Merthyr Tydfil — UK General Election Results
Merthyr Tydfil was won by Labour at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 17,960 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Merthyr Tydfil from 1832 to 1979.
This constituency elected more than one MP at once in some years. Before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (and in a shrinking number of boroughs through 1948), most UK constituencies elected two or more MPs together by "multi-member plurality" (block vote): each elector could cast one vote per available seat, and the top vote-getters overall were all elected. In those elections below, "Elected" lists every MP returned, "Votes" is the count that secured the last seat, and "Majority" is the gap between that seat and the first candidate who missed out.
Full Election History, 1832–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | John Josiah Guest (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1835 | John Josiah Guest (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1837 | John Josiah Guest (Whig) | 309 | 69.6% | John Bruce Bruce (Conservative) | 174 (39.2 pts) | 76.3% |
| 1841 | John Josiah Guest (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | John Josiah Guest (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | Josiah John Guest (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | Henry Austin Bruce (Peelite) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1859 | Henry Austin Bruce (Liberal) | 800 | 88.3% | Edward Merrick Elderton (Liberal) | 694 (76.6 pts) | 67.2% |
| 1865 | Henry Austin Bruce (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1868 | Henry Richard (Liberal); Richard Fothergill (Liberal) | 7,439 | 46.9% (top seat) | Henry Austin Bruce (Liberal) | 1,663 (6.7 pts) | 85.4% |
| 1874 | Henry Richard (Liberal); Richard Fothergill (Liberal) | 6,908 | 39.2% (top seat) | Thomas Halliday (Liberal-Labour) | 1,996 (10.3 pts) | 63.0% |
| 1880 | Henry Richard (Liberal); Charles Herbert James (Liberal) | 7,526 | 40.2% (top seat) | William Thomas Lewis (Conservative) | 3,081 (15.4 pts) | 70.1% |
| 1885 | Henry Richard (Liberal); Charles Herbert James (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1886 | Henry Richard (Liberal); Charles Herbert James (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1892 | David Alfred Thomas (Liberal); William Pritchard Morgan (Liberal) | 11,756 | 45.9% (top seat) | Benjamin Francis Williams (Conservative) | 9,452 (36.3 pts) | 81.6% |
| 1895 | David Alfred Thomas (Liberal); William Pritchard Morgan (Liberal) | 8,554 | 37.0% (top seat) | Herbert Lewis (Conservative) | 2,029 (8.1 pts) | 88.1% |
| 1900 | David Alfred Thomas (Liberal); James Keir Hardie (Labour) | 5,745 | 46.9% (top seat) | William Pritchard Morgan (Liberal) | 1,741 (9.5 pts) | 73.9% |
| 1906 | David Alfred Thomas (Liberal); James Keir Hardie (Labour) | 10,187 | 43.7% (top seat) | Henry Radcliffe (Liberal) | 2,411 (7.5 pts) | 84.9% |
| Dec 1910 | Edgar Rees Jones (Liberal); James Keir Hardie (Labour) | 11,507 | 42.2% (top seat) | John Henry Watts (Liberal Unionist) | 6,230 (21.4 pts) | 80.5% |
| Jan 1910 | Edgar Rees Jones (Liberal); James Keir Hardie (Labour) | 13,841 | 41.0% (top seat) | Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (Conservative) | 9,085 (24.1 pts) | 93.0% |
| 1950 | Stephen Owen Davies (Labour) | 29,210 | 78.9% | Lionel Frederick Haddrill (Conservative) | 22,916 (61.9 pts) | 85.9% |
| 1951 | Stephen Owen Davies (Labour) | 28,841 | 79.6% | James Lynam (Conservative) | 21,436 (59.1 pts) | 84.4% |
| 1955 | Stephen Owen Davies (Labour) | 25,630 | 77.2% | Anthony Arnold (Conservative) | 18,082 (54.5 pts) | 77.3% |
| 1959 | Stephen Owen Davies (Labour) | 26,608 | 77.1% | Miranda MM Greenaway (Conservative) | 18,723 (54.3 pts) | 81.8% |
| 1964 | Stephen Owen Davies (Labour) | 23,275 | 75.3% | Sidney W Doxsey (Conservative) | 18,508 (59.9 pts) | 76.3% |
| 1966 | Stephen Davies (Labour) | 21,737 | 74.5% | Gerald Preece (Conservative) | 17,655 (60.5 pts) | 73.9% |
| 1970 | Stephen Davies (Independent) | 16,701 | 51.9% | Taliesin John Lloyd (Labour) | 7,467 (23.2 pts) | 77.9% |
| Feb 1974 | Edward Rowlands (Labour) | 20,486 | 64.1% | Emrys Roberts (Plaid Cymru) | 13,150 (41.1 pts) | 81.0% |
| Oct 1974 | Edward Rowlands (Labour) | 21,260 | 70.6% | Emrys Roberts (Plaid Cymru) | 16,805 (55.8 pts) | 75.8% |
| 1979 | Edward Rowlands (Labour) | 22,386 | 71.3% | AR de Wilde (Conservative) | 17,960 (57.2 pts) | 79.1% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Josiah Guest | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1835
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Josiah Guest | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1837
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Josiah Guest | Whig | 309 | 69.6% | Yes |
| John Bruce Bruce | Conservative | 135 | 30.4% | No |
1841
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Josiah Guest | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Josiah Guest | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josiah John Guest | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Austin Bruce | Peelite | Unopposed | Yes | |
1859
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Austin Bruce | Liberal | 800 | 88.3% | Yes |
| Edward Merrick Elderton | Liberal | 106 | 11.7% | No |
1865
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Austin Bruce | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1868 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Richard | Liberal | 11,683 | 46.9% | Yes |
| Richard Fothergill | Liberal | 7,439 | 29.9% | Yes |
| Henry Austin Bruce | Liberal | 5,776 | 23.2% | No |
1874 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Richard | Liberal | 7,606 | 39.2% | Yes |
| Richard Fothergill | Liberal | 6,908 | 35.6% | Yes |
| Thomas Halliday | Liberal-Labour | 4,912 | 25.3% | No |
1880 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Richard | Liberal | 8,033 | 40.2% | Yes |
| Charles Herbert James | Liberal | 7,526 | 37.6% | Yes |
| William Thomas Lewis | Conservative | 4,445 | 22.2% | No |
1885 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Richard | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Charles Herbert James | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1886 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Richard | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Charles Herbert James | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1892 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Alfred Thomas | Liberal | 11,948 | 45.9% | Yes |
| William Pritchard Morgan | Liberal | 11,756 | 45.2% | Yes |
| Benjamin Francis Williams | Conservative | 2,304 | 8.9% | No |
1895 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Alfred Thomas | Liberal | 9,250 | 37.0% | Yes |
| William Pritchard Morgan | Liberal | 8,554 | 34.2% | Yes |
| Herbert Lewis | Conservative | 6,525 | 26.1% | No |
| George Allen Upward | Independent Liberal-Labour | 659 | 2.6% | No |
1900 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Alfred Thomas | Liberal | 8,598 | 46.9% | Yes |
| James Keir Hardie | Labour | 5,745 | 31.3% | Yes |
| William Pritchard Morgan | Liberal | 4,004 | 21.8% | No |
1906 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Alfred Thomas | Liberal | 13,971 | 43.7% | Yes |
| James Keir Hardie | Labour | 10,187 | 31.9% | Yes |
| Henry Radcliffe | Liberal | 7,776 | 24.4% | No |
Dec 1910 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edgar Rees Jones | Liberal | 12,258 | 42.2% | Yes |
| James Keir Hardie | Labour | 11,507 | 39.6% | Yes |
| John Henry Watts | Liberal Unionist | 5,277 | 18.2% | No |
Jan 1910 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edgar Rees Jones | Liberal | 15,448 | 41.0% | Yes |
| James Keir Hardie | Labour | 13,841 | 36.7% | Yes |
| Arthur Charles Fox-Davies | Conservative | 4,756 | 12.6% | No |
| William Pritchard Morgan | Independent Liberal | 3,639 | 9.7% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Owen Davies | Labour | 29,210 | 78.9% | Yes |
| Lionel Frederick Haddrill | Conservative | 6,294 | 17.0% | No |
| Trefor Richard Morgan | Independent Welsh Nationalist | 1,571 | 4.2% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Owen Davies | Labour | 28,841 | 79.6% | Yes |
| James Lynam | Conservative | 7,405 | 20.4% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Owen Davies | Labour | 25,630 | 77.2% | Yes |
| Anthony Arnold | Conservative | 7,548 | 22.8% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Owen Davies | Labour | 26,608 | 77.1% | Yes |
| Miranda MM Greenaway | Conservative | 7,885 | 22.9% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Owen Davies | Labour | 23,275 | 75.3% | Yes |
| Sidney W Doxsey | Conservative | 4,767 | 15.4% | No |
| Ioan Bowen Rees | Plaid Cymru | 2,878 | 9.3% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Davies | Labour | 21,737 | 74.5% | Yes |
| Gerald Preece | Conservative | 4,082 | 14.0% | No |
| Meic Stephens | Plaid Cymru | 3,361 | 11.5% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Davies | Independent | 16,701 | 51.9% | Yes |
| Taliesin John Lloyd | Labour | 9,234 | 28.7% | No |
| Edward Jones | Conservative | 3,169 | 9.8% | No |
| Chris Rees | Plaid Cymru | 3,076 | 9.6% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Rowlands | Labour | 20,486 | 64.1% | Yes |
| Emrys Roberts | Plaid Cymru | 7,336 | 22.9% | No |
| Michael Knowles | Conservative | 2,622 | 8.2% | No |
| David Edward Bettell-Higgins | Liberal | 1,002 | 3.1% | No |
| Arhur Lewis Jones | Communist | 369 | 1.2% | No |
| Roy John Battersby | Workers Revolutionary | 160 | 0.5% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Rowlands | Labour | 21,260 | 70.6% | Yes |
| Emrys Roberts | Plaid Cymru | 4,455 | 14.8% | No |
| Leslie James Walters | Conservative | 2,587 | 8.6% | No |
| David Edward Bettall-Higgins | Liberal | 1,300 | 4.3% | No |
| Thomas William Roberts | Communist | 509 | 1.7% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Rowlands | Labour | 22,386 | 71.3% | Yes |
| AR de Wilde | Conservative | 4,426 | 14.1% | No |
| Eurfyl ap Gwilym | Plaid Cymru | 2,962 | 9.4% | No |
| Raymond Dennis Oliver | Liberal | 1,275 | 4.1% | No |
| Christopher Clifford Dennett | Communist | 223 | 0.7% | No |
| Royden Travis Gould | Workers Revolutionary | 114 | 0.4% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Merthyr Tydfil has been contested at 30 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Peelite, Liberal, Labour, Independent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Merthyr Tydfil in the 1979 general election?
Labour won Merthyr Tydfil in 1979 with 22,386 votes (71.3%), a majority of 17,960 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Merthyr Tydfil since 1832?
Since 1832, Merthyr Tydfil has been won by: Independent, Labour, Liberal, Peelite, Whig.
What was the closest result in Merthyr Tydfil?
The closest result on record for Merthyr Tydfil was 1868, when Liberal beat Liberal by just 1,663 votes (6.7 percentage points).
Did Merthyr Tydfil ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Merthyr Tydfil elected multiple MPs at once in some elections on this page (a system called multi-member plurality, or 'block vote'), each voter casting one vote per available seat.