During the period,
Liberal candidates won large majorities at each election and Conservative support was limited to some of the towns and areas where local gentry continued to gain some personal support. The leadership of the council was composed mainly of prosperous middle class tradesmen, professionals and nonconformist ministers.
1889 election The first election was held in 1889 and the
Liberal Party held a large majority of the seats down to the First World War, reflecting its dominance over the politics of the county. The first meeting of the council was a notable watershed, as
Morgan Evans of Oakford proposed that in fairness to the Welsh councillors business should be transacted in Welsh as well as in English. He proceeded to propose the Aberystwyth tradesmen Peter Jones, elected to represent rural Trefeurig as chair. The
Earl of Lisburne seconded this proposal. Despite the fiery rhetoric at this initial election and at later contests, the Conservatives' willingness to accept the Liberal triumph was met in return with a tacit acceptance by the Liberals that the Conservatives be allocated a number of aldermanic seats. It was nearly ten years, however, before the council had a Conservative chairman: J.C. Harford of Falcondale, who was elected on a motion moved by Peter Jones. By the early years of the twentieth century much of the earlier enthusiasm had become dissipated and many members attended only a few meetings a year. ==Offices==