillips (Lab, Caerphilly)
- Rev W. Degwel Thomas (Lab, Neath)
The following new aldermen were elected:
- H.J. Cook (Lab, Penarth)
- Mervyn Payne (Lab, Pencoed)
By-elections
Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen. At Neath, Charles P. Huins held his seat with a majority which exceeded that gained by Alderman Degwel Thomas at the triennial election.[6]
Aberaman by-election
Aberaman by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sydney Herbert Stephens* | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Neath South by-election
Neath South by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles P. Huins | 1,571 | | |
| Independent | John Walter Jones | 896 | | |
Majority | 675 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Llanfabon by-election
Llanfabon by-election 1946 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Herbert Davies | 1,387 | | |
| Independent | Rev. Henry Withers | 798 | | |
Majority | 589 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tylorstown by-election
Tylorstown by-election 1947 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Mardy Evans* | 1,977 | | |
| Communist | George Edward Maslin | 584 | | |
| Independent | David John | 284 | | |
Majority | 1,393 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
References
- ^ "County Council Election Prospects". Neath Guardian. 15 February 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Communist Fare Badly in the Rhondda". Western Mail. 9 March 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "County Election Results". Pontypridd Observer. 9 March 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Communist Wins at Skewen. Surprise Election Result". Neath Guardian. 15 March 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Seniority Ignored in Selection of Chairman". Western Mail. 15 March 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "South Ward By-Election Result". Neath Guardian. 19 April 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
Bibliography
- Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
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