St George (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

St George
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
18851918
Seatsone
Created from Tower Hamlets
Replaced by Whitechapel and St George's

St George was a parliamentary constituency in what is now the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It was part of the Parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets and returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Contents

History

The constituency, formally known as Tower Hamlets, St George Division, was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 by the division of the existing two-member parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets into seven divisions, each returning one MP. [1]

This was an area on the north bank of the River Thames, with a lot of its inhabitants employed as dock workers or in the sugar refining industry. Pelling comments that it had the largest proportion of immigrant Irishmen in the metropolis.

The constituency was marginal between the Conservative and Liberal parties. Pelling suggests the Conservative MP, elected in 1885, owed his victory to generosity "bordering on corruption". Political issues important in the area were protectionism (as sugar refining was damaged by foreign subsidies to rivals) and the immigration of "pauper aliens" (the neighbouring division of Whitechapel had a large population of immigrant Jews).

The seat was abolished for the 1918 general election. The area was incorporated in a new seat of Stepney, Whitechapel and St George's.

Boundaries

St George in London, 1885-1918 StGeorgesintheEast1885.png
St George in London, 1885-1918

The constituency comprised two civil parishes: St George in the East and Wapping, [1] taking its name from the former and so ultimately from St George in the East church in contrast to the St George's Hanover Square constituency in Westminster. Although lying in Middlesex, the parishes formed part of the East End of London, and were administered as part of the Metropolis.

In 1889 the area was removed from Middlesex to the new County of London, and in 1900 it was included in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney, but no changes were made to constituency boundaries until 1918.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Charles Ritchie Conservative
1892 John Benn Liberal
1895 Harry Marks Conservative
1900 Sir Thomas Dewar Conservative
1906 William Wedgwood Benn Liberal
1918 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Tower Hamlets, St. George [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Ritchie 1,744 59.6
Liberal David Salomons 1,18040.4
Majority56419.2
Turnout 2,92467.7
Registered electors 4,317
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Tower Hamlets, St. George [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Ritchie 1,561 59.2 0.4
Liberal Richard Eve1,07640.8+0.4
Majority48518.40.8
Turnout 2,63761.16.6
Registered electors 4,317
Conservative hold Swing -0.4

Ritchie was appointment President of the Local Government Board, requiring a by-election.

Charles Ritchie Charles Thomson Ritchie headshot.jpg
Charles Ritchie
By-election, 12 Aug 1886: St George's [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Ritchie 1,546 63.5 +4.3
Liberal Richard Eve88936.54.3
Majority65727.0+8.6
Turnout 2,43556.44.7
Registered electors 4,317
Conservative hold Swing +4.3

Elections in the 1890s

John Benn John Williams Benn.jpg
John Benn
General election 1892: Tower Hamlets, St. George [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Benn 1,661 56.8 +16.0
Conservative Charles Ritchie 1,26343.216.0
Majority39813.6N/A
Turnout 2,92477.9+16.8
Registered electors 3,755
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +16.0
General election 1895: Tower Hamlets, St. George [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Marks 1,581 50.2 +7.0
Liberal John Benn 1,57049.87.0
Majority110.4N/A
Turnout 3,15182.4+4.5
Registered electors 3,824
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.0

Elections in the 1900s

Thomas Dewar Thomasdewar.jpg
Thomas Dewar
Straus Bertram Straus.jpg
Straus
General election 1900: Tower Hamlets, St. George [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Thomas Dewar 1,437 55.7 +5.5
Liberal Bertram Straus 1,14144.3−5.5
Majority29611.4+11.0
Turnout 2,57873.3−9.1
Registered electors 3,518
Conservative hold Swing +5.5
General election 1906: Tower Hamlets, St. George [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Wedgwood Benn 1,685 61.3 +17.0
Conservative H. Hallifax Wells1,06438.717.0
Majority62122.6N/A
Turnout 2,74984.7+11.4
Registered electors 3,246
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +17.0

Elections in the 1910s

Wedgwood Benn Wedgwood Benn.jpg
Wedgwood Benn
General election January 1910: Tower Hamlets, St. George [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Wedgwood Benn 1,568 58.0 −3.3
Conservative Percy Coleman Simmons1,13442.0+3.3
Majority43416.0−6.6
Turnout 2,702
Liberal hold Swing -3.3
1910 Tower Hamlets St George by-election [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Wedgwood Benn 1,598 59.5 +1.5
Conservative Percy Coleman Simmons1,08940.5−1.5
Majority50919.0+3.0
Turnout 2,687
Liberal hold Swing +1.5
General election December 1910: Tower Hamlets, St. George [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Wedgwood Benn 1,401 57.8 −0.2
Conservative Douglas Clifton Brown 1,02242.2+0.2
Majority37915.6−0.4
Turnout 2,423
Liberal hold Swing -1.7

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethnal Green and Bow (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK Parliament constituency in England since 1997-2024

Bethnal Green and Bow was a constituency in Greater London, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2010 until its abolition for the 2024 general election by Rushanara Ali of the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hackney North (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1950

Hackney North was a parliamentary constituency in "The Metropolis". It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Hackney was a two-seat constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament created under the Representation of the People Act, 1867 from the former northern parishes of the Tower Hamlets constituency and abolished under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885-1997 and 2024 onwards

Peckham is a borough constituency in South London which returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Elections are held using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Stepney was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Stepney district of the East End of London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

Whitechapel and St George's was a parliamentary constituency in east London, which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitechapel (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1918

Whitechapel was a parliamentary constituency in the Whitechapel district of East London. In 1885 the seat was established as a division of the parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampstead (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Former UK Parliament constituency, 1885–1983

Hampstead was a borough constituency, centered on the Hampstead area of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, who was elected using the first-past-the-post voting system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brentford (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1918

Brentford was a constituency named after the town of Brentford in Middlesex and was drawn to take in Hounslow, Norwood Green and Twickenham. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The constituency was created for the 1885 general election and abolished for that of 1918.

Brentford and Chiswick was a constituency 1918 – 1974 centred on the Brentford and Chiswick districts of Middlesex which became parts of west London in 1965. It returned one member (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mile End (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1950

Mile End was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Mile End district of the East End of London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poplar (UK Parliament constituency)</span>

Poplar was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Poplar district of the East End of London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limehouse (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1950

Limehouse was a borough constituency centred on the Limehouse district of the East End of London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bow and Bromley (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1950

Bow and Bromley was a constituency in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Located in the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar in London, it was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act for the 1885 general election and returned one Member of Parliament (MP) until it was abolished for the 1950 general election.

Finsbury Central was a parliamentary constituency that covered the Clerkenwell district of Central London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

Finsbury East was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Finsbury district of North London, England. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

Hoxton was a borough constituency centred on the Hoxton district of London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower Hamlets (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1832–1885

Tower Hamlets was a parliamentary borough (constituency) in Middlesex, England from 1832 to 1885. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the first five of its type in the metropolitan area of London. It was enfranchised by the Reform Act 1832.

Haggerston, formally known as the "Haggerston Division of Shoreditch", was a borough constituency centred on the Haggerston district of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch in London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St George in the East (parish)</span>

St George in the East, historically known as Wapping-Stepney, was an ancient parish, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England. The place name is no longer widely used.

References

  1. 1 2 Youngs, Frederic A Jr. (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. p. 749. ISBN   0-901050-67-9.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  3. 1 2 3 Craig, F.W.S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.