Llwydcoed (electoral ward)

The community of Llwydcoed, Rhondda Cynon Taf was, for much of the twentieth century, and electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. Llwydcoed is no longer an electoral ward but forms part of Aberdare West and Llwydcoed electoral ward for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections

Llwydcoed first became an electoral ward in the late nineteenth century with the formation of Glamorgan County Council. Llwydcoed was also an electoral ward of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894.

History 1889–1914

The first representative was the venerable Rees Hopkin Rhys who was succeeded by the Liberal industrialist Rees Llewellyn

Glamorgan County Council

In 1889, Rees Hopkin Rhys was elected as member for Llwydcoed, defeating Griffith George.

Llwydcoed 1889

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Rees Hopkin Rhys	317
	Liberal	Griffith George	258
Majority			59

Rhys was re-elected unopposed in 1892 and although described as a Liberal this was unlikely.

Llwydcoed

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Rees Hopkin Rhys	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Boundary changes in 1895 saw Rhys, now 75 years of age opposed by Richard Morgan, whose Hirwaun seat had been abolished.

Llwydcoed 1895

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Rees Hopkin Rhys*	577
	Liberal	Rev Richard Morgan*	561

Rhys was again elected unopposed in 1898

Llwydcoed 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Rees Hopkin Rhys	unopposed

Rhys died in 1899 and was succeeded by Rees Llewellyn.

In 1901, Llewellyn was re-elected.^[1]

Llwydcoed 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Rees Llewellyn	759
		T. Lewis	289

He was again re-elected in 1904.

Llwydcoed 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Rees Llewellyn*	unopposed

Llewellyn was again re-elected unopposed in 1907

Llwydcoed 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Rees Llewellyn*	unopposed

Despite occasional challenges by the Labour Party at district council level (see below), labour did not challenge for the county seat in this period.

Aberdare Urban District Council

Llwydcoed was also an electoral ward of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894.

Llwydcoed Ward 1894

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Rees Hopkin Rhys	684
		Rees Llewellyn	640
		Owen Harris	623
		John William Evans	525
	Labour	David Morgan	198

Llwydcoed Ward 1896

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Owen Harries*	unopposed

In 1899, Owen Harries was again returned unopposed.

Llwydcoed Ward 1899

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Owen Harris*	unopposed

In 1900, two members were elected owing to the vacant seat following the death of Rees Hopkin Rhys. John William Evans, whip had failed to be elected at the initial election in 1894 but who subsequently became a county councillor and a county alderman, was seventeen votes ahead of sitting councillor Rees Llewellyn.

Llwydcoed Ward 1900

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		John William Evans	734
		Rees Llewellyn*	717
		Thomas Lewis	427

In 1901, Llewellyn was re-elected by a large majority.

Llwydcoed Ward 1901

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Rees Llewellyn*	825
		W. Williams	291

In 1902, Owen Harris was once again returned unopposed.

Llwydcoed Ward 1902

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Owen Harris*	unopposed

In 1903, J.W. Evans was re-elected unopposed.

Llwydcoed Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		John William Evans*	unopposed

In 1904 an additional seat was created, allowing T. Walter Williams to be returned alongside Rees Llewellyn.

Llwydcoed Ward 1904

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Rees Llewellyn*	872
		T. Walter Williams	866
		William Williams	238
		Joseph Morgan	177
		James Berry	125

In 1905, following the death of Owen Harris, his son, Morgan J. Harris, was elected in his place after defeating a Labour candidate.

Llwydcoed Ward 1905

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		M.J. Harries	852
	Labour	John Teague	424

In 1906, John William Evans stood down due to ill health and died shortly afterwards. He was succeeded by J.O. George who defeated a Labour candidate.

Llwydcoed Ward 1906

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		J.O. George	746
	Labour	Edward Davies	484

1907 saw the return of the sitting members by a comfortable majority.

Llwydcoed Ward 1907

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
		Rees Llewellyn*	1,034
		T. Walter Williams*	795
		D. Jenkins	456

21st Century

Llwydcoed is no longer an electoral ward but forms part of Aberdare West and Llwydcoed for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections. Since 1995 it has been represented by Plaid Cymru and Labour councillors.

References

1. "Etholiad Cynghor Sirol Morgannwg. Aberdar .". Tarian y Gweithiwr. 2 May 1901. Retrieved 2 May 2014.