In 1889, Hann unsuccessfully sought election as a Conservative to the Glamorgan County Council but was defeated by a Liberal tradesman, T.P.
The result was regarded with surprise in some quarters and when White was elevated to the aldermanic bench it was felt locally that Hann would be successful in the subsequent by-election.
[2] Hann thereafter recognised that gaining seat on the County Council in a strongly Liberal township such as Aberaman was beyond him.
[5] As a leading mine owner, Edmund Hann was on several occasions reported by the local newspapers in regard to trade disputes.
[5] It seems his Mother Caroline came from Sunderland, County Durham,[14] though his Father a Cashier Colliery Agent came from Wallsend, Newcastle, Northumberland.
[14] Using his membership record in the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, it can be seen that in 1872 his home was "Lofthouse" (for Loftus, Cleveland).
[18] Hann was married to Mary Ann from Crook, County Durham and had a Daughter Florence, who along with their first son William Reginald M.,were born while they lived in Brotton.
A small portrait of the family (and another confirmation of the Oaklands location) comes in the wedding note for the fifth son Frank Percival Hann who was married in 1913.
[20] Frank Percival Hann along with his younger brother Douglas Alfred were both born in Aberdare,[21] and from the 1901 Census it is known they had some of their education at Haileybury College, near Hertford, Hertfordshire.
[25] Using this source, the first son to follow father into the coal industry was George G. Hann also of Aberdare in 1914 and first elected to this institute in 1898.