1949 Carmarthenshire County Council election

An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1949.^[1] It was preceded by the 1946 election and followed, by the 1952 election.

Overview of the result

After steadily increasing their representation throughout the inter-war period, the Labour Party finally won a majority on the Council, and strengthened their hold by taking nine of the ten vacancies on the aldermanic bench. Labour victories included taking a seat in the Borough of Carmarthen for the first time. Gwynfor Evans, President of Plaid Cymru, was returned for the Llangadog ward.

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes.

Unopposed returns

There were a number of unopposed returns, both in Labour held seats and in the western part of the county, which was described as still being 'traditionally Liberal in character'.^[2]

Contested elections

While there were more unopposed returns than in 1946, many wards were keenly contested. Electioneering reached a peak in Llanelli where an Independent association was formed to fight the elections as a united front against Labour. However, Labour won all but two seats in Llanelli town.

Retiring aldermen faced the electorate for the first time since 1937. In Llangyndeyrn, Alderman Rev. James Jenkins, a member of the Council since 1925, was defeated by the retiring Labour councilor. However, Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw was one of only two Independent candidates to secure election in Llanelli.

Summary of results

This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections. In some cases there is an ambiguity in the sources over the party affiliations and this is explained below where relevant.

This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 53 councillors were elected.

Carmarthesnhire County Council 1949: elected members
Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour
	Plaid Cymru	1
	Independent

Carmarthenshire County Council 1949 : following election of new aldermen
Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour
	Plaid Cymru	1
	Independent

Carmarthenshire County Council 1949 : following election of new aldermen and by-elections
Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour
	Plaid Cymru	1
	Independent

Ward results

Abergwili

Abergwili 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Col. Grismond P. Philipps*	631
	Labour	David John Evans	399
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Ammanford No.1

Ammanford No.1 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Haydn Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ammanford No.2

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.2 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Harries*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Berwick

Berwick 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Thomas Sidney Bowen*	1,172
	Independent	William John Thomas	743
	Independent	Elvet Pugh	155
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Burry Port

Burry Port 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Edward Lewis*	1,525
	Independent	Archibald Edgar Morgan	714
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Caio

Caio 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Thomas Davies*	685
	Independent	Frank Wolsely Armitage	271
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 1

Carmarthen Division 1 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	George V. Davies	769
	Independent	William Jones*	736
	Independent Labour	D.W. Davies	49
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Carmarthen Division 2

Carmarthen Division 2 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.O. Morgans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 3

Carmarthen Division 3 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	J. Verdi Jenkins*	700
	Labour	W.D. Jones	575
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Cenarth

Cenarth 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.J. James Jones*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilycwm

Cilycwm 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.A. Owen*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Conwil

Conwil 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.A. Phillips*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cwmamman

Cwmamman 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	David John Stone*	1,312
	Independent	Sydney Phillip James	393
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly

Kidwelly 1946
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	J. Amos Jones*	869
	Independent	David Phillips	626
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Laugharne

Laugharne 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Rev. Chancellor S.B. Williams*	689
	Labour	W.J. John	497
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarthney

Llanarthney 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Edgar Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanboidy

Llanboidy 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Joshua Phillips*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandebie North

Llandebie North 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwilym R. Thomas*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandebie South

Llandebie South 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Evan Bevan*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandilo Rural

Llandilo Rural 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William John Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandilo Urban

Llandilo Urban 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	James Morgan Davies*	866
	Labour	E. Gwyn Williams	224
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandovery

Llandovery 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Anthony H. Gower*	564
	Independent	James James	412
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandyssilio

Llandyssilio 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Hugh Davies	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanedy

Llanedy 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas William Morgan*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanegwad

Llanegwad 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Griffith Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 1

Llanelly Division 1 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Rev David Penry Jones*	1,016
	Independent	Henry Richards	764
	Independent	James Jones	222
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 2

Llanelly Division 2 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	William T. Griffiths*	976
	Independent	John Zammit	737
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 3

Llanelly Division 3 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Mrs Claudia R. Rees*	631
	Independent	David J. Edmunds	313
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 4

Llanelly Division 4 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Mrs Charlotte Hopkins*	1,115
	Independent	Sidney Ellis	955
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 5

Llanelly Division 5 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw**	530
	Labour	Ben Howells	403
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 6

Llanelly Division 6 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	W. Douglas Hughes*	815
	Independent	William Hughes	182
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 7

Llanelly Division 7 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	J. Llewellyn Evans*	762
	Independent	Aneurin Thomas	462
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 8

Llanelly Division 8 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	George M. McConkey	868
	Independent	Fred Howells*	530
	Communist	Martin H. Thomas	17
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Llanelly Division 9

Llanelly Division 9 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	A.H. Olive*	987
	Labour	John A. Palmer	803
	Communist	Brinley James	80
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel Aberbythick

Llanfihangel Aberbythick 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.J. Williams*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	John Davies*	789
	Independent	William Harry	211
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangadog

Llangadog 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Gwynfor Richard Evans	Unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Plaid Cymru gain from Independent

Llangeler

Llangeler 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Daniel Griffiths	908
	Independent	John Evans	812
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangendeirne

Llangendeirne 1946
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Rev R.G. James*	1,012
	Independent	Rev James Jenkins**	unopposed
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangennech

Llangennech 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Thomas Bowen*	815
	Independent	John Rees	369
	Independent	Trefor Beasley	101
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangunnor

Llangunnor 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Parry Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanon

Llanon 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sidney Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llansawel

Llansawel 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Daniel Williams	317
	Independent	John Morgan*	275
Majority
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanstephan

Llanstephan 1946
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.Ll. Haries*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanybyther

Llanybyther 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Edward Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Myddfai

Myddfai 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Morgan Lewis Jones*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Pembrey

Pembrey 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Simon John Elwyn Samuel*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontyberem

Pontyberem 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Quarter Bach

Quarter Bach 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Watkin Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Rhydcymmerai

Rhydcymmerai 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Clears

St Clears 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Joseph David Rees*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Ishmaels

St Ishmaels 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Trevor Rhys Morris*	685
	Independent	William Anthony	600
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Trelech

Trelech 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Simon Owen Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trimsaran

Trimsaran 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Labour	Brinley Jenkins*	unopposed
	Independent Labour hold		Swing

Westfa

Westfa 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Emrys Aubrey*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Whitland

Whitland 1946
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Hughes Mathias*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Election of aldermen

In addition to the 57 councillors the council consisted of 19 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections the following nine aldermen were elected.

W. Douglas Hughes, Labour
Emrys Aubrey, Labour
T.S. Bowen, Labour
T.W. Morgan, Labour
D.J. Jones, Labour
W.W. Davies, Labour
J. Amos Jones, Labour
W.T. Griffiths, Labour
J. Llewellyn Evans, Labour
Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw, Independent

By-elections

Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held.^[3] In Llanelli, the Independents gained two seats but Labour won the seat vacated by Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw.

Berwick by-election

Berwick by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	William Isaac Daniel	921
	Independent Labour	Emrys Daniel Lewis	873
	Independent	Elvet Pugh	22
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly by-election

Kidwelly by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	J.H. Williams	999
	Independent	W.G. Gilbert	294
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanedy by-election

Llanedy by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwyn Howells	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 2 by-election

Llanelly Division 2 by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	John Zammit	984
	Labour	T.M. Price	795
Majority
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Llanelly Division 5 by-election

Llanelly Division 5 by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Ben Howells	454
	Independent	Harry Richards	307
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Llanelly Division 6 by-election

Llanelly Division 6 by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	W.J. Davies	666
	Independent	Harry Beaton	310
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 7 by-election

Llanelly Division 7 by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Mrs Eleanor Thomas	616
	Labour	Miss Elsie Jones	590
Majority
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Pontyberem by-election

Pontyberem by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Williams	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Quarter Bach by-election

Quarter Bach by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Josiah Jones	1,422
	Independent	Owen A. Jenkins	920
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Westfa by-election

Westfa 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	W.J.F. Thomas	1,389
	Independent	Archibald Ivor Bailey	373
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

References

^ "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 8 April 1949.
^ "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 18 March 1949.
^ "By-Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 27 May 1949.

[CJ_8-4-49_CarmsRes-1] "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 8 April 1949.

[CJ_18-3-49_CarmsNoms-2] "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 18 March 1949.

[CJ_27-5-49_by-els-3] "By-Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 27 May 1949.

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