1931 Welsh local government election
The fourteenth 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 opponents. 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 its majority.[2] The party won some additional seats, such as Pentre in the Rhondda where T.A. Thomas had held on against several previous Labour challenges.
In the Cymmer ward, David Thomas, who had failed to hold the seat in 1928 after David Watts-Morgan was elected alderman, was successful after the sitting Independent stood down.
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 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Edward Lewis Hare* | 2,292 | | |
| Independent | Horace Hyde Macey | 1,408 | | |
Majority | 884 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Abercynon
Abercynon 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Joseph Dicks** | 2,434 | | |
| Liberal | Edward J. Thomas | 1,063 | | |
Majority | 1,381 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Aberdare Town
Aberdare Town 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William Thomas* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bargoed
The sitting member had been elected as the official Labour candidate in 1928.
Bargoed 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent Labour | William Henry Hopkins* | 2,434 | | |
| Independent | T.C. Jones | 1,204 | | |
| Labour | Moses C. Price | 550 | | |
Majority | 1,230 | | |
| Independent Labour hold | Swing | | |
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 | William 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 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | George Gethin* | 2,068 | | |
| Conservative | J.M. Bevan | 1,500 | | |
Majority | 568 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cadoxton 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Dudley Thomas Howe | 1,631 | | |
| Labour | Frederick Cook | 1,160 | | |
Majority | 471 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Caerphilly
Caerphilly 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Evan Phillips | 2,183 | | |
| Independent | Joseph Howells** | 2,119 | | |
| Communist | Edward Withers | 101 | | |
Majority | 64 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Cilfynydd
Cilfynydd 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Arthur Pearson* | 2,306 | | |
| Independent | Ivor W. Thomas | 1,358 | | |
Majority | 948 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Coedffranc
Coedffranc 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ogley L. David | 2,170 | | |
| Labour | W. Phillip Jenkins* | 1,867 | | |
Majority | 303 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Cowbridge 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | George Lougher | 2,147 | | |
| Labour | Emily Jones | 1,487 | | |
Majority | 660 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Cwm Aber
Cwm Aber 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev David M. Jones* | 2,462 | | |
| Independent | Griffith H. Lloyd | 845 | | |
| Communist | F. Parrish | 95 | | |
Majority | 1,617 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cwmavon
Cwmavon 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Jones Edwards* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cymmer 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Thomas | 997 | | |
| Independent | Brinley Ithel Rowlands | 775 | | |
Majority | 222 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Dinas Powys 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ivor Broadbent Thomas* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Dulais Valley 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Gwilym Davies* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
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 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sir William Jenkins** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
W.H. Davies had won the seat in 1919, and was elected alderman. He failed to be re-elected in 1925 and 1928.
Gower 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Henry Davies | 1,761 | | |
| Independent | Frederick W. Davies* | 1,602 | | |
Majority | 159 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Hengoed
Hengoed 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Evans* | 1,900 | | |
| Independent | T.B. Fisher | 1,551 | | |
Majority | 349 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Hopkinstown
Hopkinstown 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | E.H. Fleming** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Kibbor 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Edgar L. Chappell | 1,769 | | |
| Independent | John Kane | 1,400 | | |
Majority | 369 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Llandeilo Talybont
Llandeilo Talybont 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Caradoc Jones** | 1,885 | | |
| Independent | Alfred Morgan | 1,153 | | |
Majority | 732 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Llanfabon
Llanfabon 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Bowen* | 1,596 | | |
| Independent | Arthur Hopkins | 966 | | |
Majority | 630 | | |
| 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 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Philip Haines Rowlands* | 2,241 | | |
| Communist | Lewis R. Jones | 154 | | |
Majority | 2,067 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Loughor 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Thomas J. Thomas* | 2,245 | | |
| Labour | David J. Davies | 1,854 | | |
| Communist | Sarah Edith Williams | 143 | | |
Majority | 391 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Evans** | 2,162 | | |
| Independent | Brinley Richards | 984 | | |
| Communist | Benjamin Francis | 914 | | |
Majority | 1,172 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg, East and West
Maesteg East and West 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Albert E. Lockyer | 2,863 | | |
| Labour | Tom Jenkins | 1,746 | | |
Majority | 1,117 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Mountain Ash
Mountain Ash 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Hon. John H. Bruce* | 1,836 | | |
| Labour | Justin Lewis | 1,727 | | |
Majority | 109 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Neath (North) 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent Liberal | David Griffith Davies | 1,382 | | |
| Labour | John William Morgan | 1,234 | | |
| Communist | Frank Roper | 77 | | |
Majority | 148 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Neath (South) 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev W. Degwel Thomas* | 1,934 | | |
| Independent | Theodore Gibbins | 1,907 | | |
Majority | 27 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Newcastle 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rev H.R. Protheroe* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ogmore Valley
The sitting Independent Labour councillor had recently died.
Ogmore Valley 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Lucas | 2,337 | | |
| Independent | Thomas Llewellyn | 2,152 | | |
Majority | 349 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent Labour | Swing | | |
Penarth North
Penarth North 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Frank L. Nicholls | 1,261 | | |
| Labour | Ernest Edwards | 615 | | |
Majority | 646 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Penarth South
Penarth South 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Samuel Thomas* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Pencoed
The sitting member, W.A. Howell, switched to contest the Porthcawl ward and Labour won the seat.
Pencoed 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Mervyn W. Paine | 1,819 | | |
| Independent | David Bayliss | 938 | | |
Majority | 881 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Penrhiwceiber
Penrhiwceiber 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John William Bath | 3,130 | | |
| Independent | Mrs Alice Phillips | 1,343 | | |
Majority | 1,787 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pentre 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | James Jenkin Lewis | 2,061 | | |
| Independent | Thomas Alfred Thomas* | 1,208 | | |
Majority | 853 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Pontardawe 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Daniel Davies** | 2,787 | | |
| Independent | Rev T.M. Roderick | 1,342 | | |
Majority | 1,445 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Pontyclun
Pontyclun 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Johnson Miles | 2,093 | | |
| Independent | Rev. Benjamin Salmon | 1,778 | | |
Majority | 315 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Port Talbot East
Port Talbot East 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Thomas** | 1,481 | | |
| Independent | William Arthur Davies | 1,226 | | |
Majority | 255 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot West
Port Talbot West 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Llewelyn David* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Porthcawl
Porthcawl 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | W.A. Howell* | 2,277 | | |
| Labour | Jenkin Jones | 1,414 | | |
Majority | 863 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
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 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Gwilym Seaton | 1,438 | | |
| Labour | Myra O'Brien | 1,407 | | |
Majority | 29 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Penygraig 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William Job | 2,019 | | |
| Independent | John Picton Davies* | 1,378 | | |
| Communist | Vivian Howard James | 231 | | |
Majority | 641 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Porth
Porth 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William Evans* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Swansea Valley
Swansea Valley 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Jenkins | 2,903 | | |
| Independent | Richard Thomas* | 2,058 | | |
Majority | 945 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | James Dicks* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Trealaw
Trealaw 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Atkins | 1,649 | | |
| Independent | Edwin Jenkins | 993 | | |
| Communist | John James Townsend | 213 | | |
Majority | 656 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Treforest 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Arthur James Chick* | 2,104 | | |
| Independent | Zenos Thomas | 1,968 | | |
Majority | 136 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Treherbert 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Edward Williams* | 2,674 | | |
| Independent | Frederick George Dingley | 715 | | |
Majority | 1,959 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Treorchy
Treorchy 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Hughes* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tylorstown
Tylorstown 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Lewis** | 1,907 | | |
| Communist | George Edward Maslin | 872 | | |
Majority | 935 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Vale of Neath
Vale of Neath 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William A. Betty* | 3,169 | | |
| Independent | Rees Howells | 2.229 | | |
| Communist | W.J. Sherlock | 129 | | |
Majority | 940 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ynyshir 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Daniel Jones | 1,744 | | |
| Labour | Thomas Henry Matthews | 1,594 | | |
Majority | 150 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Ystalyfera
Ystalyfera 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Daniel T. Jones* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ystrad 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sidney Cadogan* | 2,417 | | |
| Independent | Henry Harris | 951 | | |
Majority | 1,466 | | |
| 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 1931 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, and the retiring aldermen were all re-elected.[3]
The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:
- William Bowen (Lab, Llanfabon)
- David Daniel Davies (Lab, Pontardawe)
- Rose Davies (Lab, Aberaman)
- John Evans (Lab, Maesteg)
- Johnson Dicks (Lab, Abercynon)
- E.H. Fleming (Lab, Hopkinstown)
- William Jenkins (Lab, Glyncorrwg)
- Caradoc Jones (Lab, Llandeilo Talybont)
- David Lewis (Lab, Tylorstown)
- John Thomas (Lab, Port Talbot)
- Rev D.H. Williams (Ind, Barry)
By-elections
Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.
Aberaman by-election
Aberaman by-election 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Sydney Herbert Stephens* | | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Abercynon by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Barry by-election
Barry by-election 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | L.P. Griffiths | 2,032 | | |
| Labour | Rev R.H. Lomas | 1,624 | | |
Majority | 408 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Glyncorrwg by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Hopkinstown by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Llandeilo Talybont by-election
Llandeilo Talybont Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Llewellyn Davies | 1,501 | | |
| Labour | J. Powell | 1,378 | | |
Majority | | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Llanfabon by-election
Llanfabon by-election 1931 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Herbert Davies | 1,212 | | |
| Independent | William Jones | 1,169 | | |
Majority | 43 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Pontardawe by-election
Pontardawe by-election 1925 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Williams | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Tylorstown by-election
Tylorstown by-election 1931 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
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Expenses of Members. Another Glamorgan Council "Storm"". Western Mail. 13 March 1931. p. 5. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
Bibliography
- Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
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