Carmarthenshire (UK Parliament constituency)

For most of its history, the Carmarthenshire constituency was dominated by a small number of powerful families. Chief among these were the Rice family of Dynevor, who could claim descent from the medieval Lord Rhys of Deheubarth. They drew upon traditional loyalty and the connotations linked to the Dynevor name to maintain their status as the leading political family of the county and leaders of the Red or Tory faction.{{cite web|last1=Escott|first1=Margaret|title=George Rice Rice|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/rice-hon-george-1795-1869|website=The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832.|publisher=Institute of Historical Research|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

In 1790 the influence of the Dynevor family was re-asserted when George Talbot Rice was elected unopposed. Four years later, he was elevated to the House of Lords and the family would not be in a position to represent the county again until 1820 when his yet unborn son would have came of age.{{cite web|last1=Thorne|first1=R.G.|title=Carmarthenshire|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/constituencies/carmarthenshire|website=The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820|publisher=Institute of Historical Research|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

A celebrated contest took place in 1802 between James Hamlyn Williams and William Paxton. The contest was said to have cost Paxton a total of £15,000. This included 11,070 breakfasts, 36,901 dinners, 25,275 gallons of ale, 11,068 bottles of spirits, 8,879 bottles of porter, 460 of sherry, 509 of cider and gallons of milk punch. The contest became known as ‘Lecsiwn Fawr’ (the Great Election). Paxton was defeated and spent two years settling his debts.

In 1820, George Rice Trevor was elected MP for Carmarthenshire and held the seat until 1831, when he stood down over his opposition to reform.

Following the Reform Act 1832, the county was awarded a second seat. In 1832, Rice Trevor resumed his parliamentary career and served until 1852 when he was elevated to the House of Lords upon inheriting the title of Lord Dynevor. He was succeeded by David Jones of Pantglas, who served until 1868.

The second seat was held by supporters of the Whig party until John Jones of Ystrad unseated James Hamlyn-Williams in 1837. Jones was succeeded by another Tory, D.A. Saunders Davies who served until his death in 1857. At this point, however, the seat was occupied by David Pugh, who was regarded as a Liberal-Conservative, and who in later life migrated to the Liberal Party.

At the 1868 general election, following a lengthy and lively campaign characterized by accusations of coercion, Edward Sartoris captured a seat for the Liberals.{{cite news|title=Carmarthenshire Election|url=http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4353784/4353789/31|accessdate=10 September 2015|newspaper=Welshman|date=27 November 1868|page=5}} He was defeated in 1874 but in 1880 the Liberals again captured a seat. Following the Third Reform Act the constituency was divided into two single-member seats.

{{Election box begin no change | title=General election 1830: Carmarthenshire{{cite web |last1=Escott |first1=Margaret |title=Carmarthenshire |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/carmarthenshire |website=The History of Parliament |accessdate=6 May 2020}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Tories (British political party)

|candidate = George Rice-Trevor

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = {{circa|3,000}}

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Tories (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=General election 1831: Carmarthenshire}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = James Hamlyn-Williams

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = {{circa|3,000}}

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

|loser = Tories (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=General election 1832: Carmarthenshire}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Tories (British political party)

|candidate = George Rice-Trevor

|votes = 1,853

|percentage = 37.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Edward Hamlyn Adams

|votes = 1,638

|percentage = 32.8

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = James Hamlyn-Williams

|votes = 1,504

|percentage = 30.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|votes = 3,502

|percentage = 90.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = 3,887

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 215

|percentage = 4.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = Tories (British political party)

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 134

|percentage = 2.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1835: Carmarthenshire}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = George Rice-Trevor

|votes = 2,204

|percentage = 36.8

|change = +18.3

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = James Hamlyn-Williams

|votes = 1,939

|percentage = 32.3

|change = −30.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Jones

|votes = 1,851

|percentage = 30.9

|change = +12.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 3,685

|percentage = 87.2

|change = −2.9

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 4,227

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 265

|percentage = 4.5

|change = +0.2

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +16.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 88

|percentage = 1.4

|change = −1.3

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

|swing = −30.7

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1837: Carmarthenshire}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = George Rice-Trevor

|votes = 2,486

|percentage = 37.0

|change = +0.2

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Jones

|votes = 2,173

|percentage = 32.3

|change = +1.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = James Hamlyn-Williams

|votes = 2,068

|percentage = 30.7

|change = −1.6

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 105

|percentage = 1.6

|change = −2.9

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 4,315

|percentage = 84.2

|change = −3.0

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 5,125

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +0.5

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Whigs (British political party)

|swing = +1.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1841: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Jones

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = George Rice-Trevor

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 5,614

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

Jones' death caused a by-election.

{{Election box begin | title=By-election, 27 December 1842: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Arthur Saunders Davies

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1847: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = George Rice-Trevor

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Arthur Saunders Davies

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 5,261

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

Rice-Trevor succeeded to the peerage, becoming 4th Baron Dynevor and causing a by-election.

{{Election box begin | title=By-election, 13 May 1852: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Jones

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1852: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Jones

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Arthur Saunders Davies

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 4,791

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1857: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Jones

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Arthur Saunders Davies

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 4,272

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

Davies' death caused a by-election.

{{Election box begin | title=By-election, 12 June 1857: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Peelite

|candidate = David Pugh

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing|

|winner = Peelite

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1859: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Jones

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed minor party|

|party = Liberal-Conservative

|candidate = David Pugh

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 4,491

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box gain no swing|

|winner = Liberal-Conservative

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1865: Carmarthenshire }}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = David Jones

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed minor party|

|party = Liberal-Conservative

|candidate = David Pugh

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 4,833

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box hold no swing|

|winner = Liberal-Conservative

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1868: Carmarthenshire{{cite news|title=Carmarthenshire Election|url=http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4353784/4353789/31|accessdate=10 September 2015|newspaper=Welshman|date=27 November 1868|page=5}} }}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Edward John Sartoris

|votes = 3,280

|percentage = 31.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Jones

|votes = 2,942

|percentage = 28.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Henry Lavallin Puxley

|votes = 2,828

|percentage = 27.2

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate minor party|

|party = Liberal-Conservative

|candidate = David Pugh

|votes = 1,340

|percentage = 12.9

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 6,165 (est)

|percentage = 76.8 (est)

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 8,026

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,940

|percentage = 18.7

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|loser = Liberal-Conservative

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,602

|percentage = 15.4

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1874: Carmarthenshire{{cite news|title=The Election (editorial)|newspaper=Welshman|date=13 February 1874}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate =Frederick Campbell

|votes = 3,389

|percentage = 28.8

|change = +1.6

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Jones

|votes = 3,261

|percentage = 27.7

|change = −0.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = W. R. H. Powell

|votes = 2,799

|percentage = 23.8

|change = +10.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Edward John Sartoris

|votes = 2,331

|percentage = 19.8

|change = −11.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 462

|percentage = 3.9

|change = −11.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 5,890 (est)

|percentage = 72.2 (est)

|change = −4.6

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 8,161

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = +6.7

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −5.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1880: Carmarthenshire (2 seats){{cite book|editor1-last=Craig|editor1-first=F. W. S.|editor-link=F. W. S. Craig|title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885|date=1977|publisher=Macmillan Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-349-02349-3|edition=1st|type=e-book|pages=521–522}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = W. R. H. Powell

|votes = 4,101

|percentage = 41.7

|change = −1.9

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Frederick Campbell

|votes = 3,030

|percentage = 30.8

|change = +2.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Jones

|votes = 2,712

|percentage = 27.6

|change = −0.1

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 7,131 (est)

|percentage = 83.0 (est)

|change = +10.8

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 8,593

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,389

|percentage = 14.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −1.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Rayment-hc|c|3|date=March 2012}}
• Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Gh2wKY2rkDUC&q=Return+of+Members+of+Parliament]
• D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
• Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) [https://web.archive.org/web/20150904125310/http://www2.odl.ox.ac.uk/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=p-000-00---0modhis06--00-0-0-0prompt-10---4------0-1l--1-en-50---20-about---00001-001-1-1isoZz-8859Zz-1-0&a=d&cl=CL1]
• F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
• [https://biography.wales/article/s-VAUG-GEL-1500 Welsh Biography Online]

{{Historic constituencies in Wales|selected = Until 1885}}

Category:Historic parliamentary constituencies in South Wales

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1542

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1885

Category:History of Carmarthenshire

Category:Politics of Carmarthenshire