1898 Carmarthenshire County Council election explained

Election Name:1898 Carmarthenshire County Council election
Country:Wales
Type:Parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Party Colour:yes
Previous Election:1895 Carmarthenshire County Council election 5
Majority Seats:35
1Blank:Councillors
2Blank:Aldermen
3Blank:Seats +/–
Last Election1:53/68
Seats Before1:53/68
Seats1:51/68
1Data1:37
2Data1:14
3Data1:2
Last Election2:13/68
Seats Before2:13/68
Seats2:15/68
1Data2:12
2Data2:3
3Data2:2
Party3:Liberal Unionist
Last Election3:1/68
Seats Before3:1/68
Seats3:1/68
1Data3:1
2Data3:0
3Data3:0
Last Election4:1/68
Seats Before4:1/68
Seats4:1/68
1Data4:1
2Data4:0
3Data4:o
Council control
Posttitle:Council control after election
After Election:Liberal

The fourth election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1898.[1] It was preceded by the 1895 election and followed by the 1901 election.

Overview of the result

The Liberal Party once again retained a strong majority.

Candidates

42 candidates were returned unopposed, with only nine seats being contested, and several of these were between rival Liberal candidates. This was the highest number of uncontested seats since the council was created. Fourteen of those elected at the first election, and who had served continuously since then, sought re-election

Of the retiring aldermen, only Gwilym Evans, former chairman of the council, sought election. He had been defeated for a Llanelli ward in 1892 but was now returned unopposed for a different ward.

Outcome

Although the number of contested elections was small, a number of wards were keenly contested.

There were notable Liberal victories at Caio, where Sir James Hills-Johnes was defeated, and at Pembrey, where W.J. Buckley lost to the Liberal candidate David Evans. Buckley had been a member since 1889 and was parliamentary candidate for West Carmarthenshire.

The Conservatives, in turn, gained ground by winning a number of seats including St Clears and Llanboidy. In Llanelli, John Allen Williams, editor of the Llanelly Guardian, was returned unopposed as a Liberal Unionist.

Seven of the aldermanic seats were occupied by Liberals with the newly elected aldermen including Sir James Hills-Johnes and John Williams, both of whom had been defeated at the polls. Two Conservatives were elected as aldermen, a net gan of one on the aldermanic bench.

Ward results

Whitland

Election of Aldermen

In addition to the 51 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 aldermen were appointed by the newly elected council.[2]

The following retiring aldermen were re-elected:

In addition, the following four new aldermen were elected:

One retiring alderman was elected as councillor but not re-elected as alderman:

Two aldermen were not re-elected

Notes and References

  1. News: Results. Carmarthen Journal. 11 March 1898.
  2. News: Carmarthenshire. 3 November 2016. Cardiff Times. 19 March 1898. 7.