Greenwich (electoral division)

Greenwich was an electoral division for the purposes of elections to the Greater London Council. The constituency elected three councillors for a three-year term in 1964, 1967 and 1970.

The constituency was revised in 1973 and then elected one councillor for a four-year term in 1973, 1977 and 1981, with the final term extended for an extra year ahead of the abolition of the Greater London Council.

History

It was planned to use the same boundaries as the Westminster Parliament constituencies for election of councillors to the Greater London Council (GLC), as had been the practice for elections to the predecessor London County Council, but those that existed in 1965 crossed the Greater London boundary. Until new constituencies could be settled, the 32 London boroughs were used as electoral areas which therefore created a constituency called Greenwich. ^[1]

The new constituencies were settled following the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and the electoral division was replaced from 1973 by the single-member electoral divisions of Greenwich, Woolwich East and Woolwich West. The new Greenwich electoral division matched the boundaries of the Greenwich parliamentary constituency. ^[2]

First series

Greenwich
Former electoral division for the Greater London Council
Greenwich electoral division boundaries from 1965 to 1973
District	London Borough of Greenwich
Population	228,030 (1969 estimate)
Electorate	155,361 (1964) 153,327 (1967) 161,288 (1970)
Area	11,723.7 acres (47.444 km2)
Former electoral division
Created	1965
Abolished	1973
Member(s)	3
Replaced by	Greenwich, Woolwich East and Woolwich West

The Greenwich constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964, ^[3] 1967 ^[4] and 1970. ^[5] Three councillors were elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting. ^[6]

1964 election

The first election was held on 9 April 1964, a year before the council came into its powers. The electorate was 155,361 and three Labour Party councillors were elected. With 73,727 people voting, the turnout was 47.5%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1964 Greater London Council election: Greenwich

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Julia Ada Johnson	44,714
	Labour	John William Andrews	44,349
	Labour	James Young	42,621
	Conservative	U. V. Lister	25,358
	Conservative	W. S. Manners	25,104
	Conservative	L. J. Smith	24,851
	Communist	E. Halpin	3,786
	Independent	H. H. Wright	2,016
Turnout
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

1967 election

The second election was held on 13 April 1967. The electorate was 153,327. One Labour Party and two Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 65,177 people voting, the turnout was 42.5%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1967 Greater London Council election: Greenwich

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Peggy Arline Middleton	30,237
	Conservative	Sheila Mary Bradley	29,677
	Conservative	Charles Henry Miles	29,425
	Conservative	K. J. Johnson	29,295
	Labour	John William Andrews	29,210
	Labour	N. J. Smart	28,901
	Liberal	M. J. Colmer	3,711
	Liberal	M. P. D. Ellman	3,482
	Liberal	C. A. R. Rugman	2,973
	Communist	E. Halpin	2,168
	Independent	C.H. Waghorn	679
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

1967 by-election

A by-election was held on 29 June 1967, following the resignation of Sheila Mary Bradley. The electorate was 153,327 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. With 65,177 voting, the turnout was 27.9%

Greenwich by-election, 1967

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John William Andrews	21,089
	Conservative	E. R. M. Middleton	19,492
	Liberal	M. J. Colmer	614
	Communist	E. Halpin	596
	Independent	William George Boaks	109
	Independent	C. H. Waghorn	72
	Independent	H. H. Wright	71
Turnout
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

1970 election

The third election was held on 9 April 1970. The electorate was 161,288 and three Labour Party councillors were elected. With 65,065 people voting, the turnout was 40.3%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1970 Greater London Council election: Greenwich

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Peggy Arline Middleton	35,440
	Labour	John William Andrews	35,438
	Labour	Mair Eluned Garside	34,503
	Conservative	D. H. P. Bridgehouse	25,699
	Conservative	W. Mitchell	25,469
	Conservative	P. S. A. Polkinhorne	24,809
	Liberal	M. J. Colmer	1,473
	Homes before Roads	C. N. Hamilton	1,462
	Liberal	J. R. Hassall	1,418
	Liberal	M. A. Harris	1,415
	Communist	J. Brookshaw	1,287
	Homes before Roads	D. H. Adams	1,257
	Homes before Roads	B. Platts	1,128
	Union Movement	M. P. Winn	1,128
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Second series

Greenwich
Former electoral division for the Greater London Council
Greenwich electoral division boundaries from 1973 to 1986
District	Greenwich
Electorate	52,423 (1973) 52,893 (1974) 52,402 (1977) 51,706 (1981)
Area	1,420 hectares (14.2 km2)
Former electoral division
Created	1973
Abolished	1986
Member(s)	1
Created from	Greenwich

The Greenwich constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1973, ^[7] 1977 ^[8] and 1981. ^[9] One councillor was elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting. ^[6]

1973 election

The fourth election to the GLC (and first using revised boundaries) was held on 12 April 1973. The electorate was 52,423 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 38.9%. The councillor was elected for a three-year term. This was extended for an extra year in 1976 when the electoral cycle was switched to four-yearly. ^[10]

1973 Greater London Council election: Greenwich

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Peggy Arline Middleton	13,953
	Conservative	J. A. B. Kind	6,440
Turnout
	Labour win (new boundaries)

1974 by-election

A by-election was held on 24 October 1974, following the death of Peggy Arline Middleton. The electorate was 52,893 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 22.4%.

Greenwich by-election, 1974

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Frederick William Styles	7,495
	Conservative	N. J. Bennett	3,199
	Liberal	A. J. W. Renouf	852
	Fellowship	R. S. Mallone	305
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing

1977 election

The fifth election to the GLC (and second using revised boundaries) was held on 5 May 1977. The electorate was 52,402 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 42.0%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.

1977 Greater London Council election: Greenwich

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Frederick William Styles	9,949
	Conservative	A. R. Milne	9,356
	National Front	B. Smoker	1,043
	Liberal	A. J. W. Renouf	865
	Fellowship	R. S. Mallone	552
	National Party	D. McCalden	252
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing

1981 election

The sixth and final election to the GLC (and third using revised boundaries) was held on 7 May 1981. The electorate was 51,706 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 44.0%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term, extended by an extra year by the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984, ahead of the abolition of the council.

1981 Greater London Council election: Greenwich

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Deirdre Frances Mary Wood	12,857
	Conservative	Peter J. Bassett	6,571
	Liberal	A. J. W. Renouf	2,001
	Fellowship	R. S. Mallone	637
	National Front	L. Bristo	319
	NNF	J. R. Dunster	225
	Independent	P. Hansford-Miller	129
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing

References

1. British Information Services (1970). British Record: Political and Economic Notes. To date elections, normally fought on traditional party lines, have been based on the London boroughs, each borough returning two or more councillors; after 1973 there will be single member electoral areas based on parliamentary constituencies.
2. "The Greater London (Electoral Areas) Order 1972" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 20 June 1972. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
3. "General Election of Greater London Councillors" (PDF). 9 April 1964. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
4. "General Election of Greater London Councillors" (PDF). 13 April 1967. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
5. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 9 April 1970. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
6. Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Greenwich". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
7. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 12 April 1973. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
8. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 5 May 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
9. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 7 May 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
10. "The London Councillors Order 1976" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 17 February 1976. Retrieved 12 October 2023.