Pontypridd Urban District Council

Pontypridd Urban District Council was a local authority in Glamorgan, Wales. It was created in 1894 as a result of the 1894 Local Government of England and Wales Act. The Council existed until 1973 and replaced the Pontypridd Local Board of Health which had functioned for some years. Its boundaries were set in 1894. Initially, the Council had eighteen members but this number was increased in the 1930s, as a result of the increase in population. There were initially six wards, namely Cilfynydd, Graig, Pontypridd Town, Rhondda, Trallwn and Treforest; a seventh ward, Rhydyfelin, was added in the 1930s.

The first councillors were elected at the December 1894 elections. Most of the first members of the authority had served on the Local Board.

In the years leading up to the First World War, representatives of the Labour Party began to gain ground.

In 1974 the authority was abolished, and together with the former rural district of Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre, and some outlying areas, formed the Taff Ely Borough Council which, in turn, was subsumed into the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taff in 1996.

Pontypridd Urban District Council, Chairpersons

  • James F. Roberts, 1895-1898
  • Patrick Gowan, 1898-1899
  • R. T. Richards, 1899-1900
  • Hugh Bramwell, 1900-1901
  • Hopkin Morgan, 1901-1902
  • Frederick George Edwards, 1902-1903
  • William Lewis, 1903-1904
  • William Howell Gronow, 1904-1905
  • Edward Williams, 1906-1907
  • David Evans, 1908-1909
  • Moses Jones, 1909-1910
  • David Williams, 1910-1911
  • D. R. Evans, 1912-1913
  • Hopkin Morgan, 1914-1915
  • David Jenkins, 1915-1916
  • William Phillips, 1917-1918
  • David Lewis Davies, 1918-1919
  • Arthur Seaton, 1920-1921
  • David Williams, 1921-1922
  • Moses Jones, 1922-1923
  • Thomas Taylor, 1923-1924
  • W. J. Davies, 1924-1925
  • David Lewis Davies, 1925-1926
  • (Rev) D. G. Hughes, 1927-1928
  • Dan Evans, 1928-1929
  • Evan Morgan, 1929-1930
  • Robert Roper, 1931-1932
  • Artemus Seymour, 1933-1934
  • George Paget, 1934-1935
  • William Jones, 1935-1936
  • Jack Jones, 1936-1937
  • Arthur Pearson, 1937-1938
  • Walter Collier, 1938-1939
  • F. Morgan Phillips, 1939-1940
  • Jesse Powderhill, 1940-1941
  • Evan Morgan, 1941-1942
  • Edwin Rowbotham, 1942-1943
  • C. H. James, 1943-1945
  • Hopkin Smith, 1945-1946
  • H. Gardner, 1946-1947
  • George Paget, 1947-1948
  • David J. Richards, 1948-1949
  • H. G. Joshua, 1949-1950
  • Blodwen Randall, 1950-1951
  • Arthur R. Watkins, 1951-1952
  • H. G. A. Darke, 1952-1953
  • Arthur Brown, 1953-1954
  • John Stallard, 1954-1955
  • J. R. Clayton, 1955-1956
  • D. G. Ball, 1956-1957
  • S. Jones, 1957-1958
  • Llewellyn Hopkin, 1958-1959
  • J. Howell Davies, 1959-1960
  • F. J. C. Warner, 1960-1961
  • Emrys W. Peck. 1961-1962
  • A. W. B. Higgins, 1962-1963
  • Gwladys May Williams, 1963-1964
  • J. Ll. Williams, 1964-1965
  • Richard Evans, 1965-1966
  • Norman J. Randell, 1966-1967
  • John Davies, 1967-1968
  • William John Cheesman, 1968-1969
  • J. C. Anzani, 1969-1970
  • Reginald Price, 1970-1971
  • Mary G. Murphy, 1971-1972
  • G. H. Paget, 1972-1973

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1894

The first election to Pontypridd Urban District Council was held in December 1894. Three councillors were elected in each ward.[1]

(**) indicates previous membership of the Local Board of Health.[2]

After the election, the initial composition of the council was as follows.

Party Councillors Total
Liberal 10 10
Conservative 5 5
Independent 2 2
Labour 1 1

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1894
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Williams 276
Conservative William Lewis 251
Liberal William Howell Gronow 158
Conservative W. H. Watkins 127
Liberal Isaac Davies 87

Graig

Graig Ward 1894
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Leyshon** 386
Liberal James Spickett 321
Liberal Hopkin Morgan** 302
Lib-Lab William Morgan 279
Independent Samuel Evans 274

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1894
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Patrick Gowan** 438
Conservative Horatio M. Rowlands** 346
Independent Hugh Bramwell** 227
Liberal Dewi Llewellyn 214

Town Ward

Town Ward 1894
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal D. R. Evans 249
Liberal William Williams 213
Conservative William Seaton** 213
Independent William R. Beith 203
Conservative John Snape** 171
Liberal Daniel Arnott 156
Conservative George Evans 87

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1894
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Thomas Taylor** 299
Labour Frederick George Edwards 271
Liberal Watkin Williams 222
Conservative H. J. Wilshire 218
Liberal Daniel Griffiths 150
Independent David Davies 90

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1894
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. R. Hamlen Williams 402
Liberal R. T. Richards** 381
Liberal James Roberts** 212
Lib-Lab Frederick Judd 192
Independent J. Gibbon 127
Liberal Thomas. O. Brown** 64

Pontypridd Urban District council by-election, 1895

Although no elections to Pontypridd Urban District council were scheduled for 1895, the first full year of the council's existence, the death of William Williams created a vacancy in the Town Ward.[3] There was no change to the overall composition of the council, following the by-election held on 13 May 1895.[4]

Town Ward By-Election 1895
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Donald McGregor 215
Conservative J. F. McClune 195

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1896

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1896 there were contests in three of the six wards.[5]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1896
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Howell Gronow* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1896
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hopkin Morgan* 288
Conservative Samuel Evans 238
Liberal W.C.M. Groves 59

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1896
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Bramwell* unopposed

Town Ward

William Seaton, elected the previous year, stood down after the council resolved that he, rather than another member elected in a by-election during the year, should seek re-election.[6]

Town Ward 1896
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Lewis Phillips 272
Liberal Daniel Arnott 249

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Watkin Williams* 326
Conservative Edward Williams 253

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1896
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Roberts unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council by-election, 1896

A by-election was held in Cilfynydd at the end of April 1896 to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Thomas Williams.[7]

Cilfynydd Ward By-Election 1896
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. B. Evans 326
Conservative W. H. Watkins 206

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1897

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1897 there were contests in three of the six wards.[8]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1897
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Lewis* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1897
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James E. Spickett* 334
Conservative Samuel Evans 331

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1897
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Dewi Llewellyn 532
Conservative Horatio M. Rowlands* 457

Town Ward

Town Ward 1897
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Jones-Powell 205
Liberal Donald McGregor* 190
Independent Arthur O. Evans 141

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1897
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frederick George Edwards* unopposed

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1897
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal R. T. Richards* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1898

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1898 there were contests in three of the six wards.[9]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1898
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal W. R. Davies unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1898
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. T. Leyshon 356
Liberal J. W. Jones 207
Labour Moses Severn 83

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1898
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Patrick Gowan* 638
T. Jones 336

Town Ward

Town Ward 1898
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal D. R. Evans* 319
Independent Edwin Phillips 267

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1898
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Williams 390
Liberal Thomas Taylor 306

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1898
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. R. Hamlen Williams 424
Benjamin Rees 302

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1899

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1899 there were contests in two of the six wards.

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1899
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Howell Gronow unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1899
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hopkin Morgan unopposed

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1899
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Bramwell unopposed

Town Ward

Town Ward 1899
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Lewis Phillips 350
Liberal Thomas Rowlands 192

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1899
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Taylor 464
Liberal Watkin Williams* 314

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1899
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Roberts unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1900

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1900 there were contests in four of the six wards.[10]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Lewis* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Evans 364
Independent Henry Hibbert 289

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Thomas 350
Conservative Horatio M. Rowlands* 342
Liberal William Phillips 270
Liberal Benjamin Jones 3

Town Ward

Town Ward 1900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Jones-Powell* 290
Liberal Donald McGregor 257

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frederick George Edwards* 476
Liberal William Thomas 284

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1900
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal R. T. Richards* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1901

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1901 there were contests in four of the six wards.[11]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1901
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. B. Evans unopposed

Graig

Graig Ward 1901
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Henry Hibbert 387
Labour Moses Severn 195

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1901
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
David Thomas 556
Conservative Horatio M. Rowland* 196

Town Ward

Town Ward 1901
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Seaton 324
Liberal D. R. Evans* 299

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1901
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Williams unopposed

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1901
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
D. Evans 403
J. Gibbon 219

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1902

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1902 there were contests in two of the six wards.[12][13]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1902
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Howell Gronow* unopposed

Graig

Graig Ward 1902
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hopkin Morgan* unopposed

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1902
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Bramwell* 681
Labour David Thomas 238

Town Ward

Town Ward 1902
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Jones 332
Conservative Richard Lewis Phillips* 276

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1902
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Taylor* unopposed

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1902
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Roberts* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1903

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1903 there were contests in three of the six wards.[14]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Lewis* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Williams 402
Independent Father MacManus 156
Liberal G. G. Jones 147
Conservative Frederick King 35

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Moses Jones 398
Conservative John Thomas* 388

Town Ward

Town Ward 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Daniel Arnott 367
Conservative William Jones-Powell* 265

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frederick George Edwards* unopposed

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal R. T. Richards* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council by-election, 1903

A by-election was held in the Town ward in May 1903 to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Arthur Seaton.[15][16]

Town Ward By-election 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal D. R. Evans 375
Conservative R. L. Phillips 276

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1904

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1904 there were contests in three of the six wards.[17]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. B. Evans* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Aneurin T. Evans 206
W. J. Davies 199
Independent Henry Hibbert* 136
J. W. John 88

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab David Thomas unopposed

Town Ward

Town Ward 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal D. R. Evans* 382
W. Jones 268

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Edward Williams 471
Liberal John Lewis 427

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
D. Evans* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1905

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1905 there was a contest in only one of the six wards.[18]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Howell Gronow* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hopkin Morgan* 563
Independent Henry Hibbert 192

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Bramwell* unopposed

Town Ward

Town Ward 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Jones* unopposed

Note: Jones's potential opponent, H. E. Crane, dropped out of the race before election day.[19]

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Taylor* unopposed

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Roberts* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1906

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1906 there were contests in three of the six wards.[20]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Lewis* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Williams* unopposed

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Moses Jones* 603
W. Thomas 480

Town Ward

Town Ward 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Daniel Arnott* unopposed

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. Julian 363
Liberal W. C. Hinckley 315
Labour W. Byer 258

Treforest Ward

Treforest Ward 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal R. T. Richards* 657
Independent Henry Hibbert 102

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1907

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1907 there were contests in four of the six wards.[21]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. B. Evans* unopposed

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Aneurin T. Evans* 365
Independent Henry Hibbert 265
Conservative Thomas Jones 144

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab David Thomas* 648
Liberal E. Jenkins 467

Town Ward

Town Ward 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal D. R. Evans* 367
Conservative Arthur Seaton 315

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Edward Williams* 469
Liberal John Lewis 455
Treforest Ward 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
D. Evans* unopposed

Pontypridd Urban District council election, 1908

In the Pontypridd Urban District Council election of 1908 there were contests in three of the six wards, most notably in Cilfynydd - the first contested election there since the by-election in 1896.[22]

(*) denotes sitting member

Cilfynydd Ward

Cilfynydd Ward 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab William Howell Gronow* 478
Labour Artemus Seymour 160

Graig Ward

Graig Ward 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hopkin Morgan* 344
Independent Henry Hibbert 221
Labour J. Baker 101

Rhondda Ward

Rhondda Ward 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Bramwell* unopposed

Town Ward

Town Ward 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Seaton 364
Liberal William Jones* 321

Trallwn Ward

Trallwn Ward 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Taylor* unopposed
Treforest Ward 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Roberts* unopposed

Notable members of the Council

References

  1. ^ "Urban District Councils. Glamorganshire". South Wales Daily News. 19 December 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  2. ^ "--I DISTRICT COUNCILS: URBAN AND I RURAL|1894-12-06|South Wales Echo - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  3. ^ "DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTION AT PONTYPRIDD.|1895-04-25|South Wales Daily News - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  4. ^ "BYE-ELECTION AT PONTYPRIDD|1895-05-18|The Cardiff Times - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Pontypridd District Council Election". Pontypridd Chronicle. 2 April 1896. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  6. ^ "The Forthcoming District Council Election". Pontypridd Chronicle. 28 February 1896. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  7. ^ "FONTYPRIDD.|1896-04-29|South Wales Daily News - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  8. ^ "LOCAL PARiBH AND DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTIONS.|1897-04-06|South Wales Echo - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Election Results". Pontypridd Chronicle. 8 April 1898. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  10. ^ "RHONDDA.I|1900-04-03|Evening Express - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  11. ^ "PONTYPRIDD ELECTIONS.|1901-03-30|The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  12. ^ "ELECTION NEWS. I". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  13. ^ "----ELEOTION NEWS. -,|1902-04-12|The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  14. ^ "----.---DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTIONS.|1903-04-11|The Cardiff Times - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  15. ^ "[No title]|1903-05-09|The Cardiff Times - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  16. ^ "[No title]|1903-05-01|Evening Express - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  17. ^ "I RHONDDA.|1904-03-31|Tarian Y Gweithiwr - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  18. ^ ".-THE F0RT(|C0^lfiC ELECTIONS.|1905-03-18|The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  19. ^ "--Local Government.r|1905-04-08|The Cardiff Times - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  20. ^ "COUNCIL ELECTIONS.|1906-04-07|Weekly Mail - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  21. ^ "New Urban Councils. ..|1907-03-30|The Cardiff Times - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  22. ^ "District Councils.j|1908-04-07|Evening Express - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.

Bibliography