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Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1918
Following the creation of the seat in 1885, there was a contest for the nomination. Following a meeting at Pontypridd, a number of candidates were proposed and invited to address public meetings. They included T. Marchant Williams, Lewis Morris and the Rev Aaron Davies. Ultimately the two leading candidates proved to be Alfred Thomas, a prominent figure in the public life of Cardiff, where he had served as Mayor in 1881–2, and William Bowen Rowlands, a Pembrokeshire-born lawyer. After a contest lasting several months, Rowlands withdrew, ostensibly to prevent a split in the Liberal vote following the appearance of a Conservative candidate. However, Rowlands was regarded as far less radical than his opponent. A leading Baptist, Thomas's victory owed much to his nonconformist connections, upon which this 'amiable and benevolent man' based much of his political outlook.
From the outset the Liberal Association in the constituency was constituted as 'The Liberal and Labour Association', and for 25 years Thomas held the seat without any significant threat from advocates of direct labour representation. As late as 1908 it held a perfunctory annual meeting where little significant business was transacted. The Conservatives put up a credible fight in 1892, 1895 and 1900, but in 1906 Thomas was returned unopposed.
By the end of the first decade of the twentieth century there were rumours that Thomas would retire and in 1907, Evan Thomas, a miners' agent, was nominated to contest the seat once the sitting member stood down. Thomas was. however, an ordained Baptist minister, and hardly regarded as a firebrand. Ultimately, however, Thomas decided to contest the January 1910 general election and comfortably saw off a Conservative challenger.
In April 1910, Thomas announced his retirement at the next General Election. The Liberal Association eschewed an opportunity to select a working man, with their chairman declaring that 'neither a Tory nor a Socialist should occupy the seat'. They opted for Clement Edwards. As a result, Charles Butt Stanton, miners' agent in the Aberdare Valley and a member of Aberdare Urban District Council emerged as a labour candidate but failed to win the endorsement of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain executive. He was beaten into third place.
At the General Election expected in 1915, Edwards would have been opposed by Alfred Onions. treasurer of the South Wales Miners' Federation. However, the war intervened, and by the 1918 General Election the seat had been abolished following extensive boundary changes and the creation of the new constituencies of Caerphilly and Pontypridd which would ultimately become Labour strongholds.
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
