Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)

Thomas Halliday contested Merthyr as a 'labour' candidate as early as 1874 and the return of Keir Hardie in 1900 was a notable landmark in the growth of the Labour Party.

The Reform Act 1832 was the first significant review of the arrangements for the election of MPs to the House of Commons, Patterns of representation had remained essentially unchanged for centuries and no recognition was given to the growth of urban settlements in the wake of the industrial revolution.

The discontent of the late 1820s, culminating in serious disturbances in 1831, including the Merthyr Rising persuaded the government to take action in favour of reform.

Within the Reform Act 1832 the one significant change in Wales was the carving out of a new parliamentary constituency, centred at Merthyr Tydfil, from the county of Glamorgan.

In contrast the electorate of the neighbouring Aberdare Valley was relatively small, numbering 3,691 compared with 22,083 in Merthyr.

[2] The first member for Merthyr Tydfil was Sir Josiah John Guest who served, albeit with some opposition until his death in 1852.

The Merthyr element of the constituency had dominated the representation since its formation in 1832 but in recent years the population of the neighbouring Aberdare valley had grown considerably, mainly as a result of the development of the steam coal trade, that they should determine the identity of the second member.

[2] As a result, there was a widespread view amongst the industrialists and tradesmen of the Aberdare Valley that they should have a say in the selection of a second Liberal candidate to contest the seat alongside Bruce.

Price, and other nonconformist ministers, were considered to have considerable influence over the largely chapel-going industrial workers who had been newly enfranchised.

A deputation of tradesmen and working men who attended a meeting at Swansea to request to offer himself once again as a candidate but he eventually declined.

[8] Relations between Thomas and Morgan were not good, leading ultimately to a Liberal split which contributed to the success of Keir Hardie at the 1900 general election.

For the first decade of the twentieth century Merthyr was represented by the unusual combination of David Alfred Thomas and Hardie.