1937 Carmarthenshire County Council election

Welsh local election

1937 Carmarthenshire County Council election

* * *

← 1934

1946 →

* * *

All 57 seats to Carmarthenshire County Council
29 seats needed for a majority
|   | First party  | Second party  | Third party

|
|
|

|  |  |
Party  | Liberal | Conservative | Labour
Seats won  | 0/57  | 0/57  | 0/57

* * *

| Fourth party  | Fifth party
|  |
Party  | Independent | Liberal Unionist
Seats won  | 0/57  | 0/57

* * *

|  | Council control after election

TBD

|

An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1937. It was preceded by the 1934 election. Due to the Second World War no elections were held in 1940 and 1943 therefore the 1937 election was followed by the 1946 election.

## Overview of the result

[edit]

As in all previous inter-war elections, the Independent group won a majority of the seats and this majority was bolstered by holding the majority of the aldermanic seats also. By 1937 the Labour Party held almost all the seats in the industrial eastern part of the county.

## Boundary changes

[edit]

There were a number of boundary changes at this election. In Carmarthen town the boundaries were redrawn, reducing the number of wards from four to three. In Llanelli, in contrast, the number of wards were increased from eight to nine following a similar process. An additional ward was also created in Ammanford and new wards at Pontyberem and Trimsaran.[1]

Other wards were renamed or had their boundaries slightly altered.

## Candidates

[edit]

Around half the wards were uncontested, mainly in the rural areas. At Kidwelly, Sir Alfred Stephens, a member of the Council since 1898 (apart from a short interval between 1907 and 1910) decided to retire.[2]

## Outcome

[edit]

A similar number of contests took place compared with 1934. This included contests in rural areas between rival Independent candidates. Overall, Labour gained four seats, including three of the newly created wards.[1]

In the Llanelli area, six Labour candidates were returned unopposed including for the new Llanelly Division 7 and Pontyberem wards.[3] The owner of the Llanelly Star, Brinley Jones, was defeated by a Labour candidate, and Labour gained another seat in Burry Port. In Llanelly Ward 3, Haddon Jones was displaced by another Independent, Jim Jones, while in Ward 4, Martin Edwards, a member of Llanelly Borough Council won the seat previously held by the late Tom Charles.[3] In Ward 8, W. Powell Rees, who had lost his borough council seat to Communist Brin James in 1935, now faced the same oppoenent in the county election. On this occasion, however, Rees won very comfortably. Much attention was also focused on Lady Howard Stepney's successful campaign in Pembrey ward.[3]

## Ward results

[edit]

### Abergwili

[edit]

Abergwili 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | David Davies* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Ammanford No.1

[edit]

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.1 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | John Harries | unopposed  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Ammanford No.2

[edit]

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.2 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Frank Davies* | 708  |  |
| Independent | David Jones  | 487  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Berwick

[edit]

Berwick 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | T.S. Bowen* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Burry Port

[edit]

Boundary Change.

Burry Port 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | W.D. Jenkins | 993  |  |
| Independent | F.J. Morgan  | 672  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Caio

[edit]

Caio 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Thomas Davies | 438  |  |
| Independent | Isaac Williams*  | 297  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Carmarthen Division 1

[edit]

Carmarthen Division 1 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | William Jones* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Carmarthen Division 2

[edit]

Carmarthen Division 2 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | H.S. Holmes* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Carmarthen Division 3

[edit]

Carmarthen Division 3 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | J. Ithel P. Thomas* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Cenarth

[edit]

Cenarth 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Ellenora James* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Cilycwm

[edit]

Cilycwm 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Ivor Elystan Campbell Davys* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Conwil

[edit]

Conwil 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | J.J. Evans* | 523  |  |
| Independent | J.W.L. Harries  | 222  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Cwmamman

[edit]

Cwmamman 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | John Phillips* | 1,068  |  |
| Independent | D.M. Richards  | 735  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Hengoed

[edit]

Hengoed 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Joseph Howells* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Kidwelly

[edit]

Kidwelly 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | J. Amos Jones | 708  |  |
| Independent | H.J. Owen  | 378  |  |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing |  |

### Laugharne

[edit]

Laugharne 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | S.B. Williams* | 612  |  |
| Labour | Owen Williams  | 197  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanarthney

[edit]

Llanarthney 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | W. Edgar Lewis* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Llanboidy

[edit]

Llanboidy 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Benjamin Salmon* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llandebie North

[edit]

Llandebie North 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | David O. Davies | 702  |  |
| Labour | Gwilym R. Thomas*  | 666  |  |
Majority |  |  |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing |  |

### Llandebie South

[edit]

Llandebie South 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Benjamin Lewis* | Unopposed
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Llandilo Rural

[edit]

Llandilo Rural 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Evan Davies* | 708  |  |
| Independent | J.W. Nicholas  | 660  |  |
Majority |  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llandilo Urban

[edit]

Llandilo Urban 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Benjamin Hughes* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llandovery

[edit]

Llandovery 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Harry Vaughan Watkins* | 586  |  |
| Labour | James James  | 220  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llandyssilio

[edit]

Llandyssilio 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Henry Morris* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanedy

[edit]

Llanedy 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Thomas William Morgan* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Llanegwad

[edit]

Llanegwad 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Griffith Evans* | 576  |  |
| Independent | Wynne Davies  | 265  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanelly Division 1

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 1 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Daniel Roberts* | 1,141  |  |
| Ind. Labour Party | J.G. Davies  | 465  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 2

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 2 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | W.T. Griffiths | 565  |  |
| Independent | Brinley R. Jones*  | 486  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 3

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 3 1934  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | James Jones | 400  |  |
| Labour | C.R. Rees  | 309  |  |
| Independent | D. Haddon Jones*  | 252  |  |
Majority |  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 4

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 4 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Martin L. Edwards | 598  |  |
| Labour | D.J. Charles  | 512  |  |
Majority |  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 5

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 5 1934  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Gwen Trubshaw* | 666  |  |
| Communist | E.F. Seaward  | 25  |  |
Majority |  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 6

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 6 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | W. Douglas Hughes* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 7

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 7 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | J. Llewellyn Evans | unopposed  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 8

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 8 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | W. Powell Rees* | 857  |  |
| Communist | Brin James  | 212  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Llanelly Division 9

[edit]

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 8 1934  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | A.H. Olive* | 1,077  |  |
| Labour | R.S. Beynon  | 191  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Llanfihangel Aberbythick

[edit]

Llanfihangel Aberbythick 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | W.J. Evans* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

[edit]

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1934  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | E. Haydn Davies* | 612  |  |
| Independent | E.J. Lewis  | 298  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llangadock

[edit]

Llangadock 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | W.T. Morgan | 536  |  |
| Independent | R.E. Williams*  | 493  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llangeler

[edit]

Llangeler 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | R.G. Owen* | 851  |  |
| Independent | Thomas Jones  | 431  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llangendeirne

[edit]

Llangendeirne 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | James Jenkins* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llangennech

[edit]

Llangennech 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | D.J. Davies* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Llangunnor

[edit]

Llangunnor 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | William Edwards* | 528  |  |
| Independent | J.J. Bowen  | 384  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanon

[edit]

Llanon 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Rees Morgan* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Llansawel

[edit]

Llansawel 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | John Morgan | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanstephan

[edit]

Llanstephan 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | T.Ll. Haries* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Llanybyther

[edit]

Llanybyther 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Benjamin Edward Davies | 585  |  |
| Independent | W. James Williams*  | 529  |  |
Majority |  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Myddfai

[edit]

Myddfai 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | W.R. Clement* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Pembrey

[edit]

Boundary Change

Pembrey 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Lady Howard Stepney  | 799  |  |
| Labour | J.J. Davies  | 586  |  |
| Independent win (new seat)

### Pontyberem

[edit]

Boundary Change

Pontyberem 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David John Jones | unopposed  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Quarter Bach

[edit]

Quarter Bach 1934  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Watkin Davies | unopposed  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Rhydcymmerai

[edit]

Rhydcymmerai 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | David Thomas* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### St Clears

[edit]

St Clears 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Joseph David Rees* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### St Ishmael

[edit]

St Ishmael 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | E.H. Stephens* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Trelech

[edit]

Trelech 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Lewis L. Bowen* | 525  |  |
| Independent | J.E. Jones  | 295  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### Trimsaran

[edit]

Boundary Change

Trimsaran 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Gomer Evans* | unopposed  |  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Westfa and Glyn

[edit]

Westfa and Glyn 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Emrys Aubrey* | 1,256  |  |
| Independent Labour | I.J. Haries  | 428  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Whitland

[edit]

Whitland 1937  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Thomas Lewis Phillips* | unopposed  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

## Election of aldermen

[edit]

In addition to the 57 councillors the council included an aldermanic bench amounting to a third of the number of elected councillors. Following the creation of additional wards an extra aldermanic seat was created. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term.

Following the elections the ten retiring aldermen were re-elected and Gwendoline Trubshaw, the new chairman of the Council, elected to the additional aldermanic seat created as a result of redistribution.[4]

## By-elections 1937-46

[edit]

### 1937 Llanelly Division 5 by-election

[edit]

A by-election was held in May due to the elevation of Gwendoline Trubshaw, the current chair of Carmarthenshire County Council, to the aldermanic bench. The Labour candidate secured a narrow victory over a former long-serving member of the Llanelly Borough Council.[5]

Llanelly Division 3 by-election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Daniel Ll. Richards  | 286  |  |
| Independent | T. Hay Samuel  | 245  |  |

### 1938 Llanelly Division 8 by-election

[edit]

A by-election was held in May due to the elevation of W. Powell Rees to the aldermanic bench following the death of Alderman Joseph Roberts. The Rev. Waldo Roberts, minister of Bethel Baptist Chapel was returned unopposed.[6] He had previously served on Boards of Guardians at Neath and Holyhead.

Llanelly Division 8 by-election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Rev F. Waldo Roberts | Unopposed

### 1939 Llanelly Division 8 by-election

[edit]

Having served as a county councillor for less than a year, the Rev. Waldo Roberts died in April 1939.[7] At the by-election, Fred Howells held the seat for the Independents.[8]

Llanelly Division 8 by-election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Fred Howells  | 446  |  |
| Labour | T.M. Price  | 215  |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "County Council Election. New Constitution of Bigger Body. Independents Lose One Seat: Labour Gain Four". Welshman. 12 March 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
2. ^ "36 Years' Public Service. Sir Alfred Stephens Leaves County Council". Welshman. 5 March 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
3. ^ a b c "Surprises in County Council Elections. Two Independents Lose their Seats". Llanelly Star. 6 March 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
4. ^ "County Aldermen Re-Elected". Llanelly Star. 20 March 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
5. ^ "Socialist Wins Division 5 Bye-Election. 41 Votes Majority Over Former Mayor". Llanelly Star. 8 May 1937. p. 1.
6. ^ "Unopposed Return of Bethel Pastor to County Council". Llanelly Star. 21 May 1938. p. 3.
7. ^ "Death of Rev. Waldo Roberts. Bethel Pastor's Interest in Public Affairs". Llanelly Star. 29 April 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
8. ^ "County Council By-Election". Llanelly Star. 29 July 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 9 December 2024.

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