1925 Cardiganshire County Council election

The twelfth election to Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1925. It was preceded by the 1922 election and followed by the 1928 election. While the previous election had been held in the shadow of bitter Liberal infighting at parliamentary level, the temperature had cooled and only ten seats were contested.

Candidates

The election saw only ten contests, compared with 24 three years previously.^[1] With hindsight this can be seen as the start of half century of Independent domination in the local politics of Cardiganshire.^{[n 1]} Although political affiliations were no longer a feature of most contests the split in the Liberal ranks between Coalition and Asquithian Liberals had largely disappeared and some individuals had drifted away from Liberalism towards the Conservatives (one example being Morgan Lloyd Williams at Ysbyty Ystwyth).

Retiring aldermen

Eight aldermen retired, seven of whom were Liberals and one Conservative, R.S. Rowland of Gareth, Llangybi.^[2] Two of their number, D.C. Roberts (who had previously contested his seat at Aberystwyth) and the sole Conservative sought election.

The other retiring aldermen were the Rev. John Williams, Cardigan, who had not faced the electorate for many years; the Rev William Griffiths (New Quay), the Rev T. Mason Jones, (Devil's Bridge) and R.J.R. Loxdale (Llanilar) who last faced an election in 1913; and John Morgan Howell (Aberaeron) and Thomas Davies (Newcastle Emlyn) who had been elected to fill vacancies in recent years.

Contested elections

Only ten seats were contested and these were largely fought on non-political lines.^[3] Two seats can be said to have changed hands but in both cases this resulted in the sitting member not seeking re-election. At Lampeter, J.C. Harford's seat was won by a Liberal and at Llangybi, the sitting Liberal stood down allowing Alderman R.S. Rowland, the Garth, to be returned unopposed.

Outcome

Very little change resulted from the election of 1925. Three members of the originally elected council in 1889 remained as members, namely Aldermen John Morgan Howell, Peter Jones and C.M. Williams.

Results

Aberaeron

Aberaeron 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dr David Morgan Davies*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Aberbanc

Aberbanc 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Evan James Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberporth

Aberporth 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Samuel Griffiths Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 1

Aberystwyth Division 1 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Edwards*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 2

Aberystwyth Division 2 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Mrs E.K. Jones*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 3

Aberystwyth Division 3 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Barclay Jenkins*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 4

Aberystwyth Division 4 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.C. Roberts**	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 5

Aberystwyth Division 5 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Evans*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 6

Aberystwyth Division 6 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Llewellyn Samuel*	203
	Liberal	T.H. Edwards	171
Majority			32
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aeron

}

Aeron 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Thomas Davies	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Borth

Borth 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	R.E. Jones*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bow Street

Bow Street 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Rees Morgan*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cardigan North

Cardigan North 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Edward Matthews*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cardigan South

Cardigan South 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Evans*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Cilcennin

Cilcennin 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Evans	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cwmrheidol

Cwmrheidol 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Morgan*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Devil's Bridge

Devil's Bridge 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J.G. Morris Davies*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Felinfach

Felinfach 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Simon Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Goginan

Goginan 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Griffiths*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Lampeter Borough

Lampeter Borough 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Walter Davies	417
	Independent	Rev T. Oswald Williams	325
Majority			92
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llanarth

Llanarth 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lloyd*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanbadarn Fawr

Llanbadarn Fawr 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Bonsall*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanddewi Brefi

Llanddewi Brefi 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R.S. Rowland**	Unopposed
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llandygwydd

Llandygwydd 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David James*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandysul North

Llandysul North 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Davies	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandysul South

Llandysul South 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Rev Thomas Arthur Thomas*	430
	Conservative	William Jones	289
Majority			141
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llansysiliogogo

Llandysiliogogo 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Elias Jones*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanfair Clydogau

Llanfair Clydogau 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Davies*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanfarian

Llanfarian 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Jones	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Evans Joel*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangoedmor

Llangoedmor 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Evan Davies*	254
	Independent	Rev Evan Lewis	212
Majority			42
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangeitho

Llangeitho 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr David Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangrannog

Llangrannog 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Samuel Jones*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanilar

Llanilar 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	D.W. Lewis	317
	Liberal	Isaac Jones*	141
Majority			176
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanrhystyd

Llanrhystyd 1922
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	D. Morgan James*	205
	Liberal	David Lewis	146
	Independent	David Lewis	96
Majority			59
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanllwchaiarn

Llanllwchaiarn 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lewis*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llansantffraed

Llansantffraed 1922
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Frederick Jones	192
	Liberal	Henry Lewis	187
	Liberal	D. Alban Lloyd	9
Majority			5
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanwnen

Llanwnen 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dr Evan Evans*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwenog

Llanwenog 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Dr Evan Jones*	312
	Independent	J.J. Thomas	264
Majority			48
	Liberal hold		Swing

Lledrod

Lledrod 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Daniel Herbert*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Nantcwnlle

Nantcwnlle 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Lewis Herbert*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

New Quay

New Quay 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan James Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Penbryn

Penbryn 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John William Lewis*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Strata Florida

Strata Florida 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Dr John Morgan*	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Taliesin

Taliesin 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Audry Dorothy Loxdale Jones	Unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Talybont

Talybont 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Jenkin Evan Evans*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trefeurig

Trefeurig 1922
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	David James	160
	Liberal	J. Owen Jones	59
Majority			101
	Liberal hold		Swing

Tregaron

Tregaron 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Mary Lloyd*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Troedyraur

Troedyraur 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Evans*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ysbyty Ystwyth

Ysbyty Ystwyth 1925
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Morgan Lloyd Williams	151
	Liberal	Joshua Williams	124
Majority			27
	Conservative hold		Swing

Election of Aldermen

Eight aldermen were elected, including one Conservative, Dr John Morgan, who replaced R.S. Rowland.^[4] As well as Dr Morgan, Evan Lewis, Samuel Jones and D. Morgan James became new aldermen, while retiring alderman D.C. Roberts had yet again been returned unopposed at Aberystwyth.

Of the three retiring aldermen re-appointed without facing the electorate, J.M. Howell had fought a contested election in 1922 and was re-appointed as alderman after the death of E. Lima Jones. Loxdale had last been returned unopposed in 1910 while the Rev. John Williams had not stood as a candidate since 1898.

Evan Lewis, Llanllwchaiarn, 48
Rev. John Williams, Cardigan, 47
D.C. Roberts, Aberystwyth, 48
R.J.R. Loxdale, Llanilar, 47
John Morgan Howell, Aberaeron, 47
Dr John Morgan, Pontrhydygroes, 46
Samuel Jones, Llangrannog, 45
D. Morgan James, Llanrhystud, 37

By-elections

Aberystwyth, Division 4 by-election

E.J. Evans, Cwncybarcud, who previously represented Llanrhystud from 1901 until 1904 was returned unopposed following the appointment of R.J.R. Loxdale as alderman.

Llanilar by-election 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	E.J. Evans	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangrannog by-election

A Liberal candidate was returned unopposed for Lledrod following the appointment of Daniel L. Jones as alderman.^[5]

Lledrod by-election 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev T.R. Morgan	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanllwchaiarn by-election

Following the appointment of E.J. Davies as alderman no valid nomination was initially received.

New Quay by-election 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan James Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanrhystud by-election

Troedyraur by-election 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Rev Daniel Evans*	unopposed
	Independent	Rev. Evan Lewis	204
	Independent	Rev. Evan Lewis	204
Majority			260
	Liberal hold		Swing

Strata Florida by-election

Troedyraur by-election 1910
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Rev Daniel Evans*	unopposed
	Independent	Rev. Evan Lewis	204
	Independent	Rev. Evan Lewis	204
Majority			260
	Liberal hold		Swing

Notes

^ Although political affiliations were not included in press coverage of the election, the affiliations noted at the 1928 election have been used in this article

References

^ "Cardiganshire County Council. Only Ten Contests. Forty Unopposed Returns". Welsh Gazette. 5 March 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
^ "The Retiring Aldermen". Welsh Gazette. 19 February 1925. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^ "Results of the Elections". Welsh Gazette. 12 March 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ "Cardiganshire County Council. First Meeting of New Body". Welsh Gazette. 26 March 1925. p. 6.
^ "Cardiganshire County Council Bye-Election". Cambrian News. 8 April 1910. Retrieved 17 September 2019.

[2] Although political affiliations were not included in press coverage of the election, the affiliations noted at the 1928 election have been used in this article

[WG_050325_Cards_noms-1] "Cardiganshire County Council. Only Ten Contests. Forty Unopposed Returns". Welsh Gazette. 5 March 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 12 March 2022.

[WG_190325_aldermen-3] "The Retiring Aldermen". Welsh Gazette. 19 February 1925. Retrieved 22 March 2022.

[120325_WG_results-4] "Results of the Elections". Welsh Gazette. 12 March 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 15 March 2022.

[5] "Cardiganshire County Council. First Meeting of New Body". Welsh Gazette. 26 March 1925. p. 6.

[CN_8-4-10_by-el-6] "Cardiganshire County Council Bye-Election". Cambrian News. 8 April 1910. Retrieved 17 September 2019.

[1]

[n 1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]