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.
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.
Results Aberaman
Aberavon
Abercynon
Aberdare Town
Bargoed
Barry 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 Dock
Blaengwawr
Bridgend
Briton Ferry
Cadoxton
Caerphilly
Cilfynydd
Coedffranc
Cowbridge
Cwm Aber
Cwmavon
Cymmer
Dinas Powys
Dulais Valley
Ferndale
Gadlys
Garw Valley
Glyncorrwg
Gower
Hengoed
Hopkinstown
Kibbor
Castell Coch
Llandeilo Talybont
Llanfabon
Llwydcoed
Llwynypia
Loughor
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon
Maesteg, East and West
Mountain Ash The sitting member, the Hon. John Bruce (Ind) stood down and Labour gained the seat without a contest.
Neath (North)
Neath (South)
Newcastle
Ogmore Valley
Penarth North
Penarth South
Pencoed
Penrhiwceiber
Pentre
Pontardawe
Pontyclun
Port Talbot East
Port Talbot West
Porthcawl
Pontlottyn
Pontypridd Town
Penygraig
Porth
Swansea Valley
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch
Trealaw
Treforest
Treherbert
Treorchy
Tylorstown
Vale of Neath
Ynyshir
Ystalyfera
Ystrad
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.
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
Abercynon by-election
Barry Dock by-election Labour lost the by-election held following the re-election of Dorothy Rees to the aldermanic bench. 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.
Glyncorrwg by-election
Hopkinstown by-election
Llandeilo Talybont by-election
Llanfabon by-election
Maesteg by-election
Pontardawe by-election
Port Talbot by-election Joe Brown, former agent to Ramsay Macdonald when he was MP for Aberavon, failed to gain the Labour nomination and ran as an Independent.
Tylorstown by-election
References
Bibliography