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The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare. Its responsibilities included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.

There were five wards, namely Aberaman (also known as No. 5 Ward), Blaengwawr (also known as No. 4 Ward), Gadlys (also known as No. 2 Ward), Llwydcoed (also known as No. 1 Ward), and the Town Ward (also known as No. 3 Ward). At this time, one member was elected from each ward on an annual basis.

In contrast to the inaugural contest, the election of 1896 created little excitement, with three of the five seats being uncontested. Of the two contested sets, it was the Gadlys Ward that attracted most coverage in the local press. The election provides evidence of the way in which the nonconformist middle-classes of Aberdare, closely allied to the Liberal Party were increasingly dominating the public life of what was an important political centre in Wales. At this time, also the working classes were beginning to become organised through the miners' union and, to a lesser extent, the Independent Labour Party.

The election is interesting and relevant because it demonstrates the nature of social interaction between the middle- and working-classes in the industrial south Wales of the 1890s. It was a time of industrial disputes and conflicts but also of concern about lack of educational opportunities for working-class children and the state of housing. It would appear that the miners and other workmen, once a set of middle-class councillors had been elected, were willing to allow those members to represent the community.

(*) denotes sitting member

Aberaman Ward

Thomas Rees, landlord of the Swan Inn, Aberaman, had run unsuccessfully for the county council the previous year but had been defeated by the sitting member, Thomas Davies of Abercwmboi. Hr narrowly held his seat against another Liberal candidate.

Blaengwawr Ward

Gadlys Ward

Griffith George held on against an unsuccessful candidate at the previous election.

Llwydcoed Ward

Town Ward

Thomas Thomas, the sitting member and a former county councillor was said to have been removed as candidate by the Liberal and Labour Association in favour of Lewis Noah Williams, a prominent local businessman and son of William Williams (Carw Coch). John William Evans, who had ousted Thomas from the seat at the 1895 election was also nominated but also withdrew before the poll.

References

1. "Aberdare Council Elections". Merthyr Times. 2 April 1896. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
2. ^ "Aberdare Urban District Council Elections". Merthyr Times. 26 March 1896. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
3. Jones. Communities. pp. 263–321.
4. Parry. "Labour Leaders": 410–15. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
5. Parry. "Labour Leaders": 415. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
6. ^ "Parish Council Elections". Cardiff Times. 4 April 1896. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
7. "Aberdar. Etholiadau am Seddau ar y Cyngor Dosbarthol". Tarian y Gweithiwr. 12 March 1896. Retrieved 12 May 2014.

Bibliography

• Jones, Ieuan Gwynedd (1981). Explorations & Explanations. Essays in the Social History of Victorian Wales. Llandysul: Gomer. ISBN 0-85088-644-9.
• Jones, Ieuan Gwynedd (1987). Communities. Essays in the Social History of Victorian Wales. Llandysul: Gomer. ISBN 0-86383-223-7.
• Morgan, Kenneth O (1991). Wales in British Politics 1868-1922. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0708311245.
• Parry, Jon (1989). "Labour Leaders and Local Politics 1888-1902: The Example of Aberdare". Welsh History Review. 14 (3): 399–416. Retrieved 24 October 2013.

v t e Council elections in the administrative county of Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 Abolished
Aberdare Urban District Council	1894 1896 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910
Neath Rural District Council	1894 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 Abolished
Mountain Ash Urban District	1894 1896 1898 1899 1908
Ogmore and Garw Urban District Council	1894 Abolished
Pontypridd Urban District Council	1894 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 Abolished
Rhondda Urban District Council	1894 1896 Abolished

v t e (1895 ←) 1896 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1897)
Borough Councils (England)	Birkenhead Birmingham Bolton Bradford Leeds Leicester Liverpool Manchester Plymouth Sheffield
Urban District Councils (Wales)	Aberdare
Counties of cities (Scotland)	Edinburgh Glasgow
Police burghs (Scotland)	Airdrie Aberdeen Annan Ayr Barrhead Bathgate Castle-Douglas Clydebank Crieff Cumnock Cupar Dalkeith Dumfries Dunbar Dundee Dunfermline Elgin Falkirk Forfar Fort William Gourock Govan Greenock Hamilton Inverness Irvine Kilcreggan and Cove Kilmarnock Kilsyth Kinning Park Kircaldy Kirriemuir Ladybank Leith Linlithgow Lochmaben Lockerbie Maybole Millport Milngavie Motherwell Newton-on-Ayr Newton-Stewart North Berwick Paisley Partick Perth Pollockshaws Port Glasgow Prestwick Renfrew Rothesay Rutherglen Sanquhar South Queensferry Stirling Stranraer St Andrews Whithorn Wishaw

• Aberdare Urban District Council elections
• 1896 Welsh local elections