The sixteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in March 1937. It was preceded by the 1934 election and followed, due to the Second World War by the 1946 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
Many candidates were returned unopposed.[1]
Contested elections
Labour contested almost every seat on the council, with a significant proportion of candidates returned unopposed.
Of the eleven aldermen retiring at the end of their sixth year term, the ten Labour aldermen all sought re-election while Rev D.H. Williams (Ind) stood down from the Council after over thirty years. Alderman Dorothy Rees (Lab), who was elected for three years to fill a vacancy in 1934, also sought re-election.
Outcome
Labour retained their majority, losing two seats but gaining three.[2]
Results
Aberaman
Aberaman 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Florence Rose Davies** | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Labour hold |
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 1937 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 1937 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | George Gethin* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cadoxton 1937 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 1934 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Arthur Pearson* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Coedffranc
Coedffranc 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | D.T. Jenkins | 2,916 | | |
| Independent | Isaac David | 1,798 | | |
Majority | 1,118 | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | 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
Dinas Powys 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ivor Broadbent Thomas* | Unopposed |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Dulais Valley
Dulais Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Gwilym Davies* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ferndale 1937 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 1937 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Frank Loveday* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Hopkinstown
Hopkinstown 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | E.H. Fleming** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Kibbor 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Edgar L. Chappell | 1,769 | | |
| Independent | John Kane | 1,400 | | |
Majority | 369 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Castell Coch
Castell Coch 1937 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 1937 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.[1]
Mountain Ash 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Justin Lewis | Unopposed |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Neath (North) 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | David Griffith Davies* | 1,336 | | |
| Labour | J.W. Morgan | 1,042 | | |
Majority | 294 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Neath (South) 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles P. Huins | 1,679 | | |
| Independent | Col. R.G. Llewellyn | 912 | | |
Majority | 767 | | |
| 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Thomas Tye Andrews* | 1,609 | | |
| Communist | Abigail Evans | 765 | | |
Majority | 844 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontardawe 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Daniel Davies** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontyclun
Pontyclun 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Johnson Miles* | 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | W.A. Hancock* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Pontypridd Town 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Jesse Powderhill* | Unopposed |
| 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| People's Candidate | Daniel Jones | 1,067 | | |
| Labour | John Talfryn Llewellyn | 1,008 | | |
Majority | 59 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Swansea Valley
Swansea Valley 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Jenkins* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Labour hold |
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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Hopkin J. Smith | 1,840 | | |
| Labour | Arthur James Chick* | 1,836 | | |
Majority | 4 | | |
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Treherbert 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Edward Williams* | 2,856 | | |
| Independent | Edwin Jenkins | 402 | | |
Majority | 2,454 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Treorchy
Treorchy 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Hughes* | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tylorstown
Tylorstown 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Lewis** | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Vale of Neath
Vale of Neath 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | William A. Betty* | 2,557 | | |
| Plaid Cymru | Oliver J. Evans | 1,083 | | |
| Independent | J.W. Davies | 659 | | |
Majority | 1,474 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ynyshir 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Walter Robins | 1,192 | | |
| People's Candidate | Morgan Benjamin | 1,177 | | |
Majority | 15 | | |
| 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Walter Henry Winter* | 1,235 | | |
| Communist | Edwin Brinley Roberts | 881 | | |
| Independent | David Jenkins | 871 | | |
Majority | 354 | | |
| 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 1937 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)
- Dorothy Rees (Lab, Barry Dock)
- John Thomas (Lab, Port Talbot)
By-elections
Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.
Aberaman by-election
Aberaman by-election 1937 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 Dock by-election
Labour lost the by-election held following the re-election of Dorothy Rees to the aldermanic bench.[4] The Labour candidate had been elected following Rees's original election as alderman three years previously and at the recent election had unsuccessfully contested the neighbouring Barry ward.
Barry Dock by-election 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | J. Edward Smith | 2,080 | | |
| Labour | W. East* | 1,783 | | |
Majority | 297 | | |
| 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 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Herbert Davies | 1,387 | | |
| Independent | Rev. Henry Withers | 798 | | |
Majority | 589 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Maesteg by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | | | |
| Independent | | | | |
Majority | | | |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Pontardawe by-election
Pontardawe by-election 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles Williams | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Port Talbot by-election
Joe Brown, former agent to Ramsay Macdonald when he was MP for Abervaron, failed to gain the Labour nomination and ran as an Independent.[5]
Port Talbot by-election 1937 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Llewellyn Heycock | 1,817 | | |
| Independent | Joseph A. Brown | 1,248 | | |
Majority | 569 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tylorstown by-election
Tylorstown by-election 1937 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
- ^ a b "Nominations for County Council Elections. Many Unopposed Returns in Glamorgan and Gwent". Western Mail. 16 February 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ "Glamorgan and Gwent Elections. Little Change in Position of Parties". Western Mail. 2 March 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
- ^ "County Councillors's Plea to Boycott "Western Mail"". Western Mail. 19 March 1937. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ^ "County Council By-Elections". Western Mail. 20 April 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "Councillor J.A. Brown Leaves Labour Party". Port Talbot Guardian. 14 April 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
Bibliography
- Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
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