Carmarthen Borough Council was a Welsh municipal body created by the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act which, at that time, replaced the ancient borough that had existed since medieval times. The Council consisted of 24 members, eighteen of whom were elected councillors and the remaining six were aldermen. Councillors were elected on a triennial cycle, with a third of councillors retiring each year. Aldermen were elected for a six-year term, normally from within the council membership although retiring aldermen were often re-elected without facing a contest.
Prior to the First World War, municipal elections had occasionally been fought on a party basis but there was also a strong tradition of electing independent candidates.
1919 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
The first municipal after the conclusion of the Great War saw a number of retiring members opposed by Trades and Labour Council candidates and also Ex-Servicemen. The two groups had formed an electoral pact to fight the election but that fell apart a month before the contest.[1] Nevertheless, representatives of both groups were successful at the expense of retiring members.[2]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (four seats)[edit]
1920 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
The second municipal post-war contest was fought on party lines with supporters of the Lloyd George Coalition opposed by Labour candidates. In addition to the six councillors, three aldermen also retired, and this led to the defeat of the long-servong Walter Spurrell.[3]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (three seats)[edit]
By-elections[edit]
Following the election of aldermen, by-elections were held. Walter Spurrell, rejected by the electors at the triennial election, was returned but retiring alderman W. Dunn Williams (who had not stood at the triennial election), was not returned.
Eastern Ward by-election (two seats)[edit]
Western Ward by-election (one seat)[edit]
1921 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
As was the case the previous year, the local Liberal and Conservative association supported a joint slate of candidates and this resulted in the defeat of all five Labour candidates.[4]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (four seats)[edit]
1922 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
The election was fought against the backdrop of the General Election which was called after the Conservatives withdrew support from the Lloyd George Coalition Government. However, the local Liberal and Conservative associations continued to adhere to their own coalition arrangement and dominated the election, with the Labour candidates and an Independent elected as an Ex-Servicemen in 1919 all defeated. Two former councillors regained seats in the Western Ward.[5]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (four seats)[edit]
By-election[edit]
In September 1923, a by-election was held following the death of John Jenkins. John Phillips stood with the support of both Liberal and Conservative associations but the contest did not excite much interest, according to the local press.[6]
Western Ward (one seats)[edit]
1923 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
For the first time since the war there was no contest in the Eastern Ward.[7] The sole remaining Labour member, W.J. Martin, stood down after leaving Carmarthen for Bristol.[8] Labour canddates contested the Western Ward but all three were defeated by the retiring members who once again represented the continuing 'coalition' between the Liberal and Conseravtive associations.[9]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (three seats)[edit]
By-elections[edit]
At the statutory meeting in November, Alfred Fuller-Mills, George Jones and Thomas Williams were elected aldermen, although there was no unanimity.[10] At the ensuing by-elections, Labour failed to hold the seat vacayed by W.J. Martin.[11]
Eastern Ward by-election (one seat)[edit]
Western Ward by-election (one seat)[edit]
1924 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
The election proved to be another clean sweep for Independent candidates, five of whom were fielded by the continuing local coalition between the local Conservative and Liberal associations.[12]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (three seats)[edit]
1925 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
Having lost all their seats over the previous two years, Labour managed to gain one seat in the Western Ward when Ben Charles was successful at the expense of John Phillips, who had narrowly won a by-election fourteen months previously.[13]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (three seats)[edit]
1926 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
It was reported that little excitement was caused by the municipal elections as Independent candidates (five of them supporting the continuing coalition between the local Conservative and Liberal associations) were elected. The position in the Eastern Ward was complicated by the retirement of three aldermen which meant that William Evans lost his seat.[14]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (three seats)[edit]
By-elections[edit]
At the statutory meeting in November, D.J. Davies, H.S. Holmes and Walter Spurrell were elected aldermen. Spurrell, who had previously served an aldermanic term, tied with David Jones who then withdrew in his favour.[15] Holmes had also served as a member of Carmarthenshire County Council since 1913. At the ensuing by-elections, three candidates nominated by the local colaition were successful, including J.B. Arthur who had stood down at the origina election in favour of retiring aldermen.[16]
Eastern Ward by-election (one seat)[edit]
Western Ward by-election (two seats)[edit]
1927 Carmarthen Borough Council election[edit]
While the election was decribed as the quietest on record, the election was notable for the success of Labour candidate S.J. Jones, elected tonthe council on his tenth attemot, having been unsuccessful at his nine previous attempts. The local coalition between the local Conservative and Liberal associations continued in the Western Ward but in the Eastern Ward three candidates ran as Independents.[17]
Eastern Ward (three seats)[edit]
Western Ward (three seats)[edit]
References[edit]
