1945–1972 Carmarthen Borough Council elections

Carmarthen Borough Council was a local authority created by the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act and 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. The councillors were elected on a triennial cycle, with a third of councillors retiring each year. Aldermen were elected for a six-year term from within the council membership.

During the period between 1919 and 1939, the Council had an Independent majority but with Labour candidates gaining ground.

1945 Carmarthen Borough Council election

At the first election, held a few months after the armistice, nine seats were contested after half the council membership along with three aldermen stood down. Three sitting members were defeated, including William Henry Evans, a retiring alderman and a member sonce 1929.^[1]

Eastern Ward (five seats)

Eastern Ward 1946
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	David Owen**	2,382
Labour	Herbert Morgan*	1,894
Labour	G.V. Davies	1,469
Independent	John Treharne	1,440
Independent	H.E. Ellis*	1,435
Independent	Alice K. White	1,419
Labour	William Henry Evans**	1,398
Labour	T.J. Thomas	1,245
Independent	D. Morgan	577

Western Ward (four seats)

Western Ward 1946
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	John Verdi Jenkins	1,337
Labour	W.D. Jones*	1,305
Independent	William Jones**	998
British Legion	D.H. Davies	973
Independent	T.H. Lewis*	935
Labour	D.O. John	928
Labour	W.C. Ferman	903
Labour	G.W. Ralphs	787
Independent	W.J. Lovell*	607
Independent	E.J. Davies	603

1947 Carmarthen Borough Council election

In addition to the six seats which were up for election a seventh vacancy was created due to the elevation of D.H. Jones to the aldermanic bench.^[2]

Independent won a seat from Labour in the Eastern Ward while the reverse happened in the Western Ward, leaving the composition of the Council unchanged.^[3]

1950 Carmarthen Borough Council election

Nine candidates contested the six vacancies across the two wards. Labour gained one seat from the Independents.^[4]

Eastern Ward (five seats)

Eastern Ward 1950
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	C. Dathan Davies	1,948
Labour	Thomas J. Thomas*	1,440
Independent	Alice K. White	1,343
Labour	T. Idwal Jones	1,181

Western Ward (four seats)

Western Ward 1950
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Charles W. Griffiths*	1,436
Labour	John H, Evans	972
Independent	Cliff C. Davies*	897
Independent	Margaret M. Mitchell	854
Independent	D.H. Davies*	843

1951 Carmarthen Borough Council election

Twelve candidates contested the six vacancies across the two wards.^[5]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1951
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Sidney Jeremy	1,636
Labour	T. Idwal Jones*	1,515
Independent	J.J. Lewis*	1,299
Independent	Gordon Selby Davies*	1,205
Labour	J.M. Harding	865

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1951
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Ellis J. Powell	1,148
Independent	Denzil Harries	1,101
Independent	William Edwards*	990
Independent	W.D. Jones	930
Independent	William Jones*	919
Independent	Marjorie Mitchell	871
Independent	D.H. Davies	415

1952 Carmarthen Borough Council election

Nine candidates contested the six vacancies, with five Labour candidates being successful.^[6]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1952
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	David Owen*	1,892
Labour	C.C. Jones*	1,627
Labour	Herbert Morgan*	1,518
Independent	Gordon Selby Davies	1,280
Independent	Marjorie Mitchell	956

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1952
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	M.E. Clifford Jones*	1,909
Labour	W.D. Jones*	1,510
Independent	W.D. Jones	1,149
Independent	L.G. Rees	838

Following the elevation of three councillors to the aldermanic bench, by-elections were held. Retiring alderman David Howell Jones, a member of the council for seventeen years, but who did not contest the recent election, was among those returned.^[7]

Eastern Ward by-election (two seats)

Eastern Ward 1952
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Gordon Selby Davies	1,252
Independent	David Howell Jones*	1,107
Labour	John Miles Harries	821

Western Ward by-election (one seat)

Western Ward 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Elwyn John	893
	Independent	George Leonard Rees	823

1953 Carmarthen Borough Council election

For the first time since the Second World War there was an unopposed return in a municipal election as the Western Ward was not contested.^[8] Ex-servicemen candidates (Wynford Davies and R.C. Hopkins) were elected in each ward.^[9]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1953
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	R.C. Hopkins	1,339
Independent	John Murray	1,290
Independent	Alice K. White*	1,136
Labour	Ivor Morris	1,126

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1953
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Wynford Davies	Unopposed
Labour	John H. Evans*	Unopposed
Independent	M. Marjorie Mitchell	Unopposed

1954 Carmarthen Borough Council election

For the second successive year, there was no contest in the Western Ward after sitting member William Edwards (who had lost his seat on Carmarthenshire County Council in 1952 chose not to seek re-election.^[10] After a contest in the Eastern Ward the composition of the council remained at 14 Independents (including two elected as Ex-Servicemen) and 10 Labour members.^[11]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1954
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	John James Lewis*	1,542
Independent	Sidney Jeremy*	1,532
Labour	T. Idwal Jones*	1,275
Independent	T. Keble Morgan	1,216
Labour	William Colvin	983

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1954
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	D. Denzil Harries	Unopposed
Independent	David Thomas Jenkins	Unopposed
Labour	Ellis J. Powell*	Unopposed

1955 Carmarthen Borough Council election

For the first time in the post-war period there was no contested election at Carmarthen as six candidates were returned unopposed. These included Charlie Griffiths who resigned from the aldermanic bench in order to be returned as a councillor.^[12]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1955
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Gordon Selby Davies*	Unopposed
Labour	C.C. Jones*	Unopposed
Labour	Herbert Morgan*	Unopposed

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1952
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	C.W. Griffiths**	Unopposed
Labour	Elwyn John	Unopposed
Labour	M.E. Clifford Jones*	Unopposed

Following the elevation of three councillors to the aldermanic bench, by-elections were held. Two Labour candidates were returned unopposed but retiring alderman J.O. Morgans, a member of the council for 36 years, faced a tough contest to retain his seat.^[13]

Eastern Ward (two seats)

Eastern Ward 1955 by-election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Colvin	Unopposed
	Labour	Ivor Morris	Unopposed

Western Ward (one seat)

Western Ward 1955 by-election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.O. Morgans**	954
	Independent	T. Keble Morgan	754

1956 Carmarthen Borough Council election

The Western Ward was uncontested for the second consecutive year. In the contested Eastern Ward, Labour gained a seat from the Independents.^[14]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1953
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	John Murray*	1,056
Independent	Alice K. White*	887
Labour	T.H. Gwynne Davies	875
Independent	R.C. Hopkins*	831
Labour	Reginald Johns	776

1957 Carmarthen Borough Council election

On this occasion there was no contest in the Eastern Ward and the three sitting members were returned unopposed.^[15] In the Western Ward a sitting Independent member was defeated by another Independent.^[16]

Eastern Ward (three seats)

Eastern Ward 1957
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Sidney Jeremy*	Unopposed
Labour	T. Idwal Jones*	Unopposed
Labour	Ivor Morris*	Unopposed

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1957
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	D. Denzil Harries	1,209
Independent	T.Ll. Jones	1,190
Labour	Ellis J. Powell*	1,028
Independent	David Thomas Jenkins*	913

1959 Carmarthen Borough Council election

Both wards were contested with a total of thirteen candidates. Two vacancies in the Eastern Ward resulted in a total of eight councillors being elected, amounting to almost half the number of elected members. The Ratepayers Association ran a slate of candidates; three of whom were elected.^[17]

Eastern Ward (five seats)

Eastern Ward 1959
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	R.E. Rees*	1,744
Labour	T.H. Gwynne Davies	1,709
Labour	J.D. Davies	1,580
Labour	D.C.H. Pullen	1,540
Ratepayers	Mrs V.M. Chapman	1,432
Ratepayers	J.A. Hillman	1,377
Labour	J. McMeel	1,307
Ratepayers	R. Summers	1,232

Western Ward (three seats)

Western Ward 1953
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Wynford Davies*	1,211
Ratepayers	Thomas McCall	975
Ratepayers	Leslie H. Howells	906
Labour	D. Norman Richards	762
Independent	M. Marjorie Mitchell*	685

References

^ "Municipal Elections. West Wales Results". Welshman. 9 November 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
^ "Seven Vacant Seats at Carmarthen". Western Mail. 23 October 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
^ "Anti-Socialist Net Gain in Wales: 22". Western Mail. 3 November 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
^ "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 19 May 1950. p. 1.
^ "Independents Lose Seat. Carmarthen Municipal Election". Carmarthen Journal. 18 May 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
^ "Election". Carmarthen Journal. 16 May 1952.
^ "Election". Carmarthen Journal. 4 July 1952.
^ "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 24 April 1953.
^ "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 15 May 1953.
^ "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 30 April 1954.
^ "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 21 May 1954.
^ "Carmarthen Town Council". Carmarthen Journal. 29 April 1955.
^ "Carmarthen Town Council". Carmarthen Journal. 24 June 1955.
^ "Borough results". Western Mail. 11 May 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
^ "Carmarthen Borough Council". Carmarthen Journal. 26 April 1957.
^ "Municipal Election". Carmarthen Journal. 17 May 1957.
^ "The Poll. How Welsh Towns Voted". Western Mail. 8 May 1959. p. 11. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

[W_9-11-45-1] "Municipal Elections. West Wales Results". Welshman. 9 November 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 11 December 2024.

[WM_23-10-47-2] "Seven Vacant Seats at Carmarthen". Western Mail. 23 October 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2024.

[WM_3-11-47-3] "Anti-Socialist Net Gain in Wales: 22". Western Mail. 3 November 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2024.

[CJ_19-5-50-4] "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 19 May 1950. p. 1.

[CJ_18-5-51-5] "Independents Lose Seat. Carmarthen Municipal Election". Carmarthen Journal. 18 May 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 29 April 2024.

[6] "Election". Carmarthen Journal. 16 May 1952.

[7] "Election". Carmarthen Journal. 4 July 1952.

[CJ24-4-51-8] "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 24 April 1953.

[CJ15-5-51-9] "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 15 May 1953.

[CJ30-4-54-10] "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 30 April 1954.

[CJ21-5-54-11] "Municipal Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 21 May 1954.

[12] "Carmarthen Town Council". Carmarthen Journal. 29 April 1955.

[CJ_24-6-55-13] "Carmarthen Town Council". Carmarthen Journal. 24 June 1955.

[WM_11-5-56-14] "Borough results". Western Mail. 11 May 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

[15] "Carmarthen Borough Council". Carmarthen Journal. 26 April 1957.

[16] "Municipal Election". Carmarthen Journal. 17 May 1957.

[WM_8-5-59-17] "The Poll. How Welsh Towns Voted". Western Mail. 8 May 1959. p. 11. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

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