1913 Carmarthenshire County Council election

The ninth election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1913. It was preceded by the 1910 election and followed, due to the First World War and the postponement of the 1916 elections, by the 1919 election.

1913 Carmarthenshire County Council election

All 68 seats to Carmarthenshire County Council 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Liberal Conservative Liberal Unionist Last election 53/68 13/68 1/68 Seats before 53/68 13/68 1/68 Seats won 51/68 15/68 1/68 Councillors 37 12 1 Aldermen 14 3 0 Seats +/– 2 2 0   Fourth party   Party Independent Last election 1/68 Seats before 1/68 Seats won 1/68 Councillors 1 Aldermen 0 Seats +/– o
Council control after election Liberal Liberal Party

Overview of the result

The Liberals retained a strong majority although the elections were far less politicized than in previous years. With a few exceptions, members were returned unopposed.

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes.

Candidates

Only two of those elected at the first election in 1889, and who had served continuously since then, sought re-election. Sir James Drummond, the Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire and D,C. Parry (Llanelli) were both returned unopposed.

Ward results

Abergwili

Abergwili 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Griffiths*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ammanford

Ammanford 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Col. David Morris*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bettws

Bettws 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tom Morris*	503
	Liberal	Henry Folland	285
	Liberal	Arthur Williams	142
Majority			218
	Labour hold		Swing

Caio

Caio 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir James Hills-Johnes*	unopposed

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Lower Division)

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Lower Division) 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr David Denzil Harries*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Upper Division)

Carmarthen Eastern Ward (Upper Division) 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Andrew Fuller-Mills*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Carmarthen Western Ward (Lower Division)

Carmarthen Western Ward (Lower Division) 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H.S. Holmes	152
	Liberal	John Lewis*	136
Majority			16
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Carmarthen Western Ward (Upper Division)

Carmarthen Western Ward (Lower Division) 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	H.F. Blagdon-Richards*	268
	Conservative	John Crossman	243
Majority			25
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cenarth

Cenarth 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Lewis*	261
	Conservative	David Evans	231
Majority			30
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cilycwm

Cilycwm 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Campbell-Davys	246
	Liberal	Daniel Lewis	99
Majority			147
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Conwil

Conwil 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Kidwelly

Kidwelly 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alfred Stephens*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Laugharne

Laugharne 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W.H. Dempster	223
	Liberal	T.S.K. Morse	184
Majority			39
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llanarthney

Llanarthney 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W. Jones Thomas*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanboidy

Llanboidy 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandebie

Llandebie 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Davies*	Unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandilo Rural

Llandilo Rural 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	L.N. Powell*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandilo Urban

Llandilo Urban 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J.W. Gwynne Hughes*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandovery

Llandovery 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.P. Carbery Vaughan Pryse-Rice*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandyssilio

Llandyssilio 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Benjamin John*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanedy

Llanedy 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanegwad

Llanegwad 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Delme Davies-Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 1

Llanelly Division 1 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Griffiths	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 2

Llanelly Division 2 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Simlett*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 3

Llanelly Division 3 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William David*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 4

Llanelly Division 4 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Thomas*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 5

Llanelly Division 5 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D.C. Parry*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 6

Llanelly Division 6 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Joseph Roberts*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 7

Llanelly Division 7 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Hugh Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 8

Llanelly Division 8 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Rural, Berwick

Llanelly Rural, Berwick 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Hughes	299
	Liberal	David Harry*	289
Majority			10
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Rural, Hengoed

Llanelly Rural, Hengoed 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.B. Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Rural, Westfa and Glyn

Llanelly Rural, Westfa and Glyn 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Benjamin Humphreys	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanfihangel Aberbythick

Llanfihangel Aberbythick 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Harris	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Rees Jones	261
	Liberal	Ben Rees	170
Majority			91
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llangadock

Llangadock 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Mervyn Lloyd Peel*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llangeler

Llangeler 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Lewes*	360
	Liberal	Rev Edward Teilo Owen	320
Majority			40
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llangendeirne

Llangendeirne 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev R.H. Jones	273
	Liberal	Rev Ben Morris	238
Majority			35
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangennech

Llangennech 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Thomas*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangunnor

Llangunnor 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Evan B. Lloyd	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanon

Llanon 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Greville*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llansawel

Llansawel 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir J.H.W. Drummond, Bart.*	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold

Llanstephan

Llanstephan 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Johns*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanybyther

Llanybyther 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Jones	334
	Liberal	Dr E. Jones	240
	Liberal hold		Swing

Mothvey

Mothvey 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Davies*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pembrey North

Pembrey North 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev James Howell Rees*	302
	Liberal	David Evans	227
	Conservative	William Bassett	184
Majority			75
	Liberal hold		Swing

Pembrey South

Pembrey South 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Dr John Henry Williams	390
	Independent	George Eynon Bowen*	202
Majority			188
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Quarter Bach

Quarter Bach 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	W.J. Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Rhydcymmerai

Rhydcymmerai 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Benjamin Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

St Clears

St Clears 1910

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Phillips*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

St Ishmael

St Ishmael 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Lloyd Thomas*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trelech

Trelech 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Philip Phillips	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Whitland

Whitland 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Thomas	228
	Conservative	Dr R.L. Thomas*	184
Majority			44
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Election of aldermen

In addition to the 51 councillors the council consisted of 17 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. At the statutory meeting there was disagreement over the election of aldermen with the Liberals initially nominating eight of their number for the eight vacancies. However, W.J. Williams of Brynamman withdrew in favour of a Conservative, Dudley Drummond.

Following the elections the following eight aldermen were elected:

• H. Jones-Thomas, retiring alderman (47)
• J. Llew. Thomas, retiring alderman (45)
• W. Mabon Davies, retiring alderman (44)
• Thomas Thomas, retiring alderman. (45)
• Dudley Drummond, from outside the council (48)
• Professor Jones, retiring alderman (47)
• C. E. Morris, retiring alderman (43)
• John Lewis, elected member for Cenarth (40)

Aldermanic vacancies between 1913 and 1919

Both W. Mabon Davies and Professor D.E. Jones died in the months following the election and the appointment of new aldermen in their place took place at the quarterly meeting of the council in late July. Several members objected to aspects of the process, including the perceived lack of aldermen from some parts of the county and the private meetings to decide upon nominations (from which Conservative councillors were said to be excluded). After a prolonged discussion it was decided to postpone the decision on a replacement for Professor Jones.

W. Mabon Davies was replaced by a member who had withdrawn his name at the annual meeting some months previously.

• W.J. Williams (Liberal), elected member for Quarter Bach

At the October quarterly meeting there was disagreemnet among members for the western division over a replacement for Professor Jones. The successful candidate received 28 votes as opposed to 18 for the Rev. J.H. Rees and 10 for the Rev. Arthur Fuller-Mills of Carmarthen.

• Ben Evans (Liberal), elected member for Rhydymcerau

By-elections between 1913 and 1919

Ammanford by-election, 1913

A by-election was held in the Ammanford division in June 1913 following the death of Councillor David Morris, a Liberal councillor. Erne Hewlett, general manager of Ammanford Collieries, and an active Conservative, ran on a non-political basis and won the seat, despite Liberal attempts to make the contest a political one.

Ammanford by-election 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Erne Hewlett
	Liberal	David Griffiths Davies
Majority
Turnout
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Quarter Bach by-election, 1913

A by-election was held in the Quarter Bach division on 5 September 1913 following the elevation of W.J. Williams to the aldermanic bench.

Quarter Bach by-election 1913

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Gwilym Vaughan	430
	Liberal	D.W. Lewis	252
Majority
Turnout
	Liberal hold		Swing