His career as a Cardiff boro. councillor began in 1890; he was elected mayor in 1902. He was deeply interested in history and antiquities; he was a most useful member of the Cardiff Free Library Committee; he was also the chairman of the sub-committee of the boro. council which arranged for the boro. records to be examined and described by John Hobson Mathews (q.v.); he frequently contributed to the local press and to periodicals. He was a Baptist and a staunch Liberal; he worked for the disestablishment and disendowment of the Church in Wales. He was a member of the Society for the Preservation of the Welsh Language. It was at his Custom House Coffee Tavern that the society known as ‘Cymmrodorion Caerdydd’ was formed; Cochfarf was one of the most influential members of that society.

Cochfarf m. (1) a daughter of Dr. Cook, Ynyspenllwch, and (2) a daughter of the Rev. Richard Hughes (Tremrudd), Maes-teg. The second wife, Madame Hughes-Thomas, became very widely known because of her Welsh ladies' choir which toured in the U.S.A., Canada, South Africa, etc. Cochfarf accompanied the choir to the U.S.A., and was, therefore, able to be of considerable help when arrangements were being made, later, for an international Welsh eisteddfod held at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in 1913. He d. 18 Nov. 1912.