An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in April 1952.[1] It was preceded by the 1949 election and followed, by the 1955 election.
After capturing control of the Council for the first time in 1949, Labour strengthened their hold by gaining an additional six seats in the Llanelli area. These included the two new wards created after boundary changes and the two wards in Llanelli town lost in by-elections in 1949. This counterbalanced the loss of Llangeler where Labour did not field a candidate. This was augmented by taking seven of the nine vacancies on the aldermanic bench.[2]
Two additional seats were created, at Burry Port and Felinfoel.
The aldermen who retired at the election were ...
Retiring Labour councillors Haydn Lewis and Evan Bevan stood down in Ammanford and Llandybie respectively to allow Aldermen Frank Davies, and D.B. Lewis to be returned unopposed. Likewise, H.H. Harries and J.H. Davies stood down in Llandissilio and Llansteffan in favour of Edward James and T.Ll. Harries. Aldermen John Phillips (Cwmamman) and J.D. Rees (St Clears) withdrew at the last moment.[3]
34 members were returned unopposed, which included both rural and urban seats.[3]
25 seats were contested, including a number of instances where rival Independents fought each other. As in 1949, Independents sought to fight elections in Llanelli as a group, but had little success. Following the elections, Labour held all nine wards in Llanelli town for the first time.
A number of retiring aldermen stood as candidates and were returned unopposed. In Carmarthen, Alderman William Edwards, a member of the Council since 1928, stood in a town ward rather than in Llangunnor which he represented as a councilor until 1946. Edwards was defeated by the retiring Labour member.
This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections.
This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 53 councillors were elected.
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Carmarthesnhire County Council 1952: elected members
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
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Labour |
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Plaid Cymru |
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Independent |
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Carmarthenshire County Council 1952 : following election of new aldermen
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
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Labour |
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Plaid Cymru |
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Independent |
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Carmarthenshire County Council 1952 : following election of new aldermen and by-elections
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
|
Labour |
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Plaid Cymru |
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Independent |
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Abergwili
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Ammanford No.1
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Ammanford No.2
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Berwick
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Burry Port East
Boundary Change
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Burry Port West
Boundary Change
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Caio
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Carmarthen Division 2
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Carmarthen Division 3
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Cenarth
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Cilycwm
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Conwil
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Cwmamman
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Felinfoel
Boundary Change
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Hengoed
Boundary Change
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Kidwelly
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Laugharne
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Llanarthney
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Llanboidy
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Llandebie North
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Llandebie South
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Llandilo Rural
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Llandilo Urban
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Llandovery
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Llandyssilio
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Llanedy
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Llanegwad
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Llanelly Division 1
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Llanelly Division 2
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Llanelly Division 3
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Llanelly Division 4
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Llanelly Division 5
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Llanelly Division 6
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Llanelly Division 7
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Llanelly Division 8
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Llanelly Division 9
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Llanfihangel Aberbythick
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Llanfihangel-ar-Arth
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Llangadog
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Llangeler
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Llangendeirne
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Llangennech
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Llangunnor
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Llanon
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Llansawel
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Llanstephan
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Llanybyther
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Myddfai
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Pembrey
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Pontyberem
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Quarter Bach
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Rhydcymmerai
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St Clears
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St Ishmaels
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Trelech
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Trimsaran
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Westfa
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Whitland
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In addition to the 59 councillors the council consisted of 19 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections, seven of the nine aldermanic vacancies were taken by Labour. The leader of the Labour group, Douglas Hughes, justified this by stating that the Independents had behaved in a similar fashion over many years.[2]
- Joseph Howells, Labour
- D.B. Lewis, Labour
- Frank Davies, Labour
- John Harries, Labour
- Edgar Lewis, Labour
- D.J. Stone, Labour
- Gwilym R. Thomas, Labour
- Edward James, Independent
- T.Ll. Harries, Independent
Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held. Four members of the previous authority who had stood down in favour of retiring aldermen were now returned unopposed.[4] The two contested elections included a strong showing by Plaid Cymru in Ammanford.[5]
Ammanford No.1 by-election
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Ammanford No.2 by-election
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Felinfoel by-election
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Hengoed by-election
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Llanarthney by-election
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Llandybie North by-election
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Llandybie South by-election
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Llandyssilio by-election
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Llanstephan by-election
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"County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 11 April 1952.
"New County Aldermen". Carmarthen Journal. 25 April 1952.
"County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 28 March 1952.
"County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 16 May 1955.
"County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 6 June 1955.