The Dublin University by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 2–6 December 1895.[1] The constituency returned two Members of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

The seat had become vacant when the Unionist Member of Parliament, David Plunket was elevated to the peerage as Baron Rathmore on 14 November 1895.[2] Plunket had been a Member of Parliament for the constituency since an 1870 by-election.

Candidates

W. E. H. Lecky stood as a Liberal Unionist candidate. He was an essayist and historian. He was the author of History of England in the XVIIIth Century among other works.[3]

Lecky was an honorary LL.D. of Dublin, St Andrew's, and Cambridge Universities, and an honorary D.C.L. of the University of Oxford.[4]

George Wright stood as a Unionist candidate. He was a barrister. He had been called to the Irish Bar in 1871 and Queen's Counsel in 1884.[5]

He would go on to be Solicitor-General for Ireland from 1900 to 1901, and then a Justice of the High Court of Justice in Ireland.[6][7]

Campaign

Lecky's religious opinions, as expressed in History Of The Rise And Influence Of The Spirit Of Rationalism In Europe (1865), were criticised as being atheistic.[8][9][10][11]

It was suggested that the Fellows and Professors of the university supported Lecky, while the students and out-voters supported Wright.[6]

Result

1895 Dublin University by-election[12][13][14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist W. E. H. Lecky 1,757 63.5 New
Irish Unionist George Wright 1,011 36.5 N/A
Majority 746 27.0 N/A
Turnout 2,768 61.4 N/A
Registered electors 4,506
Liberal Unionist gain from Irish Unionist Swing N/A

References

  1. ↑ Craig, F.W.S. (1987). Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 292.
  2. ↑ "No. 26680". The London Gazette. 15 November 1895. p. 6182.
  3. ↑ Stenton, Michael; Lees, Stephen (1978). Who's Who of British Members of Parliament. Vol. 2. Brighton: The Harvester Press Limited. p. 213. ISBN 0-85527-315-1.
  4. ↑ "General News". The Wrexham Advertiser. 14 December 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  5. ↑ MacDowel Cosgrave, E. (1908). Pike, W. T. (ed.). Dublin and Co. Dublin in the Twentieth Century. Contemporary Biographies. Brighton: W. T. Pike & Co. p. 146.
  6. 1 2 McCarthy, Michael J. F. (1903). Five Years in Ireland 1895-1900 (10th ed.). Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co., Ltd. pp. 118–120.
  7. ↑ "Mr George Wright, KC, New Judge of the High Court in Ireland". The Illustrated London News. 26 October 1901. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "British Politics". The South Australian Register. Adelaide. 3 December 1895. p. 5. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "The Dublin University Election". The Patea County Press. 4 December 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  10. ↑ Sandford, Michael (26 May 2007). "John Beech's Branch". Sandford Family Genealogy. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  11. ↑ McDowell, R. B. (1992). "Trinity College Dublin and Politics". Hermathena (Quatercentenary Papers): 115–143. JSTOR 23046517. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  12. ↑ Walker, Brian Mercer (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. p. 157. ISBN 0-901714-12-7.
  13. ↑ The Liberal Year Book for 1908. London: The Liberal Publication Department. 1908. pp. 248–249.
  14. ↑ The Constitutional Year Book for 1919. London: National Unionist Association. 1919. p. 340.
  15. ↑ The Popular Guide to the House of Commons 1906. London: The Pall Mall Press. 1906. p. 73.
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