Accrington
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Accrington in Lancashire, showing boundaries used from 1974-1983
CountyLancashire
BoroughAccrington
1918–1983
Seats1
Replaced byHyndburn
1885–1918
Seats1
Type of constituencyCounty constituency
Created fromNorth East Lancashire

Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system of election.

History

The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. The original county constituency of North East Lancashire was replaced by a borough constituency for the 1918 general election. The constituency was based on the town of Accrington.

From the 1983 general election, the constituency was abolished. The successor seat was Hyndburn, named after the local government area including the town of Accrington. 85.5% of the new seat came from the former Accrington constituency.

Boundaries

This constituency was part of the historic county of Lancashire in North West England.

1885–1918

The constituency, officially named North East Lancashire, Accrington Division consisted of the Municipal Borough of Accrington, and the parishes of Altham, Church, Clayton-le-Moors, Hapton, Huncoat, Oswaldtwistle, and Rishton.[1]

Neighbouring constituencies were Blackburn to the south west and Burnley to the north east and Darwen to the north. Accrington also had short boundaries with Clitheroe at both its north and east borders and Rossendale to the south and south east.

1918–1950

The Representation of the People Act 1918 reorganised constituencies throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Constituencies were defined in terms of the districts created by the Local Government Act 1894.

The Parliamentary Borough of Accrington consisted of the Municipal Borough of Accrington and the Urban Districts of Church, Clayton-le-Moors, Oswaldtwistle, and Rishton. The three parishes of Altham, Hapton and Huncoat passed to the Clitheroe constituency.[2]

1950–1983

The Representation of the People Act 1948 replaced the term "parliamentary borough" with "borough constituency". The Accrington Borough Constituency was defined in the same terms as in the 1918 legislation. However, there were boundary changes reflecting local government changes in the 1930s: the Huncoat area rejoined the constituency as the parish had been absorbed by the Borough of Accrington, while an enlargement of the county borough of Blackburn took away part of Rishton.[3] These boundaries were first used in the 1950 general election.

Abolition

In 1974 local government in England and Wales was reorganised. However, parliamentary boundaries were not altered until 1983. The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 created new constituencies based on the new districts. A new Hyndburn Borough Constituency was formed. The new seat included the whole of the Accrington constituency with the addition of Altham and Great Harwood.[4]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Frederick William Grafton Liberal
1886 Robert Hodge Conservative
1892 Sir Joseph Leese Liberal
1910 Harold Baker Liberal
1918 Ernest Gray Conservative
1922 Charles Buxton Labour
1923 Hugh Edwards Liberal
1929 Tom Snowden Labour
1931 Henry Procter Conservative
1945 Walter Scott-Elliot Labour
1950 Henry Hynd Labour
1966 Arthur Davidson Labour
1983 constituency abolished – see Hyndburn

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

1885 general election: Accrington[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick William Grafton 5,320 52.4
Conservative Robert Hermon-Hodge 4,842 47.6
Majority 478 4.8
Turnout 10,162 94.1 '
Registered electors 10,797
Liberal win (new seat)
1886 general election: Accrington[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hermon-Hodge 4,971 51.1 +3.5
Liberal Joseph Leese 4,751 48.9 −3.5
Majority 220 2.2 N/A
Turnout 9,722 90.0 −4.1
Registered electors 10,797
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +3.5

Elections in the 1890s

Joseph Leese
1892 general election: Accrington[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Leese 6,019 52.4 +3.5
Conservative Robert Hermon-Hodge 5,472 47.6 −3.5
Majority 547 4.8 N/A
Turnout 11,491 93.4 +3.4
Registered electors 12,309
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.5
1893 Accrington by-election[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Leese 5,822 51.1 −1.3
Conservative Robert Hermon-Hodge 5,564 48.9 +1.3
Majority 258 2.2 −2.6
Turnout 11,386 92.1 −1.3
Registered electors 12,361
Liberal hold Swing −1.3
1895 general election: Accrington[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Leese 6,168 51.4 −1.0
Conservative William Mitchell 5,828 48.6 +1.0
Majority 340 2.8 −2.0
Turnout 11,996 93.5 +0.1
Registered electors 12,832
Liberal hold Swing −1.0

Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Accrington[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Leese 6,585 50.6 −0.8
Conservative Edward E Nicholls 5,993 46.1 −2.5
Independent Labour John Hempsall[n 1] 433 3.3 New
Majority 592 4.5 +1.7
Turnout 13,011 91.5 −2.0
Registered electors 14,221
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
1906 general election: Accrington[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Leese 7,209 56.8 +6.2
Social Democratic Federation Dan Irving 4,852 38.3 New
Independent Labour S. M. Holden 619 4.9 New
Majority 2,357 18.5 +14.0
Turnout 12,680 82.9 −8.6
Registered electors 15,301
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

Harold Baker
January 1910 general election: Accrington[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Baker 8,968 58.1 +1.3
Conservative Albert Henry Jessel 6,455 41.9 New
Majority 2,513 16.2 −2.3
Turnout 15,423 94.6 +11.7
Registered electors 16,297
Liberal hold Swing N/A
December 1910 general election: Accrington[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Baker 8,129 55.7 −2.4
Conservative Ernest Gray 6,461 44.3 +2.4
Majority 1,668 11.4 −4.8
Turnout 14,590 89.5 −5.1
Registered electors 16,297
Liberal hold Swing −2.4

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

1918 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Ernest Gray 13,808 47.2 +2.9
Liberal Harold Baker 8,378 28.6 −27.1
Labour Charles Buxton 6,369 21.7 New
National Democratic William Hammond 738 2.5 New
Majority 5,430 18.6 N/A
Turnout 28,555 69.5 −20.0
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.0
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

Charles Buxton
1922 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Buxton 16,462 44.3 +22.6
Unionist Ernest Gray 11,408 30.6 −16.6
Liberal Harold Baker 9,395 25.1 −3.5
Majority 5,054 13.7 N/A
Turnout 37,265 88.7 +19.2
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +19.6
1923 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Edwards 19,981 54.3 +29.2
Labour Charles Buxton 16,793 45.7 +1.4
Majority 3,188 8.6 N/A
Turnout 36,774 86.5 −2.2
Liberal gain from Labour Swing +13.9
1924 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Constitutionalist Hugh Edwards 20,391 52.9 N/A
Labour Charles Buxton 18,148 47.1 +1.4
Majority 2,243 5.8 -2.8
Turnout 38,539 90.1 +3.6
Constitutionalist hold Swing
1929 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Snowden 25,336 52.3 +5.2
Liberal Hugh Edwards 23,110 47.7 −5.2
Majority 2,226 4.6 N/A
Turnout 48,446 88.7 −1.4
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +5.2

Elections in the 1930s

1931 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Procter 30,799 62.89
Labour Tom Snowden 18,177 37.11
Majority 12,622 25.78 N/A
Turnout 48,976
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
1935 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Procter 25,273 54.4 -8.5
Labour Frederick George Burgess 21,203 45.6 +8.5
Majority 4,070 8.8 -17.0
Turnout 32,696 67.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

1945 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Scott-Elliot 21,102 48.65
Conservative Henry Procter 16,025 36.95
Liberal Gerald Vernon Mortimer 6,247 14.40
Majority 5,077 11.70 N/A
Turnout 43,374 83.27
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

1950 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Henry Hynd 23,295 48.82
Conservative Henry Procter 19,022 39.86
Liberal Arthur Kenneth Blakeman 5,403 11.32
Majority 4,273 8.96
Turnout 47,720 91.01
Labour hold Swing
1951 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Henry Hynd 24,802 52.31
Conservative Francis Henry Gerard Heron Goodhart 22,611 47.69
Majority 2,191 4.62
Turnout 47,413 89.96
Labour hold Swing
1955 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Henry Hynd 22,502 51.5 -0.8
Conservative Dennis C. Walls 21,157 48.5 +0.8
Majority 1,345 3.0 -1.6
Turnout 43,659 85.7 -4.3
Labour hold Swing
1959 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Hynd 22,242 50.7 −0.8
Conservative Martin Henry 21,642 49.3 +0.8
Majority 600 1.4 -1.6
Turnout 43,884 87.9 +2.2
Labour hold Swing −0.8

Elections in the 1960s

1964 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Hynd 20,561 49.7 −1.0
Conservative Victor Montagu 15,143 36.6 −12.7
Liberal Terence Anthony Maher 5,653 13.7 New
Majority 5,418 13.1 +11.7
Turnout 41,357 84.5 -3.4
Labour hold Swing
1966 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Davidson 21,330 53.0 +3.3
Conservative David L. Maxwell 14,508 36.1 −0.5
Liberal Julian H.S. Gould 4,375 10.9 −2.8
Majority 6,822 16.9 +3.8
Turnout 40,213 83.1 −1.4
Labour hold Swing +1.9

Elections in the 1970s

1970 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Davidson 20,828 50.7 −2.3
Conservative Reginald C. Webster 20,234 49.3 +13.2
Majority 594 1.4 −15.5
Turnout 41,062 80.2 -2.9
Labour hold Swing −7.8
February 1974 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Davidson 20,050 47.5 −3.2
Conservative Alan d'Arcy Fearn[8] 15,018 35.5 −13.2
Liberal W.I. Cooper 7,191 17.0 New
Majority 5,032 12.0 +10.6
Turnout 42,259 83.9 +3.7
Labour hold Swing +5.2
October 1974 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Davidson 19,838 49.2 +1.7
Conservative J. McLaughlin 13,618 33.8 −1.7
Liberal W I Cooper 5,704 14.1 −2.9
National Front David Riley 1,176 2.9 New
Majority 6,220 15.4 +3.4
Turnout 40,336 79.37 −4.5
Labour hold Swing +1.8
1979 general election: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Davidson 19,576 48.9 −0.3
Conservative A. Cheetham 16,282 40.7 +6.9
Liberal R. Holden 3,646 9.11 −5.0
National Front David Riley 508 1.3 −1.6
Majority 3,294 8.23 −7.2
Turnout 40,012 78.7 −0.7
Labour hold Swing

References and Notes

Notes

  1. ↑ Nominee of the local branches of the Independent Labour Party and Social Democratic Federation but repudiated by both national headquarters

References

  1. ↑ Seventh Schedule: Counties at Large, Part I: England, Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885 (C.23)
  2. ↑ Ninth Schedule, Part 1(2): Parliamentary Boroughs, England excluding London and Monmouthshire, Representation of the People Act, 1918 (C.64)
  3. ↑ F A Youngs Jr., Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol II: Northern England, London, 1991
  4. ↑ The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 (S.I. 1983 No. 417)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  7. ↑ The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 147 (171 in web page), Lancashire North East
  8. ↑ "Alan Fearn". The Daily Telegraph. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2013.

Sources

  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 1)
  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press, revised edition 1977)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886–1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919–1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945–1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)
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