1898 Cardiganshire County Council election

The fourth election for Cardiganshire County Council took place in March 1898.^[1] They were preceded by the 1895 election and followed by the 1901 election

At the fourth elections held for the County Council, the Liberals retained their large majority.

There were boundary changes in the Aberaeron area, arising from the formation of the Aberaeron Urban District Council in 1894.

There were a number of unopposed returns.^[2] The Conservatives held seats they won in 1895 including Borth and Cardigan South while Independent Conservative Henry Bonsall was returned unopposed for Bow Street.

The Liberals won Aberystwyth No.1, lost in 1895, after the Unionists failed to field a candidate.

Eight aldermen retired. Of these only Peter Jones (Trefeurig) and Jenkin Jenkins (Felinfach) sought re-election, although two others (John Powell and Evan Richards) would be re-elected without facing the electorate.^[3] Jenkins was defeated at Felinfach by Walter T. Davies. Davies, however was among those who were chosen as new aldermen enabling Jenkins to contest the by-election (see below). Four aldermen retired namely W.O. Brigstocke, Dr Jenkin Lewis, David Lloyd and D.W. E. Rowland.

J.C. Harford of Falcondale was elected as the first Conservative chairman on a motion moved by Peter Jones.^[3]

Cardiganshire County Council 1898 : elected members

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal	39	4	1	+3
	Conservative	8	1	4	-3
	Liberal Unionist
	Ind. Conservative	1	0	0	0

Cardiganshire County Council 1898 : following the election of aldermen

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal	50
	Conservative	9
	Liberal Unionist	0
	Ind. Conservative	1
	Independent	0

Cardiganshire County Council 1898 : following by-elections

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal	53	0	0	0
	Conservative	10	0	0	0
	Liberal Unionist	0	0	0	0
	Ind. Conservative	1	0	0	0
	Independent

Aberaeron 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Morgan Howell*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberarth 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Lima Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

David Lloyd, an alderman from 1889 to 1895 was returned unopposed.

Aberbanc 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr David Lloyd*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberporth 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joshua Hughes*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 1 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert Doughton	unopposed
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing

Aberystwyth Division 2 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Charles Roberts*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

A repeat of the contest in 1895. Ellis increased his majority from 7 to 29.

Aberystwyth Division 3 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert Ellis	186
	Conservative	Dr Thomas Pugh Beddoes	157
Majority			29
	Liberal hold		Swing

James had been elected at the 1895 by-election following C.M. Williams's re-appointment as alderman.

Aberystwyth Division 4 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Evan Hugh James*	158
	Conservative	John Morgan	133
Majority			25
	Liberal hold		Swing

Borth 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Morgan Williams*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bow Street 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ind. Conservative	Henry Bonsall	unopposed
	Ind. Conservative hold		Swing

Cardigan North 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev John Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Cardigan South 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C.E.D. Morgan-Richardson	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Jenkin Lewis had previously sat as an Unionist.

Cilcennin 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dr Jenkin Lewis**	146
	Conservative	Price Lewes	96
Majority			50
	Liberal hold		Swing

The seat changed hands for the third time, with Nicholas Bray, the victor in 1889 and 1895 being defeated as he was in 1892.

Cwmrheidol 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Morgan	90
	Conservative	Capt. Nicholas Bray*	44
Majority			46
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Devil's Bridge 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Abraham Thomas Joseph	114
	Conservative	William Thomas Hill	50
Majority			64
	Liberal hold		Swing

The sitting councillor defeated Alderman Jenkin Jenkins, who had defeated him by a small majority in 1892.

Felinfach 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Walter Thomas Davies*	177
	Liberal	Jenkin Jenkins**	109
Majority			68
	Liberal hold		Swing

Goginan 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Parry	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Harford, was again returned unopposed.

Lampeter Borough 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Charles Harford*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanarth 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	James Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanbadarn Fawr 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Major H.E. Bonsall	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanddewi Brefi 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Davies*	153
	Conservative	William Rees	46
Majority			107
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandygwydd 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Col. John Richard Howell*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llansysiliogogo 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev R. Jones	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llandysul North 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Evans	unopposed

Llandysul South 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev Thomas Pennant Phillips	208
	Conservative	Charles Lloyd*	191
Majority			18
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Llanfair Clydogau 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Jenkin Davies	150
	Liberal	John Watkin Davies*	131
Majority			19
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanfarian 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Vaughan Davies*	135
	Independent	Richard John Roberts	60
Majority			75
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanfihangel y Creuddyn 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangoedmor 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Samuel Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangeitho 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Davies	158
	Liberal	John Rowlands*	130
Majority			28
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llangrannog 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Evans*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanilar 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Benjamin Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanllwchaiarn 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rev William Griffiths*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanrhystyd 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Evan Jones*	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llansantffraed 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Evan Morgan*	132
	Liberal	David Morgan	100
Majority			32
	Conservative hold		Swing

Llanwenog 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Herbert Davies-Evans jnr.	196
	Liberal	James Jones	122
Majority			74
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Llanwnen 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Daniel Jenkins	124
	Conservative	S.D. Jones	66
Majority			58
	Liberal hold		Swing

Lledrod 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	David Jenkins*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Nantcwnlle 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Jenkins	122
	Conservative	John Jones	109
Majority			13
	Liberal hold		Swing

New Quay 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Owen Davies	149
	Conservative	Thomas Davies	120
Majority			29
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Penbryn 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Capt. D. Jones	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Strata Florida 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Edward Evans	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Taliesin 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Talybont 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Edward Jones*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trefeurig 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Peter Jones**	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Tregaron 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Daniel Jenkin Williams*	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Troedyraur 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Morris	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Ysbyty Ystwyth 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Morgan	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

In addition to the 48 councillors the council consisted of 16 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections, the following Alderman were appointed by the newly elected council.

• Peter Jones, Liberal (retiring alderman, elected councillor at Trefeurig)
• Sir Marteine Lloyd, Conservative (from outside the Council, retiring councillor for New Quay)
• Evan Richards, Liberal (retiring alderman, from outside Council - did not seek election)
• John Morgan Howell, Liberal (elected councillor at Aberaeron)
• Walter T. Davies, Liberal (elected councillor at Felinfach)
• Rev John Williams, Liberal (elected councillor at Cardigan North)
• John Powell, Liberal (retiring alderman, from outside Council - did not seek election)
• Rev T. Mason Jones, Liberal (from outside the Council, retiring member for Ysbyty Ystwyth)

With the exception of Sir Marteine Lloyd, of the eight elected aldermen were Liberals. This broke the pattern established in 1889 whereby there were three Conservatives on the aldermanic bench. Of those elected, four were elected members of the Council and four were not. Two retiring aldermen (John Powell and Evan Richards) did not seek re-election although Peter Jones did so. Sir Marteine Lloyd and Rev T. Mason Jones were members of the previous council who did not seek re-election.

Only two of the four by-elections was contested.^[4]

Following the election of J.M. Howell as alderman, a disagreement among local Liberals led to the unopposed return of a prominent Conservative.^[5]

Aeron by-election 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Major Price Lewes	unopposed
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Following the election of the Rev John Williams as alderman, O. Beynon Evans was returned unopposed.^[6]

Cardigan North by-election 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	O. Beynon Evans	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Having lost the election, as retiring alderman, to the retiring councillor, Jenkin Jenkins of Blaenplwyf was returned.^[7]

Felinfach by-election 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Jenkin Jenkins	144
	Unionist	Evan Jonathan	104
	Liberal	D. Teify Jones	41
Majority			40
	Liberal hold		Swing

Trefeurig by-election 1898

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J. Hugh Edwards	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing