1898 Gravesend by-election

The Gravesend by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 13 July 1898. ^[1] The constituency returned one Member 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 following the resignation of the incumbent Conservative MP, James Dampier Palmer. Palmer vacated his Parliamentary seat by being appointed Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds on 2 July 1898. ^[2] Palmer had been Member of Parliament for the constituency since 1892.

Palmer’s pending resignation was made public at the start of June. ^[3]

Candidates

The Conservative candidate was John Ryder. Ryder was a partner in the banking firm of Messrs. Coutts and Co. He was Deputy Lieutenant for Staffordshire. ^[4]

The Liberal Party candidate was Walter Runciman. Runciman was adopted on 28 June 1898. ^[5] He was the son of Walter Runciman, a Newcastle upon Tyne shipping magnate.

A third candidate, H. W. Davies, withdrew before nominations. ^[6]

The date of nominations was set as Saturday 9 July with polling on Wednesday 13 July. ^[7]

There were seven polling stations. ^[8]

Result

1898 Gravesend by-election ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Ryder	2,372	54.8	-11.6
	Liberal	Walter Runciman	1,955	45.2	+11.6
Majority			417	9.6	-23.2
Turnout			4,327	82.0	+9.6
Registered electors			5,276
	Conservative hold		Swing	-11.6

References

1. Craig, F.W.S. (1987). Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 91.
2. "No. 26984". The London Gazette . 5 July 1898. p. 4068.
3. "Pending Vacancy". Evening Express. 9 June 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
4. "Mr J. H. Dudley Ryder, New M.P. for Gravesend". The Illustrated London News. 23 July 1898. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
5. "Election News". Evening Express. 29 June 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
6. "Gravesend Election". South Wales Daily News. 7 July 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
7. "Gravesend". Monmouthshire Beacon. 8 July 1898. p. 5. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
8. "Gravesend Election". North Wales Times. 16 July 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
9. Craig, F.W.S. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918. London and Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 113. ISBN   978-1-349-02300-4.
10. The Liberal Year Book for 1908. London: The Liberal Publication Department. 1908. pp. 266–267.
11. The Constitutional Year Book for 1919. London: National Unionist Association. 1919. p. 296.