Lewisham West (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Lewisham West
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
LewishamWestConstituency.svg
Boundary of Lewisham West in Greater Londonfor the 2005 general election
County Greater London
19182010
SeatsOne
Created from Lewisham
Replaced by Lewisham West and Penge

Lewisham West was a borough constituency in south-east London represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election from 1918, until it was abolished for the 2010 general election.

Contents

History

Lewisham West in London 1918-50 LewishamWest1918.png
Lewisham West in London 1918-50
Lewisham Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg
Lewisham West in London 1950-74 LewishamWest1950.png
Lewisham West in London 1950-74

From 1966 until 1992, Lewisham West was a classic bellwether seat, being won by whichever party won the General Election (with the exception of 1979). However, long-term demographic trends have since turned the seat away from being a Labour-Conservative marginal into a safe Labour seat. Partly this has occurred because of a strong increase in the number of ethnic minority residents. At the same time, the communities of Catford, Sydenham and Forest Hill have become much less leafy and suburban over the past 30 years. The large council estate of Bellingham has always been a Labour stronghold, and the other areas of the seat can also now be regarded as quite safe for Labour, whereas in the past they were not.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham wards of Brockley, Forest Hill, and Sydenham, and parts of the wards of Catford and Lewisham Village.

1950–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham wards of Brockley, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Sydenham East, and Sydenham West.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Bellingham, Culverley, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Rushey Green, Sydenham East, and Sydenham West.

1983–2010: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Bellingham, Catford, Forest Hill, Horniman, Perry Hill, Rushey Green, St Andrew, Sydenham East, and Sydenham West.

Lewisham West constituency covered the south-western part of the London Borough of Lewisham, being largely based on the communities of Catford, Sydenham, Forest Hill and Bellingham.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in South London, the Boundary Commission for England created a new constituency of Lewisham West and Penge, using electoral wards from Bromley and Lewisham.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1918 Edward Feetham Coates Coalition Conservative
1921 by-election Philip Dawson Conservative
1938 by-election Henry Brooke Conservative
1945 Arthur Skeffington Labour
1950 Henry Price Conservative
1964 Patrick McNair-Wilson Conservative
1966 James Dickens Labour
1970 John Gummer Conservative
Feb 1974 Christopher Price Labour
1983 John Maples Conservative
1992 Jim Dowd Labour
2010 constituency abolished: see Lewisham West and Penge

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Lewisham West [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 16,611 52.0 9.1
Liberal Democrats Alex Feakes6,67920.9+7.4
Conservative Evett McAnuff6,39620.02.4
Green Nick Long1,4644.6New
UKIP Jens Winton7732.4+0.8
Majority9,93231.1−7.6
Turnout 31,92354.7+2.6
Labour hold Swing 8.2
General election 2001: Lewisham West [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 18,816 61.1 −0.9
Conservative Gareth Johnson 6,89622.4−1.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Thomas4,14613.5+3.7
UKIP Frederick Pearson4851.6New
Independent Nick Long4721.5New
Majority11,92038.7+0.6
Turnout 30,81552.1−12.0
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Lewisham West [3] [4] [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 23,273 62.0 +15.0
Conservative Clare Whelan8,95623.819.0
Liberal Democrats Kathy McGrath3,6729.80.1
Referendum Anthony Leese1,0982.9New
Socialist Labour Nick Long3981.1New
Liberal Elizabeth Oram1670.5New
Majority14,31738.1+33.9
Turnout 37,56464.09.0
Labour hold Swing +17.0
General election 1992: Lewisham West [6] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 20,378 47.0 +9.1
Conservative John Cradock Maples 18,56942.83.4
Liberal Democrats Mrs E Neale4,2959.96.0
Anti-Federalist League P Coulam1250.3New
Majority1,8094.2N/A
Turnout 43,36773.0+0.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Lewisham West [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Cradock Maples 20,995 46.2 +2.2
Labour James Patrick Dowd 17,22337.9−0.5
Liberal Sarah Caroline Titley7,24715.9−0.9
Majority3,7728.3+2.7
Turnout 45,46572.2+1.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Lewisham West [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Cradock Maples 19,521 44.02
Labour Christopher Price 17,01538.37
Liberal Hugh Mooney7,47016.85
BNP R. F. Hoy3360.76New
Majority2,5065.65N/A
Turnout 44,34270.34
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christopher Price 20,932 46.45
Conservative Noel Kemp [10] 19,88244.12
Liberal Godfrey Arthur Payne3,3507.43
National Front Peter Williams [10] 9012.00
Majority1,0502.33
Turnout 45,06576.01
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christopher Price 21,102 48.24
Conservative M. Marshall15,57335.60
Liberal J.D. Eagle5,95213.61
National Front P. Williams1,1142.55
Majority5,52912.64
Turnout 43,74170.06
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christopher Price 21,118 43.27 −5.7
Conservative John Selwyn Gummer 18,71638.35−12.7
Liberal J.D. Eagle7,97416.34New
National Front P. Williams1,0002.05New
Majority2,4024.92N/A
Turnout 48,80878.89
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +3.4
General election 1970: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Selwyn Gummer 19,676 50.98
Labour James McCulloch York Dickens 18,91649.02
Majority7601.96N/A
Turnout 38,59268.06
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James McCulloch York Dickens 21,018 52.54
Conservative Patrick Michael Ernest David McNair-Wilson 18,98447.46
Majority2,0345.08N/A
Turnout 40,00275.68
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1964: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Patrick Michael Ernest David McNair-Wilson 18,167 44.78
Labour Joan Lestor 17,28142.59
Liberal Alan B Mountain5,12312.63
Majority8862.19
Turnout 40,57174.82
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 22,466 51.74
Labour Richard C Edmonds16,23337.39
Liberal Trevor Arthur Smith 4,72110.87New
Majority6,23314.35
Turnout 38,68980.30
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 24,066 54.94
Labour Tom Sargant19,74145.06
Majority4,3259.88
Turnout 43,80779.57
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 25,44952.73
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 22,81347.27
Majority2,6365.46
Turnout 48,26285.85
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 23,628 49.23
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 21,43344.65
Liberal Alfred Edward G Pritchard2,9396.12New
Majority2,1954.58N/A
Turnout 45,06185.70
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 20,008 53.35
Conservative Henry Brooke 17,49246.65
Majority2,5166.70N/A
Turnout 37,50073.65
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

1938 Lewisham West by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Brooke 22,587 57.1 −7.6
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 16,93942.9+7.6
Majority5,64814.2−15.2
Turnout 39,52658.0−5.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Sir Philip Dawson 27,173 64.7 −12.8
Labour Robert Michael Maitland Stewart 14,80335.3+12.8
Majority12,37029.4−25.6
Turnout 41,97663.9−5.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Sir Philip Dawson 34,289 77.5 +28.4
Labour Robert Michael Maitland Stewart 9,95622.5−3.4
Majority24,33355.0+31.8
Turnout 44,24569.2−0.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 20,830 49.1 10.2
Labour Catherine Mary Wadham10,95825.9+5.5
Liberal Arthur Reginald Newsom Roberts10,59025.0+4.7
Majority9,87223.215.7
Turnout 42,37869.36.2
Registered electors 61,191
Unionist hold Swing 7.9
General election 1924: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 19,723 59.3 +8.4
Labour Barbara Drake 6,78120.4New
Liberal Barrett Lennard Albemarle O'Malley6,75620.328.8
Majority12,94238.9+37.1
Turnout 33,26075.5+18.5
Registered electors 44,078
Unionist hold Swing +18.6
General election 1923: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 12,448 50.9 14.8
Liberal Barrett Lennard Albemarle O'Malley12,00949.1+14.8
Majority4391.829.6
Turnout 24,45757.01.1
Registered electors 42,940
Unionist hold Swing 14.8
General election 1922: Lewisham West [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 16,216 65.7 N/A
Liberal Barrett Lennard Albemarle O'Malley8,46934.3N/A
Majority7,74731.4N/A
Turnout 24,68558.1N/A
Registered electors 42,455
Unionist hold Swing N/A
1921 Lewisham West by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 9,427 39.0 N/A
Anti-Waste League Walter George Windham 8,58035.4New
Liberal Frank Raffety 6,21125.6New
Majority8473.6N/A
Turnout 24,21859.2N/A
Registered electors 40,919
Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Lewisham West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Sir Edward Feetham Coates Unopposed
Unionist win (new seat)
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

Notes and references

  1. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  3. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  4. "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  5. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.111 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  6. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  8. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. 1 2 Election Expenses. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1980. p. 18. ISBN   0102374805.
  11. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949

Sources

51°26′06″N0°02′02″W / 51.435°N 0.034°W / 51.435; -0.034

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