The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare. Its responsibilities included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.
There were five wards, namely 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). At this time, one member was elected from each ward on an annual basis.
In contrast to the inaugural contest, the election of 1896 created little excitement, with three of the five seats being uncontested.[1] Of the two contested sets, it was the Gadlys Ward that attracted most coverage in the local press.[2] The election provides evidence of the way in which the nonconformist middle-classes of Aberdare, closely allied to the Liberal Party were increasingly dominating the public life of what was an important political centre in Wales.[citation needed][3] At this time, also the working classes were beginning to become organised through the miners' union and, to a lesser extent, the Independent Labour Party.[4]
The election is interesting and relevant because it demonstrates the nature of social interaction between the middle- and working-classes in the industrial south Wales of the 1890s. It was a time of industrial disputes and conflicts but also of concern about lack of educational opportunities for working-class children and the state of housing. It would appear that the miners and other workmen, once a set of middle-class councillors had been elected, were willing to allow those members to represent the community.[5]
Thomas Rees, landlord of the Swan Inn, Aberaman, had run unsuccessfully for the county council the previous year but had been defeated by the sitting member, Thomas Davies of Abercwmboi. Hr narrowly held his seat against another Liberal candidate.[6]
Thomas Thomas, the sitting member and a former county councillor was said to have been removed as candidate by the Liberal and Labour Association in favour of Lewis Noah Williams, a prominent local businessman and son of William Williams (Carw Coch).[7]John William Evans, who had ousted Thomas from the seat at the 1895 election was also nominated but also withdrew before the poll.[2]
Town Ward
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Lewis Noah Williams
unopposed
Referencesedit
^"Aberdare Council Elections". Merthyr Times. 2 April 1896. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
^ ab"Aberdare Urban District Council Elections". Merthyr Times. 26 March 1896. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
Parry, Jon (1989). "Labour Leaders and Local Politics 1888-1902: The Example of Aberdare". Welsh History Review. 14 (3): 399–416. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
April 12, 2024
1896, aberdare, urban, district, council, election, aberdare, urban, district, council, established, 1894, covered, parish, aberdare, responsibilities, included, public, health, sanitation, roads, public, works, generally, there, were, five, wards, namely, abe. The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare Its responsibilities included public health sanitation roads and public works generally There were five wards namely 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 At this time one member was elected from each ward on an annual basis In contrast to the inaugural contest the election of 1896 created little excitement with three of the five seats being uncontested 1 Of the two contested sets it was the Gadlys Ward that attracted most coverage in the local press 2 The election provides evidence of the way in which the nonconformist middle classes of Aberdare closely allied to the Liberal Party were increasingly dominating the public life of what was an important political centre in Wales citation needed 3 At this time also the working classes were beginning to become organised through the miners union and to a lesser extent the Independent Labour Party 4 The election is interesting and relevant because it demonstrates the nature of social interaction between the middle and working classes in the industrial south Wales of the 1890s It was a time of industrial disputes and conflicts but also of concern about lack of educational opportunities for working class children and the state of housing It would appear that the miners and other workmen once a set of middle class councillors had been elected were willing to allow those members to represent the community 5 denotes sitting member Contents 1 Aberaman Ward 2 Blaengwawr Ward 3 Gadlys Ward 4 Llwydcoed Ward 5 Town Ward 6 References 7 BibliographyAberaman Ward editThomas Rees landlord of the Swan Inn Aberaman had run unsuccessfully for the county council the previous year but had been defeated by the sitting member Thomas Davies of Abercwmboi Hr narrowly held his seat against another Liberal candidate 6 Aberaman Ward Party Candidate Votes Liberal Thomas Rees 583Liberal Dr D Davies Jones 561Blaengwawr Ward editBlaengwawr Ward 1896 Party Candidate Votes John Howell unopposedGadlys Ward editGriffith George held on against an unsuccessful candidate at the previous election 6 Gadlys Ward Party Candidate Votes Liberal Griffith George 636Liberal Daniel Tudor Williams 555Llwydcoed Ward editLlwydcoed Ward Party Candidate Votes Owen Harries unopposedTown Ward editThomas Thomas the sitting member and a former county councillor was said to have been removed as candidate by the Liberal and Labour Association in favour of Lewis Noah Williams a prominent local businessman and son of William Williams Carw Coch 7 John William Evans who had ousted Thomas from the seat at the 1895 election was also nominated but also withdrew before the poll 2 Town Ward Party Candidate Votes Lewis Noah Williams unopposedReferences edit Aberdare Council Elections Merthyr Times 2 April 1896 Retrieved 12 May 2014 a b Aberdare Urban District Council Elections Merthyr Times 26 March 1896 Retrieved 23 October 2013 Jones Communities pp 263 321 Parry Labour Leaders 410 15 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Parry Labour Leaders 415 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help a b Parish Council Elections Cardiff Times 4 April 1896 Archived from the original on 12 May 2014 Retrieved 11 May 2014 Aberdar Etholiadau am Seddau ar y Cyngor Dosbarthol Tarian y Gweithiwr 12 March 1896 Retrieved 12 May 2014 Bibliography editJones Ieuan Gwynedd 1981 Explorations amp Explanations Essays in the Social History of Victorian Wales Llandysul Gomer ISBN 0 85088 644 9 Jones Ieuan Gwynedd 1987 Communities Essays in the Social History of Victorian Wales Llandysul Gomer ISBN 0 86383 223 7 Morgan Kenneth O 1991 Wales in British Politics 1868 1922 Cardiff University of Wales Press ISBN 0708311245 Parry Jon 1989 Labour Leaders and Local Politics 1888 1902 The Example of Aberdare Welsh History Review 14 3 399 416 Retrieved 24 October 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election amp oldid 1189831944, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
