1949 Neath Rural District Council election
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An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held in May 1949. It was preceded by the 1946 election, and followed by the 1952 election.[1]
The election resulted in relatively few changes in personnel as Labour comfortably upheld its majority.[1]
Candidates
Seven Labour candidates were returned unopposed, including the father of the council, William Jones, who had represented Baglan Higher since 1919. Once again the party contested nearly all the seats on the authority.[1]
The main opposition came from various Independent candidates and there were also a small number of Communist candidates in addition to David Davies who defended the seat he had won at the previous election.
Outcome
The main focus of interest was in the Coedffranc (Skewen) ward where two sitting councillors were defeated, namely the outgoing Labour chairman William Davies and long-serving Independent Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Davies. Bessie Davies had originally been elected as a Labour councillor, before being elected as Independent Labour in 1937. In 1946 she stood as an Independent and a few weeks earlier had unsuccessfully sought election to Glamorgan County Council.
Ward results
Baglan Higher (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | William Jones* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Blaengwrach (one seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Albert Vowles* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Blaenrhonddan (three seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J.T. Evans* | 1,211 | |||
| Independent | Daniel Jones* | 995 | |||
| Labour | Albert John | 892 | |||
| Labour | Albert Mansel Davies | 862 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Clyne (one seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Thomas G. Allen* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Coedffranc (five seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | William David | 2,259 | |||
| Labour | Thomas Rees* | 1,933 | |||
| Independent | George Frost* | 1,684 | |||
| Independent | Amy Jones* | 1,387 | |||
| Labour | Isaac Evans | 1,366 | |||
| Labour | William Davies* | 1,301 | |||
| Independent | Mary Elizabeth Davies* | 1,293 | |||
| Labour | David J. Williams | 914 | |||
| Labour | Mary Cossins | 806 | |||
| Independent | Hedley Thomas | 591 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist | Alun C. Thomas* | 583 | |||
| Independent | Gwyn Thomas | 468 | |||
| Labour | William John Griffiths | 442 | |||
| Labour | John Evans | 402 | |||
| Communist hold | Swing | ||||
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John James* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist | William John Davies* | 760 | |||
| Labour | Emlyn Jones | 442 | |||
| Majority | 318 | ||||
| Communist hold | Swing | ||||
Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward (two seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J. Joseph Smith | 1,042 | |||
| Labour | Edith Jones* | 854 | |||
| Independent | William Morris | 635 | |||
| Communist | David Davies | 254 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Dulais Lower (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J.S. George* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Michaelstone Higher (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Patrick Boyle | 369 | |||
| Independent Labour | David Davies* | 297 | |||
| Majority | 72 | ||||
| Labour gain from Independent Labour | Swing | ||||
Neath Higher (three seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Blodwen May Jones* | 1,679 | |||
| Labour | Richard Arthur* | 1,596 | |||
| Labour | Joseph James Lunn* | 1,196 | |||
| Independent | Lewis Cynlais Adams | 1,007 | |||
| Communist | Evan G. Williams | 409 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Neath Lower (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Burnard* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Edward John Ateyo* | Unopposed | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | David Hull* | 937 | |||
| Labour | Richard Geary* | 775 | |||
| Independent | Richard V. Morgan | 738 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Rees Morgan Smith* | 613 | |||
| Labour | Iorwerth Williams* | 491 | |||
| Labour | Herbert Stephens | 382 | |||
| Labour | Herbert Stephens | 382 | |||
| Communist | Howell Williams | 169 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Resolven, Tonna Ward (one seat)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Gethin Thomas* | 606 | |||
| Independent | William George Johns | 498 | |||
| Majority | 108 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
References
- 1 2 3 "Skewen Provides Election Surprises. Two Old Members Defeated". Neath Guardian. 13 May 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
