1928 Glamorgan County Council election


The thirteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in March 1928. It was preceded by the 1925 election and followed by the 1931 election.

Overview of the result

Labour was defending a secure majority in an election that was more bitterly fought than in previous year, in the wake of divisions persisting after the General Strike and lockout of 1926. Non-Labour candidates largely coalesced under an Independent banner but lost further ground as Labour won additional seats

Boundary Changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Candidates

20 candidates were returned unopposed, only five won whom were Labour.
Following the death of Dr T.H. Morris there were ten retiring aldermen, nine of whom sought re-election. The only exception was Thomas Luther Davies.

Contested Elections

The pattern of contests was similar to 1925, although Labour did challenge some long-serving aldermen including W.R. Davies at Cilfynydd and Enoch Davies in the Rhondda. In the Garw Valley ward, retiring alderman Rev. William Saunders was opposed by the sitting Independent councillor as was Alderman D.T. Williams in the Swansea Valley ward.

Outcome

Labour gained a number of seats, increasing their majority on the County Council.
A notable result in the Dulais Valley was the defeat of coal owner Daniel Daniels, former chairman of the Council, by Labour candidate Gwilym Davies. Daniels had not been re-elected as an alderman three years previously and the result came after a series of disputes in the mining industry.
In the Cilfynydd ward, Labour candidate Arthur Pearson defeated Alderman W.R. Davies, first elected to the council in 1898. Labour had won the seat in 1919 but in 1922 stood down to allow Davies to be returned unopposed. The decision to oppose him reflected the increasingly partisan politics of the mining valleys and Davies was narrowly defeated.
A similar situation arose in Treherbert, a seat won for Labour by D.E. Williams in 1919. Williams stood down in favour of Alderman Enoch Davies in 1922 but having been returned unopposed in 1925 he stood against Davies and was returned by several hundred votes. Enoch Davies had served as a member of the Council since 1901, and was a prominent tradesman and nonconformist.
Labour lost only two seats, at Penygraig in the Rhondda and also Pontardawe. The latter was significant as it was also represented by Alderman Dan Dai Davies, jailed for his role in the anthracite strike and disturbances of 1925. Labour consolidated their majorities in many others, including seats gained three years previously.

Results

Blaengwawr">Blaengwawr (electoral ward)">Blaengwawr

Cwm Aber

Cymmer">Cymmer, Rhondda Cynon Taf">Cymmer

In 1922 David Watts-Morgan had stood down in favour of retiring Liberal alderman Morgan Williams but by 1928 Williams had retired from public life.

Hopkinstown

Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon

Neath (South)">Neath">Neath (South)

Davies failed to hold Neath South having stood down in favour of Alderman Hopkin Morgan in neighbouring Neath North.

Ogmore Valley

Six years previously, the SWMF candidate had defeated a railwaymen's nominee but that result was now reversed.

Port Talbot East

[Pontlottyn]

Hammond had previously been elected as a Liberal.

[Treforest]

[Treherbert]

Enoch Davies was defeated after 27 years after the sitting Labour councillor did not withdraw in his favour

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 66 councillors the council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1928 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, all of which all of which were filled by Labour nominees despite the protestations of their opponents.
The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:
  • Hubert Jenkins
  • Rev William Saunders
  • David Thomas Williams
In addition, the following seven new aldermen were elected:
  • J.D. Brazell
  • Jabez Davies
  • Rhys Evans
  • William Hammond
  • W. Arthur Jones
  • E.H. Mole
  • Enoch Treharne
  • David Watts-Morgan MP
The following retiring aldermen were re-elected as members of the Council but were not re-elected as aldermen:
  • Hopkin Morgan
  • Enoch Davies
  • James Evans

By-elections

Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.

Cymmer by-election

Following the election of David Watts-Morgan as alderman the by-election was won by the Independent candidate. Mrs Chalke was married to R.D. Chalke, headmaster of Porth Grammar School and the prospective Liberal candidate for Rhondda East, when he was due to oppose Watts-Morgan.

Garw Valley by-election

Jonathan Maddocks, the sitting Independent councillor, had been defeated by Alderman William Saunders at the regular election, and was again defeated by a Labour candidate.

Newcastle by-election

Following the appointment of E.H. Mole as alderman, the Rev. H.R. Jenkins, vicar of Penyfai, was elected to represent this ward.

Swansea Valley by-election

Following the re-election of D.T. Williams as alderman, Richard Thomas, who had held the seat since 1922 but failed to hold on against Williams, regained the seat as an Independent.

Treorchy by-election

Following the election of Rhys Evans as alderman, David Hughes, checkweigher at Abergorki Colliery was elected as his successor.

Ystalyfera by-election

Following the election of J.D. Brazell as alderman, Daniel T. Jones of Cwmllynfell, who had held the seat from 1919 until 1922 was elected as his successor.