Ammanford Urban District Council

Ammanford Urban District Council was a former local authority in Carmarthenshire. It was established under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1894 in 1903 and comprised parts of the parishes of Llandybie and Betws. It was created specifically as a result of the rapid population growth in the town as a result of the expansion of the Welsh anthracite coalfield.

Ammanford Urban District Council comprised fifteen councillors including a chairman and, following the initial election of fifteen members a third of the council stood down annually. The council, like other urban districts, was responsible for sanitation, sewerage, housing, streets, cemeteries, libraries, parks, and the licensing of public entertainments. The council was administered by a number of committees and by officers including a Clerk and Medical Officer of Health.

The council was abolished in 1974 and Ammanford became part of Dinefwr Borough Council

Election Results

1903 Election

In the first election, eight of the fifteen seats were won by labour candidates.[1]

Ammanford Urban District 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
D.J. Jones 374
Erne Hewlett 365
William Nathaniel Jones 352
Labour J. Morgan 345
Labour John Davies 327
Lt-Col David Morris 315
Labour Evan Evans 311
Labour Henry Davies 302
Samuel Callard 300
William Jones 285
Labour David George 270
Labour W. Rees 263
Labour Thomas Fletcher 255
Labour John Evan Jones 246
Labour E. Jones 241
Labour J. Cooper Davies 223
T.L. Davies 201
D. Davies 200
Evan Evans 199
H. Lewis 136
B.R. Evans 124
John Harries 123
H. Davies 43

Elected: D J Jones, ironmonger (I); 374 E Hewlett, colliery manager (I); 3G; W N Jones, auctioneer (I); 352 J Morgans, haulier (Lab), 345; John Davies shearer (Lab); 327 Lieut-Col D Morris (Ind), 315; E. Evans, checkweigher (Lab); 311 Henry Davies, carpenter (Lab); 302 S Callard. Chemical Works (I); 300 Wm Jones, draper (I); 285 D George, collier, (Lab), 270; W Rees, annealer (Lab), 263 T Fletcher, rollerman (Lab), 256 J E Jones, collier (Lab), 246; E Jones, shearer (Lab), 241.

Non-elected J Cooper Davies, engineer (Lab), 223 T L Davies, baker (I), 201 D Thomas, builder (I), 200; E Evans, chemist (I), 199; H Lewis, hotel keeper (I), 136; B R Evans, draper (I), 124; John Harries, inn keeper (I), 123 ; H. Davies, weaver (I), 43.

1904 Election

Following the inaugural elections five labour candidates retired. two of them did not seek re-election and three of the five seats were won by Independent candidates.[2]

Ammanford Urban District 1904
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Evans 364
Labour Thomas Fletcher* 289
George Roblin 270
J.R. Watkins 231
Labour John Jones* 213
Labour David George* 198
B.R. Evans 197
J.C. Shaw 175
J.C. Davies 132
D. Thomas 92
Y. Williams 89
W. Hodges 83

1905 Election

Four of the five retiring members were re-elected.[3]

Ammanford Urban District 1905
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
David Morris* 426
William Jones* 359
Labour Evan Evans* 352
Benjamin Richard Evans 313
Labour Henry Davies* 288
Labour David George 267
Samuel Callard* 197

1906 Election

D.J. Jones, who headed the poll at the first election in 1903 lost his seat.[4]

Ammanford Urban District 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
David Jones* 398
Erne Hewlett* 378
Rev John Morgan* 349
W.N. Jones* 301
T.L. Davies 286
T.G. Lewis 231
D.J. Jones* 226
Labour J. Davies* 219

1907 Election

Labour candidates fared badly in this election.[5]

Ammanford Urban District 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Thomas Fletcher* 453
William Evans* 429
George Robling* 421
E. James 347
John Davies 324
David Jones 287
Labour John Evan Jones 236
Labour Thomas Evans 152
Labour Jestyn Williams 146

1908 Election

Due to a vacancy, six candidates were returned at this election.[6]

Ammanford Urban District 1908
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
David Morris* 562
Labour Evan Evans* 418
David Jones* 409
Rees Thomas 384
Labour John Henry Lawley 269
Labour John Evan Jones 263

1910 Election

A closely fought election saw one of the leading members of the authority defeated.[7]

Ammanford Urban District 1910
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Evans* 496
James Darbyshire 471
Thomas Fletcher* 471
George Robling* 462
John Davies* 392
William Nathaniel Jones* 385
Labour John Evan Jones 378

1911 Election

W.N. Jones regained his seat following a surprise defeat the previous year.[7]

Ammanford Urban District 1911
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Nathaniel Jones 550
David Morris* 525
Labour Evan Evans* 491
David Jones* 454
Labour John Evan Jones 426
Labour David George 314
George W. Davies 207
John Lawley* 191

1912 Election

Four of the five retiring members were returned.[7]

Ammanford Urban District 1912
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Erne Hewlett* 737
Rev John Morgan* 564
Labour John Harries* 417
B.R. Evans* 402
Joseph Clutton Shaw 374
J.L. Davies* 339
Sam Roberts 220
D.Ll.Lloyd 194
George W. Davies 192
Joseph Joseph 117

1913 Election

In a somewhat heated campaign three of the five sitting members were defeated.[7]

Ammanford Urban District 1913
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Evan Lewis 536
James Darbyshire* 495
Martin Davies 444
William Evans* 406
D. Griffiths Davies 403
Thomas Fletcher* 376
Labour David George* 360
John Davies* 341
B.W. Davies 298
George W. Davies 266
Arthur Rees 5

1914 Election

Although fourteen candidates sought election for the five seats, the election was described as a quiet affair with no public meetings.[7]

Ammanford Urban District 1914
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
William Nathaniel Jones* 595
David Jones* 554
Labour Evan Evans* 438
Thomas Fletcher 436
John Davies 343
W. Lock Smith 342
Labour David George* 322
Labour John Evan Jones* 281
Morgan Thomas 260
J.L. Williams 259
Tom Evans 222
Tom Grey 212
Owen Madden 155
Joseph Joseph 115

1919 Election

Elections were postponed during the war and the first post-war election was fiercely contested between Labour and non-Labour candidates. The latter won all the seats.[8]

Ammanford Urban District 1919
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Frank Dawson 1,124
Independent Evan Lewis* 1,022
Independent Thomas Lake 1,022
Independent William Evans* 912
Independent W. Lock Smith 878
Independent Labour John Lawley 733
Labour David George* 728
Labour Samuel Waters 655
Labour John Evan Jones* 649
Labour Jeremiah Griffiths 438
Independent Rees Taliesein Jones 347
David John Edwards 307

References
  1. "Ammanford". Carmarthen Journal. 8 May 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  2. "Ammanford". Carmarthen Journal. 1 April 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  3. "District Council Elections". Welshman. 8 April 1905. p. 8. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. "West Wales Elections. Urban Council Pollings". Cambrian. 6 April 1906. p. 8. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. "Urban District Council Elections". Carmarthen Weekly Reporter. 29 March 1907. p. 3. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  6. "Etholiadau". Tarian y Gweithiwr (in Welsh). 9 April 1908. p. 1. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  7. "Election Notes (editorial)". Amman Valley Chronicle. 9 April 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  8. "Local Election Results. Many Surprises". Amman Valley Chronicle. 10 April 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
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