The 1910 Glamorgan County Council election was the eighth contest for seats on this local authority in south Wales. It was preceded by the 1907 election and followed by the 1913 election.
Overview of the result As in most parts of Wales, the Liberal Party was once again triumphant and won a majority of the seats. The Conservatives made a further advance in the western part of the county where they also held on in a number of industrial wards where the influence of paternalism remained strong. A more striking factor was the advance of Labour candidates in several areas and there were also a number of Liberal members who were returned under a 'progressive' banner with support from the labour movement.
Boundary Changes There were a number of boundary changes folloeing the secession of Merthyr Tydfil from Glamorgan to create a new County Borough. Eight new wards were created. These included those in the Barry Urban District (Cadoxton), Caerphilly (Aber Valley), Gelligaer Urban District (Hengoed), Maesteg, Mountain Ash Urban District,
Candidates There were a number of unopposed returns and candidates identified as Liberals contested almost all seats. There were a significant number of Conseratives and relatively few Labour candidates. The political affiliation of some candidates was not noted.
All eleven retiring aldermen were Liberals, or Lib-Lab members as the Conservatives and their allies had been denied any seats on the aldermanic bench since 1901.
Outcome Most seats were contested. In the western part of the county, industrialists standing as Conservatives continued to hold their found in some wards.. All nominations in the western part of the county re available in this source.
Aberdare, Mountain Ash and Merthyr districts There were only two contested elections in the Aberdare district, and both were again more personal than political.
Bridgend and Maesteg districts There were a number of contested elections in this area.
Swansea, Pontardawe and Port Talbot districts In these areas the Conservatives again performed well, mainly at the expense of the Liberals.
Results by ward
Aber Valley
Aberaman
Aberavon J.M. Smith held on to the seat he had held since 1889, increasing his majority over Labour. The result was said to have been greeted by a large crowd.
Abercynon Boundary Change. The Labour candidate had entered the fray at the last moment causing a three-cornered contest in this new ward.
Aberdare Town
Bargoed
Barry
Barry Dock
Blaengwawr In a contest between two Liberals, John Howell, first elected in 1895, was defeated by Gwilym Treharne who had opposed him on several occasions in the past.
Bridgend Randall was again returned unopposed, with the Liberals deciding not to oppose him.
Briton Ferry
Cadoxton
Caerphilly Boundary Change. The previous Caerphilly division was divided.
Cilfynydd
Coedffranc
Coity
Cowbridge The sitting member, a timber merchant at Pendoylan, who had captured the seat three years previously, was now returned unopposed.
Cwmavon Henry Davies held on to the seat he won in 1907.
Cymmer
Dinas Powys The sitting member had held the seat for many years and was again returned.
Dulais Valley
Ferndale
Gadlys Following the recent death of Griffith George, a fellow Liberal was elected in his place. There was no Labour candidate.
Garw Valley
Gelligaer
Glyncorrwg
Gower
Hengoed In this new ward, long-serving alderman David Prosser was defeated.
Kibbor Henry Lewis again returned after many years.
Llandaff Robert Forrest held the seat comfortably.
Llandeilo Talybont First elected in 1889, Rees Harries was again returned by a substantial majority.
Llansamlet
Llantrisant
Llwydcoed
Llwynypia and Clydach
Loughor and Penderry John Glasbrook was elected unopposed following the retirement of Sir John Llewelyn.
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon Vernon Hartshorn, miners agent was returned by a huge majority
Maesteg, East and West This was a repeat of the contest three years previously with the same result.
Margam Following the retirement of the Liberal member, the son of the former Independent councillor, defeated in 1904, won a narrow victory over Labour.
Morriston
Mountain Ash
Neath (North)
Neath (South)
Newcastle
Ogmore The ward was renamed Porthcawl. In a close contest a prominent Liberal defeated the former Conservative councillor.
Ogmore Valley
Oystermouth
Penarth North
Penarth South
Penrhiwceiber
Pentre
Pontardawe
Pontlottyn
Pontypridd
Penygraig
Porth
Resolven
Sketty
Swansea Valley
Treforest
Treherbert
Treorchy
Trealaw and Tonypandy
Tylorstown
Ynyshir
Ystalyfera
Ystrad Clifford Cory, the member since 1892, was once again returned unopposed.
Election of Aldermen
In addition to the 66 councillors the council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Boundary changes following the secession of Merthyr kept the number of councillors at 66 through the creation of additional wards. The number of aldermen therefore remained unchanged. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1910 election, there were twelve Aldermanic vacancies rather than eleven owing to the resignation of John Davies, an alderman elected for a Merthyr ward.
The following aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council.
elected for six years Thomas, W. M. David G. h- Fleming, Rhys 11 airies, Dd. Hughes G. J. Hughes, W. Jones, J. Jordan, Rhys Llew- ellyn, W. Llewellyn, W. H. Matthews, W. M. Williams, and Rev. D. H. Williams.
elected for three years
By-Elections
Aberdare Town by-election William Thomas, High Constable of Miskin Higher, who had been nominated at the initial election but agreed to withdraw to prevent a split in the Liberal ranks was now returned unopposed.
Llwydcoed by-election Harris, elected when Llewellyn was initially made an alderman, was again returned.
Notes
References
Bibliography