1955 Cardiganshire County Council election

The twentieth election to Cardiganshire County Council took place on 2 April 1955. It was preceded by the 1949 election and followed by the 1955 election.

Candidates

36 candidates were returned unopposed resulting in only fourteen contests. As was the case three years earlier it was reported that there was little appetite for contests, especiallu where retiring members sought re-election.^[1]

Eight aldermen retired, of whom four sought election. At Bow Street and Goginan, the retiring councillors stood down in favour of the retiring aldermen.^[2]

Outcome

The fourteen contests were fought on non-political lines, with three retiring members being defeated.^[3]

Results

Aberaeron

Aberaeron 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan John Thomas	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberbanc

Aberbanc 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin John Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberporth

Aberporth 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev Evan Melinfab Lewis*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 1

Aberystwyth Division 1 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John John	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 2

Aberystwyth Division 2 1955
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	W.G. Pryse	391
	Independent	Richard Jones	290
Majority			101
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 3

Aberystwyth Division 3 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Catherine Mary Lewis Evans+	386
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 4

Aberystwyth Division 4 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Pryce	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 5

Aberystwyth Division 5 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Richard Jenkin Ellis*	528
	Independent	Emlyn Abraham-Williams+	146
Majority			382
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 6

Aberystwyth Division 6 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwendolen Eluned Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Aeron

Aeron 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan Glyn Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Borth

Borth 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Samuel Joseph John Jones	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Bow Street

Bow Street 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Rees Morgan+	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cardigan North

Cardigan North 1955
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Arthur Thomas	Unopposed
	Independent	G.J. James	485
Majority			75
	Independent hold		Swing

Cardigan South

Cardigan South 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Robert Lionel Phillips*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilcennin

Cilcennin 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Evan Evans*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cwmrheidol

Cwmrheidol 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Geraint Wyn Howells	164
	Independent	Isaac Richard Howells*	152
Majority			12
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

Devil's Bridge

Devil's Bridge 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Ivor C. Edwards	210
	Independent	Morgan Morgan	157
Majority			53
	Independent hold		Swing

Felinfach

Felinfach 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Goginan

Goginan 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Williams+	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Lampeter Borough

Lampeter Borough 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Rev T. Oswald Williams*	810
	Independent	David Evans	384
Majority			426
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarth

Llanarth 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	David Christmas Evans*	413
	Independent	Rev. Edwin Pryce Jones	388
Majority			25
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanbadarn Fawr

Llanbadarn Fawr 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Emile Thomas Evans*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanddewi Brefi

Llanddewi Brefi 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Morgan Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandygwydd

Llandygwydd 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Edward Lloyd Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandysul North

Llandysul North 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Griffith Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandysul South

Llandysul South 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Edward Lewis*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llansysiliogogo

Llandysiliogogo 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ben Thomas*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfair Clydogau

Llanfair Clydogau 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Daniel Owen Morgan	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfarian

Llanfarian 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Herbert Daniel Matthews*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Howell Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangoedmor

Llangoedmor 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Edward Howard Lloyd*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangeitho

Llangeitho 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Lloyd*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangrannog

Llangrannog 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Benjamin Griffiths	177
	Independent	J. Davies	158
	Independent	J.J. Davies	125
	Independent	R.A. Evans	28
Majority			19
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanilar

Llanilar 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Jenkin Griffiths	284
	Independent	David Charles Morgan	280
Majority			4
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanrhystyd

Llanrhystyd 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Jenkin Griffiths*	322
	Independent	David Charles Morgan	243
Majority			79
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanllwchaiarn

Llanllwchaiarn 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Owen Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llansantffraed

Llansantffraed 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	G.T. Davies	Unopposed
	Independent	D.M. Morris	217
Majority			96
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwnen

Llanwnen 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	William Grey Hughes*	254
	Independent	William Lynn Jones	208
Majority			40
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwenog

Llanwenog 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Donald Gwarnant Williams*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Lledrod

Lledrod 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Owen James Owen*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Nantcwnlle

Nantcwnlle 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Edwardes Rogers Lewis*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

New Quay

New Quay 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Oswald Davies	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Penbryn

Penbryn 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Morgan Lloyd Jenkins*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Strata Florida

Strata Florida 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Emrys S. Lloyd*	318
	Independent	Morgan Jones+	211
Majority			107
	Independent hold		Swing

Taliesin

Taliesin 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwilym Caradog Jones*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Talybont

Talybont 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Isaac Richard Jenkins*	236
	Independent	David Lewis Edwards	234
Majority			2
	Independent hold		Swing

Trefeurig

Trefeurig 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Jenkin Davies*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Tregaron

Tregaron 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev David Thomas Jones	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Troedyraur

Troedyraur 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Hywel Heulyn Roberts	427
	Independent	Edwin Stanley Jones*	324
Majority			103
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

Ysbyty Ystwyth

Ysbyty Ystwyth 1952
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Cardaog Edwards*	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 50 councillors the council consisted of 16 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1937 election, there were eight aldermanic vacancies which were filled at the annual meeting.^[4] The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

J.D. Evans, New Cross
D.L. Herbert, Llangeitho
Meredydd Ll.G. Williams, Llanwenog

In addition, the following four new aldermen were elected:

Emlyn Abraham-Williams, Aberystwyth
D. Alban Davies, Llanrhystud
Simon Davies, Felinfach
D. Lloyd Thomas, Tresaith
Evan Davies, Llechryd

In addition to the three retiring aldermen who were re-elected, Simon Davies had previously served as an alderman from 1928 until 1946.

By-elections

Seven by-elections were held following the election of aldermen.^[5]

Aberystwyth Division 5 by-election

Aberystwyth Division 5 by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	R.J. Ellis	313
	Independent	Mrs C.A. Middleton	246
	Independent	T.I. Ellis	115
Majority			67
	Independent hold		Swing

Felinfach by-election

Felinfach by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Thomas Davies	541
	Independent	John Hext Lewes	301
Majority			240
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn by-election

Llanfihangel y Creuddynh by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	David H. Jones	321
	Independent	James Thomas	239
Majority			82
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangeitho by-election

Llangeitho by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	David Lloyd	474
	Independent	George Harris	149
Majority			325
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangoedmor by-election

Llangoedmor by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Edward Howard Lloyd	426
	Independent	David Thomas James	182
Majority			244
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanrhystud by-election

Llanrhystud by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Jenkin Griffiths	284
	Independent	David Charles Morgan	280
Majority			4
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwenog by-election

Llanwenog by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Donald Gwarnant Williams	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Penbryn by-election

Penbryn by-election 1949
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Morgan Lloyd Jenkins	373
	Independent	David James Davies	225
Majority			148
	Independent hold		Swing

References

^ "County Council Election Prospects. Not Many Candidates in the Field". Welsh Gazette. 17 March 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
^ "County Council Elections. Nominations in Cardiganshire". Welsh Gazette. 27 March 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
^ "Election Results". Welsh Gazette. 7 April 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
^ "Cardiganshire County Council. The New Chairman". Welsh Gazette. 21 April 1934. p. 4. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
^ "County Council By-Elections". Welsh Gazette. 2 June 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 25 May 2022.

[WG_13-3-52-1] "County Council Election Prospects. Not Many Candidates in the Field". Welsh Gazette. 17 March 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2025.

[WG_27-3-52-2] "County Council Elections. Nominations in Cardiganshire". Welsh Gazette. 27 March 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2025.

[070452_WM_results-3] "Election Results". Welsh Gazette. 7 April 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2025.

[210449_WG_AGM-4] "Cardiganshire County Council. The New Chairman". Welsh Gazette. 21 April 1934. p. 4. Retrieved 11 June 2022.

[020649_by-el_WG-5] "County Council By-Elections". Welsh Gazette. 2 June 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 25 May 2022.

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