Belfast Area C

Area C was one of the eight district electoral areas (DEA) which existed in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1973 to 1985. Located in the south of the city, the district elected six members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Finaghy; Malone; Stranmillis; University; Upper Malone; and Windsor. The DEA largely formed part of the Belfast South constituency.

History

The area was created for the 1973 local government elections, combining the whole of the former Windsor ward with most of the former Cromac ward, parts of the Saint Anne's ward and parts of the former Lisburn Rural District. It was abolished for the 1985 local government elections. The University ward (which was renamed Botanic in 1985) and Stranmillis wards became part of a new Laganbank DEA, while the remaining four wards joined the Blackstaff ward, formerly part of Area F, in the new Balmoral DEA.

Councillors

Election	Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)
1981		David Cook (Alliance)		Muriel Pritchard (Alliance)		Brian Gibson (DUP)		William Stevenson (DUP)		Andrew Cairns (UUP)		Mary Crooks (UUP)
1977						William Jeffrey (Alliance)		Victor Brennan (UPNI)
1973						John William Kennedy (UUP)		John Webster (UUP)		F. J. McKibben (UUP)		W. D. Gilmore (UUP)

1981 Election

1977: 3 x Alliance, 2 x UUP, 1 x UPNI

1981: 2 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 2 x DUP

1977-1981 Change: DUP (two seats) gain from Alliance and UPNI

Area C - 6 seats ^[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
	Alliance	David Cook *	15.65%	2,493
	Alliance	Muriel Pritchard*	7.27%	1,158	1,217.52	1,280.08	1,347.72	1,362.88	2,376.96
	UUP	Andrew Cairns *	12.13%	1,933	1,937.32	1,942.32	2,166.88	2,187.88	2,202.84	2,835.84
	UUP	Mary Crooks *	13.18%	2,099	2,104.2	2,111.1	2,191.6	2,216.76	2,260.24	2,828.24
	DUP	Brian Gibson	9.43%	1,503	1,504.04	1,505.12	1,529.12	1,720.12	1,727.12	1,805.48	2,040.48	2,229.48
	DUP	William Stevenson	7.62%	1,214	1,214.32	1,214.32	1,222.32	1,687.56	1,694.8	1,753.28	1,872.28	1,971.28
	SDLP	Ben Caraher	9.42%	1,501	1,508.6	1,792.12	1,795.12	1,795.12	1,828.96	1,843.44	1,845.44	1,850.44
	UUP	John Gilmore	8.32%	1,326	1,330.72	1,336.88	1,396.04	1,411.12	1,421
	Alliance	William Jeffrey*	5.73%	913	1,021	1,108.48	1,150.2	1,156.44
	DUP	Thomas McIntyre	4.58%	729	729.8	730.8	744.88
	Unionist Party NI	Victor Brennan*	3.34%	532	534.72	536.72
	Republican Clubs	Gerard Carr	3.33%	530	532.96
Electorate: 28,354  Valid: 15,931 (56.19%)  Spoilt: 529  Quota: 2,276  Turnout: 16,460 (58.05%)

1977 Election

1973: 4 x UUP, 2 x Alliance

1977: 3 x Alliance, 2 x UUP, 1 x UPNI

1973-1977 Change: Alliance and UPNI gain from UUP (two seats)

Area C - 6 seats ^[2]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
	Alliance	David Cook *	18.93%	2,748
	UUP	Andrew Cairns	8.86%	1,287	1,290.6	1,293.6	1,321.84	1,340.84	1,346.84	1,387.08	1,547.8	1,579.8	1,981.52	1,981.52	2,330.52
	Alliance	William Jeffrey	6.14%	892	1,368.64	1,368.64	1,372.88	1,389.88	1,514.04	1,537.28	1,551.48	1,554.48	1,571.96	2,037.16	2,076.12
	Alliance	Muriel Pritchard*	8.78%	1,274	1,394.24	1,398.24	1,401.24	1,435.72	1,529.12	1,543.12	1,554.8	1,557.8	1,582	2,002.28	2,047.44
	UUP	Mary Crooks	7.87%	1,142	1,148.72	1,151.72	1,180.72	1,212.72	1,217.2	1,307.44	1,445.68	1,496.68	1,824.92	1,833.92	2,035.64
	Unionist Party NI	Victor Brennan	9.96%	1,446	1,455.84	1,458.84	1,479.84	1,493.84	1,519.56	1,568.56	1,609.04	1,623.04	1,702	1,727	1,928.44
	DUP	Alexander McMeekin	6.01%	872	872	884	957	976.24	978.24	990.24	1,010.24	1,493.24	1,523.48	1,525.48	1,650.72
	Vanguard	Raymond Jordan	5.37%	780	784.32	788.32	825.56	876.56	882.56	914.56	963.8	1,022.8	1,068.04	1,072.04
	SDLP	Mary Scott	6.36%	923	937.4	938.4	938.4	950.4	992.4	994.4	996.4	997.4	999.4
	UUP	John William Kennedy*	4.34%	630	634.08	635.08	657.08	665.08	672.08	726.08	952.04	975.04
	DUP	William Spence	4.16%	604	604	607	629	667	673	691	697
	UUP	John Gilmore	4.26%	619	624.76	626.76	639.76	652.76	660.76	682.76
	Ind. Unionist	John Webster*	2.34%	340	340.96	343.96	349.2	369.2	371.2
	NI Labour	Ronald Macartney	2.27%	330	335.76	335.76	336.76	348.76
	Independent	William Weir	2.16%	313	313.72	314.72	319.72
	UUUP	Reginald Johnston	1.37%	199	199.96	276.96
	UUUP	James Robinson	0.82%	119	119
Electorate: 29,635  Valid: 14,518 (48.99%)  Spoilt: 523  Quota: 2,075  Turnout: 15,041 (50.75%)

1973 Election

1973: 4 x UUP, 2 x Alliance

Area C - 6 seats ^[3]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
	Alliance	David Cook	10.60%	2,241	2,254	2,327	2,360	2,584	3,027
	UUP	John Webster	13.11%	2,770	2,771	2,771	2,946	2,952	2,985	3,023
	Alliance	Muriel Pritchard	5.55%	1,172	1,174	1,176	1,198	1,427	1,757	2,279	3,158
	UUP	F. J. McGibben	10.63%	2,247	2,247	2,247	2,278	2,296	2,314	2,355	2,364	3,114
	UUP	John William Kennedy	12.35%	2,611	2,616	2,618	2,648	2,660	2,678	2,743	2,753	3,113
	UUP	W. D. Gilmore	11.93%	2,522	2,525	2,528	2,616	2,626	2,645	2,726	2,741	3,003
	United Loyalist	N. McNarry	8.01%	1,693	1,694	1,697	1,794	1,797	1,806	1,857	1,871	1,926
	UUP	N. Preston	6.64%	1,404	1,404	1,404	1,420	1,424	1,432	1,453	1,464
	SDLP	Mary Scott	4.49%	948	949	1,149	1,160	1,177	1,197	1,413
	NI Labour	Brian Garrett	3.87%	817	957	1,029	1,077	1,103	1,146
	Alliance	William Jeffrey	3.46%	731	737	745	800	948
	Alliance	W. McDonough	3.22%	681	683	685	699
	Independent	D. Donaghy	2.87%	610	614	639
	Republican Clubs	P. Callaghan	2.38%	503	508
	NI Labour	W. Copley	0.88%	186
Electorate: 32,071  Valid: 21,136 (65.90%)  Spoilt: 210  Quota: 3,020  Turnout: 21,346 (66.56%)

References

1. "Local Government Results 1981". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
2. "Local Government Results 1977". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
3. "Local Government Results 1973". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.