155:, which included his estate at Maesgwynne. The constituency was considered less favourable to the Liberals than neighbouring East Carmarthenshire which included a range of growing industrial communities. In addition, Powell was opposed by the other retiring member for Carmarthenshire, Viscount Emlyn. Powell proclaimed that he had a duty to the Liberal cause to oppose Emlyn. The overwhelmingly nonconformist character of the constituency was regarded as a distinct advantage to the Liberal candidate, and a combination of resentment of the established church (largely driven by such issues as the tithe and church rates) and the direct influence of the chapels was predicted to be decisive in attracting the votes of agricultural labourers. Nonconformist ministers were often claimed to have a disproportionate influence over electoral behaviour.
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cherished certain opinions of a democrative kind." This can be seen from his comments when nominating David Jones of
Pantglas, the sitting member for Carmarthenshire, as a candidate at the General Election of 1857. Powell stated that partisan colours were no longer shown at election times and this, he believed "was an evidence that party feeling was dying out in the country". Later that year, when a by-election was held, Powell was a leading supporter of
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Powell was engaged in public life from an early age and was High
Sheriff of Carmarthenshire in 1840. For many years he supported the Conservative Party but, as was noted at the time of his death, he "gave active support to men who could not be called genuine Conservatives, and he appears to have long
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Pugh's political views were often described as vague and ambiguous, and for that reason he was placed at a disadvantage at the 1868 General
Election when opposed by candidates who held pronounced Conservative and radical Liberal political views. Powell emerged as Pugh's leading supporter and public
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In some quarters he was criticised for his relative silence in the House and lack of engagement with the great political issues of the day. Amongst the electors of West
Carmarthenshire however, and especially after the extension of the franchise in 1884, he proved a very popular member who was
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Powell is still remembered in
Llanboidy by the drinking fountain inscribed "This fountain is erected to commemorate the completion of the work for supplying this village with water in compliance with the last wish of W. R. H. Powell
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From an early age, Powell took an active interest in hunting, and is said to have spent much of his time at Oxford engaged in this pastime. For 50 years he was master of the foxhounds. He was a
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Powell married Mary Anne, daughter of Henry Skrine, of
Warleigh Manor, Somerset. They had one daughter. Following her death he married the daughter of Grismond Phillips of
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as a
Liberal candidate. Two years later he was briefly mentioned as a possible Liberal candidate for Carmarthen Boroughs following the resignation of
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Contemporary press reports of political meetings addressed by Powell provide evidence that nonconformist ministers played a leading role.
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He was responsible for building a new Market Hall in
Llanboidy and also, during the 1870s, funded the restoration of the parish church.
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in the House of
Commons from 1857 until 1868. At the hustings at Llandeilo it was Powell who formally proposed Pugh.
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After a vigorous contest, Powell eventually won a decisive victory. Powell held the seat until his death in 1889.
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An
Anglican Aristocracy:: The moral economy of the landed estate in Carmarthenshire 1832-1895
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advocate during the 1868 election, and Pugh later followed Powell into the Liberal ranks.
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Powell was the son of Walter Powell and his wife Mary Powell. He was educated at
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Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Carmarthenshire constituencies
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although there was no real prospect of him contesting this urban constituency.
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Monument to Walter Rice Howell Powell MP (1819-89) at Llanboidy NLW3361627
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regarded as being sympathetic with the views of those he represented.
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in 1880 and when it was divided in 1885 he chose to contest the new
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in 1849. In 1867 he funded a 24 piece brass band for Llanboidy.
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239:"Death of Mr W.R.H. Powell M.P.. Biographical Sketch"
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National Library of Wales Maesgwynne Estate Records
93:for Pembroke, Carmarthen and Cardiganshire and was
32:(1819 – 26 June 1889) was a Welsh landowner and
624:Liberal Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies
335:"The Representation of the Carmarthen Boroughs"
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484:contributions in Parliament by Walter Powell
113:, the Liberal-Conservative who represented
36:politician. He was Member of Parliament for
264:Debretts Guide to the House of Commons 1886
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450:"Ymgeisiaeth Mr Lloyd Morgan (editorial)"
132:In 1874, Powell unsuccessfully contested
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413:"West Carmarthen, Return of Mr Powell"
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361:"Liberal Meeting at Newcastle Emlyn"
387:"Election Prospects in South Wales"
44:from 1885 until his death in 1889.
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279:Oxford Historical Monographs 1996
619:High sheriffs of Carmarthenshire
493:Parliament of the United Kingdom
85:Powell and the Maesgwynne Estate
614:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
95:High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire
16:British politician (1819–1889)
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629:Masters of foxhounds in Wales
40:from 1880 until 1885 and for
562:Carmarthenshire constituency
419:. 4 December 1885. p. 3
393:. 2 November 1885. p. 3
367:. 24 October 1885. p. 3
25:Portrait of W. R. H. Powell
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309:"Carmarthenshire Election"
297:. 3 April 1857. p. 6.
291:"Carmarthenshire Election"
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341:. 31 July 1876. p. 5
315:. 19 June 1857. p. 4
181:"Cyfarfod ym Mhorthyrhyd"
30:Walter Rice Howell Powell
417:South Wales Daily News
391:South Wales Daily News
365:South Wales Daily News
185:Baner ac Amserau Cymru
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63:Christ Church, Oxford
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573:Carmarthenshire West
569:Member of Parliament
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543:Carmarthenshire East
538:Constituency divided
513:Member of Parliament
153:West Carmarthenshire
145:Member of Parliament
42:West Carmarthenshire
143:Powell was elected
243:Carmarthen Journal
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586:John Lloyd Morgan
583:Succeeded by
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187:. 7 November 1885
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609:1889 deaths
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397:11 November
598:Categories
506:John Jones
460:8 December
249:6 December
204:References
111:David Pugh
57:Early life
79:Cwmgwilly
67:Llanboidy
313:Welshman
295:Welshman
191:17 March
580:– 1889
479:Hansard
345:5 March
319:1 March
34:Liberal
529:With:
166:Notes
52:M.P."
578:1885
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