1928 Glamorgan County Council election

The thirteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in March 1928. It was preceded by the 1925 election and followed by the 1931 election.

Overview of the Result

Labour was defending a secure majority in an election that was more bitterly fought than in previous year, in the wake of divisions persisting after the General Strike and lockout of 1926. Non-Labour candidates largely coalesced under an Independent banner but lost further ground as Labour won additional seats

Boundary Changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Candidates

20 candidates were returned unopposed, only five won whom were Labour.^[1]

Following the death of Dr T.H. Morris (Rhondda) there were ten retiring aldermen, nine of whom sought re-election. The only exception was Thomas Luther Davies (Aberaman).

Contested Elections

The pattern of contests was similar to 1925, although Labour did challenge some long-serving aldermen including W.R. Davies (first elected in 1898) at Cilfynydd and Enoch Davies in the Rhondda. In the Garw Valley ward, retiring alderman Rev. William Saunders was opposed by the sitting Independent councillor as was Alderman D.T. Williams in the Swansea Valley ward.

Outcome

Labour gained a number of seats, increasing their majority on the County Council.^[2]

A notable result in the Dulais Valley was the defeat of coal owner Daniel Daniels, former chairman of the Council, by Labour candidate Gwilym Davies. Daniels had not been re-elected as an alderman three years previously and the result came after a series of disputes in the mining industry.

In the Cilfynydd ward, Labour candidate Arthur Pearson defeated Alderman W.R. Davies, first elected to the council in 1898. Labour had won the seat in 1919 but in 1922 stood down to allow Davies to be returned unopposed. The decision to oppose him reflected the increasingly partisan politics of the mining valleys and Davies was narrowly defeated.

A similar situation arose in Treherbert, a seat won for Labour by D.E. Williams in 1919. Williams stood down in favour of Alderman Enoch Davies in 1922 but having been returned unopposed in 1925 he stood against Davies and was returned by several hundred votes. Enoch Davies had served as a member of the Council since 1901, and was a prominent tradesman and nonconformist.^[3]

Labour lost only two seats, at Penygraig in the Rhondda and also Pontardawe.^[4] The latter was significant as it was also represented by Alderman Dan Dai Davies, jailed for his role in the anthracite strike and disturbances of 1925. Labour consolidated their majorities in many others, including seats gained three years previously.

Results

Aberaman

Aberaman 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sydney Herbert Stephens*	2,410
	Independent	Augustus Davies	1,681
Majority			729
	Labour hold		Swing

Aberavon

Aberavon 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Edward Lewis Hare*	2,369
	Independent	E. Marchant Jenkins	1,984
Majority			385
	Labour hold		Swing

Abercynon

Abercynon 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Richard A. Thomas	2,473
	Liberal	Edward J. Thomas	1,579
Majority			394
	Labour hold		Swing

Aberdare Town

Aberdare Town 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Bargoed

Bargoed 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Henry Hopkins*	2,760
	Independent	Gus Jones	1,786
Majority			974
	Labour hold		Swing

Barry

Barry 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev R.H. Lomas	1,909
	Independent	E.T. Lawrence*	1,669
Majority			240
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Barry Dock

Barry Dock 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.M. Davies*	2,139
	Independent	P.J. O'Donnell	880
Majority			1,259
	Liberal hold		Swing

Blaengwawr

Blaengwawr 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William J. Edwards*	1,541
	Independent	Henry Vause	750
Majority			791
	Labour hold		Swing

Bridgend

Bridgend 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dapho Llewellyn Powell*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Briton Ferry

Briton Ferry 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George Gethin*	1,946
	Independent	W.J. Hill	1,714
Majority			232
	Labour hold		Swing

Cadoxton

Cadoxton 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.R. Llewellyn*	Unopposed
Majority
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Caerphilly

Caerphilly 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Edwards*	2,412
	Labour	Evan Phillips	2,345
Majority			67
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Cilfynydd

Cilfynydd 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Arthur Pearson	1,912
	Independent	William Roberts Davies**	1,773
Majority			139
	Labour hold		Swing

Coedffranc

Coedffranc 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Phillip Jenkins*	2,149
	Independent	Ogley L. David	2,077
Majority			72
	Labour hold		Swing

Cowbridge

Cowbridge 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Colonel H.R. Homfray*	2,061
	Labour	David E. Harris	1,132
Majority			919
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Cwm Aber

Cwm Aber 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hubert Jenkins**	Unopposed
Majority
	Labour hold		Swing

Cwmavon

Cwmavon 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Jones Edwards*	1,728
	Independent	Percy Jacob	1,241
Majority			487
	Labour hold		Swing

Cymmer

In 1922 David Watts-Morgan had stood down in favour of retiring Liberal alderman Morgan Williams but by 1928 Williams had retired from public life.

Cymmer 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Watts-Morgan*	1,378
	Independent	Mrs R.D. Chalke	925
Majority			453
	Labour hold		Swing

Dinas Powys

Dinas Powys 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Claude D. Thompson*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Dulais Valley

Dulais Valley 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwilym Davies	2,338
	Independent	Daniel Daniels*	1,421
Majority			917
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Ferndale

Ferndale 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Jabez Davies*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Gadlys

Gadlys 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T. Marchant Harries*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Glyncorrwg

Glyncorrwg 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tom John*	2,135
	Independent	Dr Alfred Davies	1,095
Majority			1,040
	Labour hold		Swing

Gower

Gower 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Frederick W. Davies*	2,041
	Labour	William Henry Davies	1,534
Majority			407
	Independent hold		Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas Evans	1,810
	Independent	Edward Richards*	1,466
Majority			344
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Hopkinstown

Hopkinstown 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Tristram*
	Independent	W.E. Summers	1,131
Majority			701
	Labour hold		Swing

Kibbor

Kibbor 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	H. Spence Thomas*	2,501
	Labour	W.S. Collins	857
Majority			1,644
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Llandaff

Llandaff 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lewis Lougher*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Llandeilo Talybont

Llandeilo Talybont 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas Jones	2,086
	Independent	Ben Oliver	1,437
Majority			649
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanfabon

Llanfabon 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Bowen*	1,502
	Independent	Arthur Hopkins	1,037
Majority			465
	Labour hold		Swing

Llwydcoed

Llwydcoed 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Martha Emma Jones	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Llwynypia

Llwynypia 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	James Evans**	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Loughor

Loughor 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas J. Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Hughes*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Maesteg, East and West

Maesteg East and West 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Albert E. Lockyer	2,471
	Labour	George Hitchings	1,129
Majority			1,612
	Independent hold		Swing

Mountain Ash

Mountain Ash 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lord Aberdare*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Neath (North)

Neath (North) 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Hopkin Morgan**	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Neath (South)

Davies failed to hold Neath South having stood down in favour of Alderman Hopkin Morgan in neighbouring Neath North.

Neath (South) 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev W. Degwel Thomas	1,880
	Independent	David Griffith Davies*	1,714
Majority			175
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing

Newcastle

Newcastle 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Edward Horace Mole*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ogmore Valley

Six years previously, the SWMF candidate had defeated a railwaymen's nominee but that result was now reversed.

Ogmore Valley 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Labour	Thomas A. Job	2,157
	Labour	David J. Thomas*	1,808
Majority			349
	Independent Labour gain from Labour		Swing

Penarth North

Penarth North 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Peter Freeman	802
	Independent	Walter Hallett*	801
Majority			1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Penarth South

Penarth South 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Samuel Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Pencoed

Pencoed 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.A. Howell*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Penrhiwceiber

Penrhiwceiber 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John William Bath	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pentre

Pentre 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Alfred Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Pontardawe

Pontardawe 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	C. Gilbertson	2,150
	Labour	Charles Williams*	1,986
Majority			164
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Pontyclun

Pontyclun 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Jenkins*	1,949
	Labour	Johnson Miles	1,636
Majority			313
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing

Port Talbot East

Port Talbot East 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Taliesin Mainwaring	1,461
	Independent	William Arthur Davies	1,363
Majority			98
	Labour hold		Swing

Port Talbot West

Port Talbot West 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Llewelyn David*	1,778
	Labour	Joseph Brown	1,020
Majority			758
	Independent hold		Swing

Porthcawl

Porthcawl 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Elias	2,585
	Labour	William J. Owen	1,626
Majority			959
	Independent hold		Swing

Pontlottyn

Hammond had previously been elected as a Liberal.

Pontlottyn 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Hammond*	1,683
	Independent	A.E. Gardner	552
Majority			1,131
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontycymmer

Pontycymmer 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev. William Saunders**	2,260
	Independent	Jonathan Maddocks*	1,519
Majority			741
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Pontypridd Town

Pontypridd Town 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	H.R. Evans*	1,651
	Labour	D.L. Davies	1,127
Majority			524
	Independent hold		Swing

Penygraig

Penygraig 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.P. Davies	1,680
	Labour	Nefydd Thomas*	1,628
Majority			52
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Porth

Porth 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Evans*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Swansea Valley

Swansea Valley 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D.T. Williams**	2,596
	Independent	Richard Thomas*	2,042
	Independent	Mrs E. Jones	363
Majority			554
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch

Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Arthur Jones*	1,646
	Independent	E.W. Evans	1,535
Majority			111
	Labour hold		Swing

Trealaw

Trealaw 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Enoch Treharne*	1,764
	Independent	Rev T.L. Jones	1,133
	Independent Labour	A. Boyce	1,072
Majority			631
	Labour hold		Swing

Treforest

Treforest 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Arthur James Chick*	2,175
	Independent	R. Roper	1,850
Majority			325
	Labour hold		Swing

Treherbert

Enoch Davies was defeated after 27 years after the sitting Labour councillor did not withdraw in his favour

Treherbert 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Edward Williams*	2,426
	Independent	Enoch Davies**	2,019
Majority			407
	Labour hold		Swing

Treorchy

Treorchy 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rhys Evans*	3,118
	Independent	John Samuel	2,316
Majority			802
	Labour hold		Swing

Tylorstown

Tylorstown 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Mardy Evans*	2,060
	Independent	Daniel Ashton	874
Majority			1,186
	Labour hold		Swing

Vale of Neath

Vale of Neath 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William A. Betty	2,250
	Independent	D.H. Jones*	2.004
Majority			46
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Ynyshir

Ynyshir 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George Dalling*	2,145
	Independent	Dan Jones	1,449
Majority			699
	Labour hold		Swing

Ystalyfera

Ystalyfera 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John David Brazell*	2,177
	Independent	T. Alex Evans	1,170
Majority			1,007
	Labour hold		Swing

Ystrad

Ystrad 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dr W.E. Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent gain from Liberal		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 1928 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, all of which all of which were filled by Labour nominees despite the protestations of their opponents.^[5]

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

• Hubert Jenkins (Lab, Cwm Aber)
• Rev William Saunders (Lab, Garw Valley)
• David Thomas Williams (Lab, Swansea Valley)

In addition, the following seven new aldermen were elected:

• J.D. Brazell (Lab, Ystalyfera)
• Jabez Davies (Lab, Rhondda)
• Rhys Evans (Lab, Treorchy)
• William Hammond (Lab, Pontlottyn)
• W. Arthur Jones (Lab, Tonyrefail)
• E.H. Mole (Lab, Newcastle)
• Enoch Treharne (Lab, Rhondda)
• David Watts-Morgan MP (Lab, Rhondda)

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected as members of the Council but were not re-elected as aldermen:

• Hopkin Morgan (Lib, Neath)
• Enoch Davies (Lib, Rhondda)
• James Evans (Lib, Rhondda)

By-elections

Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.

Cwm Aber by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour
	Independent
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Cymmer by-election

Following the election of David Watts-Morgan as alderman the by-election was won by the Independent candidate. Mrs Chalke was married to R.D. Chalke, headmaster of Porth Grammar School and the prospective Liberal candidate for Rhondda East, when he was due to oppose Watts-Morgan.^[6]

Cymmer by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mrs R.D. Chalke	1,068
	Labour	David Thomas	908
Majority			160
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Ferndale by-election

Ferndale by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Alfred Evans	2,301
	Labour	Dr K. Datta	1,559
	Communist	Charles Jones	1,224
Majority			742
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Garw Valley by-election

Jonathan Maddocks, the sitting Independent councillor, had been defeated by Alderman William Saunders at the regular election, and was again defeated by a Labour candidate.

Garw Valley by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ted Williams	2,370
	Independent	Jonathan Maddocks	1,391
Majority			979
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Newcastle by-election

Following the appointment of E.H. Mole as alderman, the Rev. H.R. Jenkins, vicar of Penyfai, was elected to represent this ward.

Newcastle by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev H.R. Jenkins	1,734
	Independent	Thomas Butler	1,252
Majority			482
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontlottyn by-election

Pontlottyn by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.A. Hancock	1,439
	Liberal	Mrs H. Davies	909
Majority			530
	Labour hold		Swing

Swansea Valley by-election

Following the re-election of D.T. Williams as alderman, Richard Thomas, who had held the seat since 1922 but failed to hold on against Williams, regained the seat as an Independent.

Swansea Valley by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Richard Thomas	2,547
	Labour	John L. Rees	2,130
Majority			417
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Tonyrefail by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour
	Independent
Majority
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Trealaw by-election

Trealaw by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev R.J. Barker	2,022
	Independent Labour	Jack Hughes	1,677
Majority			350
	Labour hold		Swing

Treorchy by-election

Following the election of Rhys Evans as alderman, David Hughes, checkweigher at Abergorki Colliery was elected as his successor.

Treorchy by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Hughes	2,726
	Independent Labour	J. Davies	1,991
Majority			737
	Labour hold		Swing

Ystalyfera by-election

Following the election of J.D. Brazell as alderman, Daniel T. Jones of Cwmllynfell, who had held the seat from 1919 until 1922 was elected as his successor.

Ystalyfera by-election 1928

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Daniel T. Jones	1,962
	Independent	John Griffiths	982
Majority			980
	Labour hold		Swing

References

Bibliography

• Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: Politics and society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.