1973 Aberdeen Corporation election

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1973 Aberdeen Corporation election
City Flag of Aberdeen.svg
  1972 May 1, 1973 (1973-05-01) 1974  

12 out of 36 seats of City of Aberdeen Council
19 seats needed for a majority
Turnout27.4% Decrease2.svg
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Labour Conservative Liberal
Seats won651
Seats after23121
Seat changeDecrease2.svg1Increase2.svg1Increase2.svg1
Popular vote20,11713,2572,617
Percentage54.6%36.0%7.1%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Party Communist Independent SNP
Seats won000
Seats after000
Seat change0Decrease2.svg10
Popular vote415265203
Percentage1.1%0.7%0.6%

Scotland Aberdeen Corporation 1973.svg
Composition of Corporation after the election

An election to the Aberdeen Corporation was held on 1 May 1973, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. 12 of the corporation's 36 seats were up for election. [1] [2]

The election saw Labour remain in control of the corporation, winning 6 seats, giving them a total of 23. The Conservatives won 5 seats, including one gained from 89-year-old Independent councillor George Roberts, contributing to a total of 12 after the election. Nigel Lindsay caused a major upset when he became the first ever Liberal to be elected to the corporation, unseating the Labour group's leader Thomas Paine in St Machar ward. [1]

Ward results

Ferryhill
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Cecil H. Clevitt 2,782 63.5
Conservative John Watt1,60236.5
Majority1,108
Turnout 30.8
Labour hold
Holburn
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Richard Gallagher 1,538 49.7
Labour Dr. Alexander F. McDonald1,09035.2
Independent George Roberts2658.6
SNP George Rodger2036.5
Majority448
Turnout 35.4
Conservative gain from Independent
Mastrick
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Robert S. Lennox 2,705 81.1
Conservative Sheila M. Walker47414.2
Communist William R. Henderson1313.9
Majority2,231
Turnout 21.3
Labour hold
Northfield
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Margaret Farquhar 1,577 85.8
Conservative Alexander Stewart Kidd1648.9
Communist Andrew L. Smith975.3
Majority1,413
Turnout 15.6
Labour hold
Rosemount
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative John C. Anderson 1,990 53.1
Labour June Lamond1,34435.9
Liberal Louise Windebank41311.0
Majority646
Turnout 33.4
Conservative hold
Rubislaw
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Ronald M. Muir 2,633 77.1
Labour Jean M. Mackintosh78422.9
Majority1849
Turnout 31.6
Conservative hold
Ruthrieston
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Alexander Bremner 2,483 61.6
Labour Howard G. Lovell1,54738.4
Majority936
Turnout 32.7
Conservative hold
St. Clements
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Alexander C. Collie (incumbent) 1,263 82.0
Conservative Kenneth Watmough22214.4
Communist George C. Thomson563.6
Majority1041
Turnout 21.4
Labour hold
St. Machar
PartyCandidateVotes%
Liberal Nigel Lindsay 2,204 47.8
Labour Thomas Paine2,11445.9
Conservative Hugh S. Birse2114.6
Communist Christopher Ramsey791.7
Majority90
Turnout 32.3
Liberal gain from Labour
St. Nicholas
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour William P. Craig 1,097 67.3
Conservative Bernard Morrison53332.7
Majority564
Turnout 23.6
Labour hold
Torry
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Ellen Williamson 2,052 83.7
Conservative Gordon Adams40016.3
Majority1652
Turnout 22.4
Labour hold
Woodside
PartyCandidateVotes%
Labour Harold Selbie 1,762 62.5
Conservative Robert Anderson1,00735.7
Communist Norman Williamson521.8
Majority755
Turnout 29.8
Labour hold

[2] [3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Liberals win first seat at Aberdeen". The Herald (Glasgow) . 2 May 1973. p. 2. Retrieved 20 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 4 June 2023.
  3. "Liberal Lindsay Wins in St Machar" . The Press and Journal . 2 May 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 6 December 2023.