1939 Birmingham Aston by-election

The 1939 Birmingham Aston by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 17 May 1939 for the British House of Commons constituency of Birmingham Aston.

Background

Arthur Hope, who served as Birmingham Aston's Member of Parliament since 1931, gave up his seat after being appointed Governor of Madras in 1939. ^[1] He assumed office as governor in March 1940. ^[2]

Previous result

General election, 14 November 1935

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Arthur Hope	18,933	68.8	−2.1
	Labour	Rudolph Putnam Messel	8,578	31.2	+12.0
Majority			10,355	37.6	−14.1
Turnout			27,511	64.5	−9.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Candidates

• Edward Kellett - A lieutenant in the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. ^[3]
• Samuel Segal - Physician and son of Moshe Zvi Segal. ^[4]

Result

Birmingham Aston, by-election 1939

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Kellett	12,033	66.3	−2.5
	Labour	Samuel Segal	6,122	33.7	+2.5
Majority			5,911	32.6	−5.0
Turnout			18,155
	Conservative hold		Swing

Aftermath

Kellett sat until killed on active service in 1943. The Conservatives also held the ensuing by-election.

General election, 5 July 1945

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Woodrow Wyatt	15,031	61.9	+30.7
	Conservative	F.B. Normansell	9,264	38.1	−30.7
Majority			5,767	23.8	N/A
Turnout			24,295	67.75	+3.2
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

References

1. "Next Governor of Madras: Appointment of Captain Hope". The Herald . Glasgow. 25 March 1939.
2. Epstein, Mortimer (27 December 2016). The Statesman's Year-Book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1941. Springer. ISBN   978-0-230-27070-1.
3. London Gazette 33584 Archived 16 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
4. "Dr. Samuel Segal, Labor Zionist, Named a Life Peer in England". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2023.

• British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1979)