1937 Carmarthenshire County Council election

1937 Carmarthenshire County Council election

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.

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.

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.

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]

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]

Abergwili 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.1 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Harries	unopposed
	Labour win (new seat)

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.2 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Frank Davies*	708
	Independent	David Jones	487
	Labour win (new seat)

Berwick 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T.S. Bowen*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Boundary Change.

Burry Port 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.D. Jenkins	993
	Independent	F.J. Morgan	672
	Labour win (new seat)

Caio 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Davies	438
	Independent	Isaac Williams*	297
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 1 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Jones*	unopposed
	Independent win (new seat)

Carmarthen Division 2 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	H.S. Holmes*	unopposed
	Independent win (new seat)

Carmarthen Division 3 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Ithel P. Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent win (new seat)

Cenarth 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ellenora James*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilycwm 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ivor Elystan Campbell Davys*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Conwil 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.J. Evans*	523
	Independent	J.W.L. Harries	222
	Independent hold		Swing

Cwmamman 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Phillips*	1,068
	Independent	D.M. Richards	735
	Independent hold		Swing

Hengoed 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Joseph Howells*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Amos Jones	708
	Independent	H.J. Owen	378
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Laugharne 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	S.B. Williams*	612
	Labour	Owen Williams	197
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarthney 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Edgar Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanboidy 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Salmon*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandebie North 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David O. Davies	702
	Labour	Gwilym R. Thomas*	666
Majority
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Llandebie South 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Benjamin Lewis*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandilo Rural 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan Davies*	708
	Independent	J.W. Nicholas	660
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandilo Urban 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Hughes*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandovery 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Harry Vaughan Watkins*	586
	Labour	James James	220
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandyssilio 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Henry Morris*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanedy 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas William Morgan*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanegwad 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Griffith Evans*	576
	Independent	Wynne Davies	265
	Independent hold		Swing

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)

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 2 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.T. Griffiths	565
	Independent	Brinley R. Jones*	486
	Labour win (new seat)

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)

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 4 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Martin L. Edwards	598
	Labour	D.J. Charles	512
Majority
	Independent win (new seat)

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 5 1934

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwen Trubshaw*	666
	Communist	E.F. Seaward	25
Majority
	Independent win (new seat)

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 6 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Douglas Hughes*	unopposed
	Labour win (new seat)

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 7 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Llewellyn Evans	unopposed
	Labour win (new seat)

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 8 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W. Powell Rees*	857
	Communist	Brin James	212
	Independent win (new seat)

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 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.J. Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1934

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E. Haydn Davies*	612
	Independent	E.J. Lewis	298
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangadock 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.T. Morgan	536
	Independent	R.E. Williams*	493
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangeler 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	R.G. Owen*	851
	Independent	Thomas Jones	431
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangendeirne 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	James Jenkins*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangennech 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D.J. Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangunnor 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Edwards*	528
	Independent	J.J. Bowen	384
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanon 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rees Morgan*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llansawel 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Morgan	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanstephan 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.Ll. Haries*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanybyther 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Edward Davies	585
	Independent	W. James Williams*	529
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Myddfai 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.R. Clement*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Boundary Change

Pembrey 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lady Howard Stepney	799
	Labour	J.J. Davies	586
	Independent win (new seat)

Boundary Change

Pontyberem 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Jones	unopposed
	Labour win (new seat)

Quarter Bach 1934

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Watkin Davies	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Rhydcymmerai 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Clears 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Joseph David Rees*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Ishmael 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E.H. Stephens*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trelech 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lewis L. Bowen*	525
	Independent	J.E. Jones	295
	Independent hold		Swing

Boundary Change

Trimsaran 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gomer Evans*	unopposed
	Labour win (new seat)

Westfa and Glyn 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Emrys Aubrey*	1,256
	Independent Labour	I.J. Haries	428
	Labour hold		Swing

Whitland 1937

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Lewis Phillips*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

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]

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

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

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