1922 Cardiganshire County Council election

The eleventh election to Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1922. It was preceded by the 1919 election and followed by the 1925 election.

A revision of the ward boundaries in Aberystwyth resulted in the creation of six wards instead of four, thus increasing the number of elected councillors from 48 to 50.^[1] The number of aldermen remained unchanged at 16.

When the nominations eventually closed there were contests in 24 of the 26 divisions.^[2] The early 1920s saw a deep division in Liberal ranks in Cardiganshire, and this was reflected in the large number of contested elections, including contests between rival Liberal factions.^[1] However, neither of the two rival Liberal Associations, or the Conservative Association, took an active role in the election, and the Labour Party did not field any candidates.^[3]

In many communities, meetings of electors were held prior to the election, and some of these led to the nominated candidate being returned unopposed. An interesting case arose at Bow Street, where a meeting expressed dissatisfaction with Sir Lewes Loveden Price of Gogerddan, who was said to have only attended two council meetings in two years.^[4]

Seven aldermen retired, all of whom had been elected as Liberals, and there was also a vacancy following the death of James Stephens (Llechryd).^[5] Two of their number, John Morgan Howell (Aberaeron) and Rev T. Arthur Thomas (Llandysul) contested the election. The other retiring aldermen were J.W. Davies (Llangybi), Peter Jones (Aberystwyth), C.M. Williams (Aberystwyth), J.T. Morgan (Llandre) and Thomas Morgan (Ysbyty Ystwyth). Aldermen Howell, Jones, J.T. Morgan and Williams had served as members of the council since its formation but the latter three had not faced the electorate for many years.

Most of the 24 contests were said to have been "strenuous and exciting".^[5] It was stated that the bitterest fights were between candidates of the same political persuasion.

Relatively few of the retiring members were defeated, although a prominent casualty was John Humphreys Davies, principal of the University College at Aberystywth, who was defeated at Llangeitho by a Coalition Liberal

The deep schism in the Liberal ranks, as a result of two Liberal factions fighting each other at the Cardiganshire parliamentary by-election the previous year, was reflected in many of the local contests at the election. In contrast, however, many of the contests were personal ones, and in some cases the political labels were irrelevant, especially where candidates of the same political persuasion fought each other. The number of contest fought on traditional Liberal versus Conservative lines was small and many of those members returned unopposed did not declare their political allegiance. In reality, therefore, the 1922 elections inaugurated a new era in Cardiganshire politics where the vast majority of councillors would be elected as Independents. Of the 24 elected members, x were Coalition (or National) Liberals, y were Independent (or Asquithian) Liberals while z were Conservatives.

Aberaeron 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dr David Morgan Davies*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Aberbanc 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Evan James Davies	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberporth 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	National Liberal	Samuel Griffiths Davies	225
	National Liberal	Thomas Evans	117
Majority			108
	National Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 1 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	William Edwards	197
	Conservative	Walter Diver	133
Majority			64
	Independent Liberal win (new seat)

Aberystwyth Division 2 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R.J. Jones	271
	Independent Liberal	Miss M.E. Marles-Thomas	135
Majority			136
	Conservative win (new seat)

Aberystwyth Division 3 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Barclay Jenkins	Unopposed
	Independent win (new seat)

Aberystwyth Division 4 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T.J. Samuel*	Unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Aberystwyth Division 5 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Evans*	Unopposed
	Liberal win (new seat)

Aberystwyth Division 6 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Llewellyn Samuel	150
	National Liberal	T.H. Edwards	149
Majority			1
	Independent Liberal win (new seat)

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Aeron 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	John Morgan Howell**	251
	Conservative	Thomas Jenkins	211
Majority			40
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Borth 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	R.E. Jones	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bow Street 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	David Rees Morgan*	158
	National Liberal	D.W. Thomas	83
Majority			75
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Cardigan North 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	William Edward Matthews*	463
	National Liberal	David Davies	227
Majority			163
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Cardigan South 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Evans	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Cilcennin 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	John Jones*	223
	National Liberal	Evan Felix	191
Majority			32
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Cwmrheidol 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	John Morgan*	110
	Independent Liberal	Ll.J. Lewis	98
Majority			32
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Devil's Bridge 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J.G. Morris Davies*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Felinfach 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Simon Davies	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Goginan 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Griffiths*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Lampeter Borough 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J.C. Harford*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanarth 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lloyd*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanbadarn Fawr 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Bonsall*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanddewi Brefi 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Peter Davies	237
	Conservative	Rev T.R. Davies	220
Majority			34
	Independent Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llandygwydd 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	National Liberal	David James	319
	National Liberal	Capt. David Davies	249
Majority			70
	National Liberal hold		Swing

Llandysul North 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Josiah Richard Jones*	257
	Liberal	Evan J. Lewis	165
Majority			92
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Llandysul South 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Rev Thomas Arthur Thomas**	340
	Conservative	William Jones	288
Majority			52
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Llandysiliogogo 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	James Elias Jones	202
	Independent Liberal	Rees Williams	188
Majority			14
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Llanfair Clydogau 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Davies	239
	Liberal	D. Lloyd Lewis*	205
Majority			34
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llanfarian 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Jones	Unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Thomas Evans Joel	240
	Conservative	Percy Wilkinson*	138
Majority			102
	Independent Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llangoedmor 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Evans*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llangeitho 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Dr David Davies	296
	Liberal	John Humphreys Davies*	163
Majority			133
	Independent Liberal gain from Liberal		Swing

Llangrannog 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Samuel Jones*	179
	National Liberal	David Rees	138
Majority			41
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Llanilar 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Isaac Jones*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanrhystyd 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	D. Morgan James	216
	National Liberal	Evan Evans	179
Majority			37
	Independent Liberal gain from Independent		Swing

Llanllwchaiarn 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lewis*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llansantffraed 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	Evan Morris Jones*	244
	National Liberal	Capt. William Davies	140
Majority			104
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Llanwnen 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	National Liberal	Dr Evan Evans	169
	Liberal	John Jones*	135
Majority			34
	National Liberal gain from Liberal		Swing

Llanwenog 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Meredith Ll. Gwarnant Williams*	328
	Liberal	Dr Evan Jones	243
	Liberal hold		Swing

Lledrod 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Daniel Herbert*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Nantcwnlle 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Lewis Herbert*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

New Quay 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan James Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Penbryn 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John William Lewis*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Strata Florida 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dr John Morgan	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Taliesin 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dr John James*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Talybont 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Jenkin Evan Evans*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trefeurig 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Evans*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Tregaron 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D. J. Williams*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Troedyraur 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Liberal	David Evans*	537
	National Liberal	M. Enoch Thomas	155
Majority			382
	Independent Liberal hold		Swing

Ysbyty Ystwyth 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R.R. Nancarrow	124
	Liberal	Morgan Lloyd Williams	121
Majority			3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Eight aldermen were elected, including three long-serving members (Peter Jones, J.T. Morgan and C.M. Williams) who had not faced the electorate for many years and five new aldermen, all of whom had been elected at the recent election.^[6] D.J. Williams of Tregaron had previously served as an alderman from 1901 until 1907. The two retiring aldermen who had sought election (John Morgan Howell and the Rev T. Arthur Thomas) were not among those appointed for the next six years.

There was some press criticism, notably in the Welsh Gazette, of the Liberal 'caucus', said to be controlled by John Morgan Howell and D.C. Roberts, the veteran member who was elected to the chair for 1922/23, and especially the practice of electing aldermen who had not contested the election.^[7]

• C. M. Williams, Aberystwyth, 42
• Peter Jones, Aberystwyth, 42
• J. T. Morgan Talybont, 42
• Meredith Gwarnant Williams, Llanwenog, 41
• Josiah T. Jones, Llandyssul, 41
• D. J. Williams, Tregaron. 42
• John Jones, Cilcennin, 42
• Richard Evans, Llangoedmor, 41

Five by-elections were held following the election of aldermen. At Tregaron, Mary Lloyd became the first woman elected to Cardiganshire County Council when she was returned unopposed.^[8] Dr Evan Jones, who had unsuccessfully stood against Meredith Gwarnant Williams at Llanwenog, was returned unopposed at the by-election.^[9] Three wards were contested but no party allegiances were declared (although the political allegiances of two of the successful candidates were noted at the 1928 election.^[10]

Cilcennin by-election 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan Felix	258
	Independent	Jenkin Williams	196
Majority			62
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Llandysul North by-election 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Evan Oliver Jenkins	238
	Independent	William Davies	224
Majority			14
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangoedmor by-election 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Davies	464
	Independent	Rev. Evan Lewis	204
Majority			260
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Llanwenog by-election 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dr Evan Jones	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Tregaron by-election 1922

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Mary Lloyd	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

• Morgan, Kenneth O. (1967). "Cardiganshire Politics: The Liberal Ascendancy 1885–1923" (PDF). Ceredigion. 5 (4): 311–346.