1937 Carmarthenshire County Council election
An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1937. It was preceded by the 1934 election. Due to the Second World War no elections were held in 1940 and 1943 therefore the 1937 election was followed by the 1946 election.
Overview of the result
As in all previous inter-war elections, the Independent group won a majority of the seats and this majority was bolstered by holding the majority of the aldermanic seats also. By 1937 the Labour Party held almost all the seats in the industrial eastern part of the county.
Boundary changes
There were a number of boundary changes at this election. In Carmarthen town the boundaries were redrawn, reducing the number of wards from four to three. In Llanelli, in contrast, the number of wards were increased from eight to nine following a similar process. An additional ward was also created in Ammanford and new wards at Pontyberem and Trimsaran.
Other wards were renamed or had their boundaries slightly altered.
Unopposed returns
Around half the wards were uncontested, mainly in the rural areas.
Contested elections
A similar number of contests took place compared with 1934. This included contests in rural areas between rival Independent candidates.
Summary of results
53 councillors were elected.
Ward results
Abergwili
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | David Davies* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Ammanford No.1
Boundary Change.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Harries | unopposed | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Ammanford No.2
Boundary Change.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Frank Davies* | 708 | |||
Independent | David Jones | 487 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Burry Port
Boundary Change.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W.D. Jenkins | 993 | |||
Independent | F.J. Morgan | 672 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Caio
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Thomas Davies | 438 | |||
Independent | Isaac Williams* | 297 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Carmarthen Division 1
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William Jones* | unopposed | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Carmarthen Division 2
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | H.S. Holmes* | unopposed | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Carmarthen Division 3
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | J. Ithel P. Thomas* | unopposed | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Cenarth
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Ellenora James* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Cilycwm
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Ivor Elystan Campbell Davys* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Conwil
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | J.J. Evans* | 523 | |||
Independent | J.W.L. Harries | 222 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Cwmamman
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | John Phillips* | 1,068 | |||
Independent | D.M. Richards | 735 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Kidwelly
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Amos Jones | 708 | |||
Independent | H.J. Owen | 378 | |||
Labour gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Laugharne
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | S.B. Williams* | 612 | |||
Labour | Owen Williams | 197 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanarthney
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Edgar Lewis* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llanboidy
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Benjamin Salmon* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandebie North
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | David O. Davies | 702 | |||
Labour | Gwilym R. Thomas* | 666 | |||
Majority | |||||
Independent gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Llandebie South
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D.B. Lewis* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llandilo Rural
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Evan Davies* | 708 | |||
Independent | J.W. Nicholas | 660 | |||
Majority | |||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandilo Urban
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Benjamin Hughes* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandovery
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Harry Vaughan Watkins* | 586 | |||
Labour | James James | 220 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandyssilio
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Henry Morris* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanedy
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Thomas William Morgan* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llanegwad
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Griffith Evans* | 576 | |||
Independent | Wynne Davies | 265 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanelly Division.1
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Daniel Roberts* | 1,141 | |||
Ind. Labour Party | J.G. Davies | 465 | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 2
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W.T. Griffiths | 565 | |||
Independent | Brinley R. Jones* | 486 | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 3
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | James Jones | 400 | |||
Labour | C.R. Rees | 309 | |||
Independent | D. Haddon Jones* | 252 | |||
Majority | |||||
Independent win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 4
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Martin L. Edwards | 598 | |||
Labour | D.J. Charles | 512 | |||
Majority | |||||
Independent win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 5
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Gwen Trubshaw* | 666 | |||
Communist | E.F. Seaward | 25 | |||
Majority | |||||
Independent win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 6
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Douglas Hughes* | unopposed | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 7
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Llewellyn Evans | unopposed | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 8
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | W. Powell Rees* | 857 | |||
Communist | Brin James | 212 | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Llanelly Division 9
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | A.H. Olive* | 1,077 | |||
Labour | R.S. Beynon | 191 | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Llanfihangel Aberbythick
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | W.J. Evans* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | E. Haydn Davies* | 612 | |||
Independent | E.J. Lewis | 298 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llangadock
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | W.T. Morgan | 536 | |||
Independent | R.E. Williams* | 493 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llangeler
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | R.G. Owen* | 851 | |||
Independent | Thomas Jones | 431 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llangendeirne
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | James Jenkins* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llangennech
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D.J. Davies* | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llangunnor
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William Edwards* | 528 | |||
Independent | J.J. Bowen | 384 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llansawel
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | John Morgan | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanstephan
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | T.Ll. Haries* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanybyther
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Benjamin Edward Davies | 585 | |||
Independent | W. James Williams* | 529 | |||
Majority | |||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Myddfai
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | W.R. Clement* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Pembrey
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Stepney | 799 | |||
Labour | J.J. Davies | 586 | |||
Independent win (new seat) |
Pontyberem
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David John Jones | unopposed | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Quarter Bach
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Watkin Davies | unopposed | |||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Rhydcymmerai
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | David Thomas* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
St Clears
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Joseph David Rees* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
St Ishmael
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | E.H. Stephens* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Trelech
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Lewis L. Bowen* | 525 | |||
Independent | J.E. Jones | 295 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Trimsaran
Boundary Change
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gomer Evans* | unopposed | |||
Labour win (new seat) |
Westfa and Glyn
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Emrys Aubrey* | 1,256 | |||
Independent Labour | I.J. Haries | 428 | |||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Whitland
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Thomas Lewis Phillips* | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Election of aldermen
In addition to the 53 councillors the council consisted of 17 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections the following nine aldermen were elected (with the number of votes in each case).