Welsh local 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 | G.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.