1956 Aberdeen Corporation election

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1956 Aberdeen Corporation election
City Flag of Aberdeen.svg
  1955 May 1, 1956 (1956-05-01)1957 

12 out of 37 seats of City of Aberdeen Council
19 seats needed for a majority
Turnout19.4% Decrease2.svg
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Labour Progressives SNP
Seats won750
Seats after20161
Seat change000
Popular vote7,8683,596526
Percentage60.74%27.76%4.06%

 Fourth partyFifth party
 
Party Communist Scottish National Congress
Seats won00
Seats after00
Seat change00
Popular vote482481
Percentage3.72%3.71%

Scotland Aberdeen Corporation 1952.svg
Composition of Corporation after the election

An election to the Aberdeen Corporation was held on 1 May 1956, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. 12 of the corporation's 37 seats were up for election, although only 6 were contested.

This election set a record for low turnout rate for the third year in a row, with turnout dropping to below 20% for the first time ever. [1] [2] While just shy of 13,000 electors voted in this election, the estimated attendance at the Aberdeen F.C. match just three days prior was 16,000. [1] From 1952 to 1955, the Scottish nationalist vote was captured by the Scottish Self-Government Party. In this election, members and former candidates switched to supporting either the Scottish National Party or the Scottish National Congress. [3] These new affiliations and record low turnout resulted in a much closer race in the St. Nicholas ward, with Labour's majority dropping from 921 to 366.

Ward results

Cairncry
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour John McM. Watt (incumbent) 2,058 81.06
Scottish National Congress William Sinclair48118.94
Majority1,577
Turnout 2,53914.41
Labour hold
Ferryhill
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressives A. McRobb (incumbent) Unopposed
Progressives hold
Holburn
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressives W. D. Reid (incumbent) Unopposed
Progressives hold
Rosemount
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressives James Thomson (incumbent) 2,091 76.76
Labour Norman D. Fraser63323.24
Majority1,458
Turnout 2,72431.58
Progressives hold
Rubislaw
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressives J. Scott MacLachlan (incumbent) Unopposed
Progressives hold
Ruthrieston
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressives T. Scott Sutherland (incumbent) Unopposed
Progressives hold
St. Andrews
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour R. McG. Bruce (incumbent) Unopposed
Labour hold
St. Clements
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour William K. Park (incumbent) 1,326 87.01
Communist Margaret Rose19812.99
Majority1,128
Turnout 1,52416.18
Labour hold
St. Machar
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour John D. Burgoyne (incumbent) 1,304 82.12
Communist Andrew Smith28417.88
Majority1,020
Turnout 1,58817.40
Labour hold
St. Nicholas
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Robert A. McIntyre (incumbent) 892 62.91
SNP Thomas W. Crockett52637.09
Majority366
Turnout 1,41812.67
Labour hold
Torry
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Ellen Williamson Unopposed
Labour hold
Woodside
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Sidney Fyfe 1,655 52.37
Progressives Thomas H. Murdoch1,50547.63
Majority150
Turnout 3,16029.29
Labour hold

[1] [2] [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Where, Oh Where Were The Electors?" . Aberdeen Evening Express . 2 May 1956. p. 7. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 Ware, L.; Rallings, C.; Thrasher, M. (2006). "British Local Election Database, 1889-2003". beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk. doi:10.5255/ukda-sn-5319-1 . Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  3. "Town Council Aspirants: Six Contests are Certain" . Aberdeen Evening Express . 10 April 1956. p. 1. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  4. "Labour Maintain Majority in Aberdeen". The Herald (Glasgow) . 2 May 1856. p. 8. Retrieved 22 September 2024.