1919-45 Aberdare Urban District Council elections

The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and consisted of the ancient parish of Aberdare. It took over the former responsibilities of the Aberdare Local Board of Health which had been in place since the 1850s. The responsibilities of the new authority included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.

The authority consisted of the five wards of Aberaman (also known as No. 5 Ward), Blaengwawr (also known as No. 4 Ward), Gadlys (also known as No. 2 Ward), Llwydcoed (also known as No. 1 Ward), and the Town Ward (also known as No. 3 Ward). Initially, each ward had three members, with one member was elected from each ward on an annual basis after the initial election of 1894. In 1904 an additional member was granted to each ward, resulting in the election of ten members, out of a total of 27. As the population of the Urban District continued to grow, an additional seven seats were created. Three of these were in the Aberaman Ward and one each in the other four wards.^[1]

At the first election held following the Great War, two candidates were elected from each of the five wards. There were contests in four of the five wards.^[2] There were no changes to the political complexion of the council following the results.^[3]

A total of twelve candidates were to be elected; four in the Aberaman ward and two in each of the other wards. Llwydcoed ward was uncontested and the retiring members returned unopposed.^[4] Labour won two setas at Gadlys; the successful candidates included Rose Davies who became the first woman member of the council. In contrast, the party lost a seat in Aberaman.^[5]

One member was to be returned for each ward; this was the first election for the retiring members to contest given that the 1915 and 1918 elections had not been held. All members were returned unoppposed.^[6]

Four of the five wards were contested; the exception being the Llwydcoed ward where two Independents were returned unopposed.^[7] Labour lost two seats as prominent local figure Edmund Stonelake and the long-serving Illtyd Hopkins lost their seats. Prominent coalowner E.M. Hann did not seek re-election.^[8]

All five wards were contested with Labour losing a total of four seats.^[9] Labour's defeats consisted of two seats in Gadlys, and one each in Llwydcoed and Aberaman.

In Llwydcoed, prominent local builder D. Tyssul Davies, a native of Llandysul who had lived in Aberdare for 38 years, and had recently purchased the Llwydcoed estate, ousted Labour councillor John Griffiths. Two sitting members ousted in Gadlys including serving county councillor Rose Davies. It was stated that a factor in the campaign had been her confinement at Aberdare General Hospital, with the Aberdare Leader commenting that "it is remarkable the indignation showed by so many towards this comparatively trivial incident". Glen George, one of the successful candidates in Gadlys, was the son of the late former councillor Griffith George. The other winning candidate, James Evans, was described as a fluent speaker but rather stiff in English.^[9]

Five members were to be elected, one in each ward, and three wards were uncontested.^[10] The two contested wards saw no change in the political composition of the council.^[11]