Westhoughton (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Westhoughton
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
County Lancashire (until 1974)
Greater Manchester (from 1974)
1885–1983
Number of membersOne
Replaced by Bolton West
Wigan
Leigh
Chorley
Created from South East Lancashire

Westhoughton was a parliamentary constituency in Lancashire, England. Centred on the former mining and cotton town of Westhoughton, it returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Contents

The constituency was created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1983 general election.

History and boundaries

Westhoughton in Lancashire, boundaries used 1950-83 Westhoughton1974Constituency.svg
Westhoughton in Lancashire, boundaries used 1950-83

1885–1918

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 divided the existing constituency of South East Lancashire into eight single-member seats. The new seat of South-East Lancashire, Westhoughton Division comprised an area surrounding, but not including, the County Borough of Bolton. [1] It consisted of the towns of Aspull, Blackrod, Horwich, Little Lever, and Westhoughton, and the surrounding townships of Anglezarke, Bradshaw, Breightmet, Darcy Lever, Edgworth, Entwistle, Great Lever, Harwood, Heaton, Longworth, Lostock, Middle Hulton, Over Hulton, Quarlton and Rivington, plus Turton Urban District, and the parts of Rumworth, Sharples and Tonge with Haulgh outside the Parliamentary Borough of Bolton. [2] [3] [4]

1918–1950

The Representation of the People Act 1918 reorganised parliamentary seats throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Constituencies were redefined in terms of the urban and rural districts created by the Local Government Act 1894. Lancashire, Westhoughton Division consisted of five adjoining urban districts: Aspull, Blackrod, Hindley, Horwich and Westhoughton. [3] [5] [6]

1950–1983

The next redrawing of English constituencies was effected by the Representation of the People Act 1948. The Act introduced the term "county constituency". Westhoughton County Constituency was enlarged by the addition of Standish with Langtree Urban District and Wigan Rural District. [3] [7] The revised boundaries were first used at the 1950 general election, and were unchanged until abolition. [8]

Abolition

The 1983 redistribution of seats reflected local government reforms made in 1974. The bulk of the seat became part of the parliamentary county of Greater Manchester: Blackrod, Horwich and Westhoughton formed part of the new Bolton West county constituency, Aspull and Standish part of Wigan borough constituency and Hindley was included in Leigh borough constituency. Some parishes in the north of the old constituency remained in Lancashire, and were included in Chorley county constituency. [9]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [10] Party
1885 Frank Hardcastle Conservative
1892 Edward Stanley Conservative
1906 William Wilson Labour
1921 by-election Rhys Davies Labour
1951 by-election Tom Price Labour
1973 by-election Roger Stott Labour
1983 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frank Hardcastle 6,011 61.6
Liberal Edward Cross [12] 3,74138.4
Majority2,27023.2
Turnout 9,75291.8
Registered electors 10,625
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frank Hardcastle Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Stanley 6,711 57.9 N/A
Liberal Lewis Haslam 4,87142.1New
Majority1,84015.8N/A
Turnout 11,58289.2N/A
Registered electors 12,979
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Stanley Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Stanley 7,989 61.7 N/A
Liberal Franklin Thomasson 4,94938.3New
Majority3,04023.4N/A
Turnout 12,93881.7N/A
Registered electors 15,827
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-election, 1903: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Stanley Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1906: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Repr. Cmte. William Wilson 9,262 60.2 New
Conservative Edward Stanley 6,13439.8−21.9
Majority3,12820.4N/A
Turnout 15,39685.6+3.9
Registered electors 17,984
Labour Repr. Cmte. gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour William Wilson 10,141 56.8 −3.4
Conservative H. M. Byrne7,70943.2+3.4
Majority2,43213.6−6.8
Turnout 17,85090.4+4.8
Registered electors 19,751
Labour hold Swing −3.4
General election December 1910: Westhoughton [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour William Wilson 9,064 53.2 −3.6
Conservative G. F. Clarke7,97446.8+3.6
Majority1,0906.4−7.2
Turnout 17,03886.3−4.1
Registered electors 19,751
Labour hold Swing −3.6
General election 1918: Westhoughton [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour William Wilson 11,849 63.9 +10.7
Independent Liberal James Tonge6,69736.1New
Majority5,15227.8+21.4
Turnout 18,54661.6−24.7
Registered electors 30,108
Labour hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1920s

1921 Westhoughton by-election [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 14,876 57.8 −6.1
Liberal
  • James Tonge
10,86742.2+6.1
Majority4,00915.6−12.2
Turnout 25,74384.7+23.1
Registered electors 30,409
Labour hold Swing −6.1
General election 1922: Westhoughton [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 14,846 55.4 −8.5
National Liberal James Tonge11,93744.6+8.5
Majority2,90910.8−17.0
Turnout 26,78385.4+23.8
Registered electors 31,351
Labour hold Swing −8.5
General election 1923: Westhoughton [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 15,347 60.3 +4.9
Unionist John Haslam 10,10339.7New
Majority5,24420.6+9.8
Turnout 25,45079.3−6.1
Registered electors 32,081
Labour hold Swing +4.9
General election 1924: Westhoughton [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 16,033 55.8 −4.5
Unionist John Haslam 12,68444.2+4.5
Majority3,34911.6−9.0
Turnout 28,71788.8+8.8
Registered electors 32,587
Labour hold Swing −4.5
General election 1929: Westhoughton [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 22,305 61.5 +5.7
Unionist James Wain Lomax9,85527.2−17.0
Liberal Ernest Everett Canney4,13211.4New
Majority12,45034.3+22.7
Turnout 36,29287.1−1.7
Registered electors 41,648
Labour hold Swing +11.3

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Westhoughton [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 19,30153.46
Conservative P. Higson16,80146.54
Majority2,5006.92
Turnout 36,10285.49
Labour hold Swing
General election 1935: Westhoughton [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 21,09360.36
Conservative H. O. Dixon13,85139.64
Majority7,24220.72
Turnout 34,94483.24
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Westhoughton [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 20,99064.91
Conservative Stanley Bell11,34635.09
Majority9,64429.82
Turnout 32,33677.44
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Westhougton [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rhys Davies 30,11762.26
Conservative F. Joan Crowther18,25937.74
Majority11,85824.52
Turnout 48,37688.30
Labour hold Swing
1951 Westhoughton by-election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 25,368 60.4 -1.9
Conservative Frank J. Land16,61439.6+1.9
Majority8,75420.8-3.7
Turnout 41,982
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Westhoughton [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 29,31961.13
Conservative Frank J. Land18,64438.87
Majority10,67522.26
Turnout 47,96386.6
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Westhoughton [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 27,90060.99
Conservative Eric Dunnett17,84839.01
Majority10,05221.98
Turnout 45,74882.95
Labour hold Swing
General election 1959: Westhoughton [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 29,35961.17
Conservative John Edward Gouldbourn18,63438.83
Majority10,72522.34
Turnout 47,99384.28
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Westhoughton [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 30,24961.75
Conservative John I. Hanrahan18,73838.25
Majority11,51123.50
Turnout 48,98781.92
Labour hold Swing
General election 1966: Westhoughton [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 31,38764.96
Conservative John I. Hanrahan16,92735.04
Majority14,46029.92
Turnout 48,31478.75
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Westhoughton [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Price 29,674 55.4 -9.6
Conservative Cyril A. Unsworth23,84744.6+9.6
Majority5,82710.9-19.0
Turnout 53,52176.9-1.8
Labour hold Swing
1973 Westhoughton by-election [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roger Stott 26,294 57.0 +1.6
Conservative Cyril A. Unsworth19,51142.3-2.3
Democratic SocialistBrian O'Hara3350.7New
Majority6,78314.7+3.8
Turnout 46,140
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Westhoughton [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roger Stott 30,574 51.5 -5.5
Conservative Brian H. Tetlow17,90930.1-12.2
Liberal R. S. Hale10,93918.4New
Majority12,66521.3+6.6
Turnout 59,42283.2
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Westhoughton [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roger Stott 30,373 54.1 +2.6
Conservative Brian H. Tetlow16,79829.9-0.2
Liberal R. S. Hale8,92615.9-2.5
Majority13,57524.2+2.9
Turnout 56,09777.9-5.3
Labour hold Swing
General election 1979: Westhoughton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roger Stott 29,685 48.2 -5.9
Conservative Carolyn Johnson24,39839.6+9.7
Liberal J. Pigott7,54412.2-3.7
Majority5,2878.6-15.6
Turnout 61,62780.1+2.2
Labour hold Swing

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References

  1. ↑ Boundary Commissioners for England and Wales (1885). "South East Lancashire, New Divisions of County (Map)". Report of the Boundary Commissioners for England and Wales. londonancestor.com. Retrieved 28 September 2008.
  2. ↑ Seventh Schedule, Counties At Large, Number Of Members And Names And Contents Of Divisions, Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (C.23)
  3. 1 2 3 F A Youngs Jr., Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.II: Northern England, London 1991
  4. ↑ Great Britain Historical GIS Project. "Boundary Map of South East Lancashire Westhoughton PDivCon". A Vision of Britain through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  5. ↑ Ninth Schedule: Redistribution of Seats, Representation of the People Act 1918 (C.5)
  6. ↑ Great Britain Historical GIS Project. "Boundary Map of Lancashire Westhoughton PDivCon". A Vision of Britain through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  7. ↑ First Schedule, Parliamentary Constituencies, Representation of the People Act 1948 (C.65)
  8. ↑ Great Britain Historical GIS Project. "Boundary Map of Westhoughton CCon". A Vision of Britain through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  9. ↑ The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 (S.I. 1983 No.417)
  10. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 2)
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  12. ↑ "The General Election" . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser . 20 November 1885. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 14 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  14. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1922
  15. ↑ General Election, 27 October 1931: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  16. ↑ General Election, 14 November 1935: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  17. ↑ General Election, 5 July 1945: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  18. ↑ General Election, 23 February 1950: Westhougton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  19. ↑ By-election 1951: Westhoughton. British Election Ephemera Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  20. ↑ General Election 25 October 1951: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  21. ↑ General Election, 26 May 1955: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  22. ↑ General Election, 8 October 1959: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  23. ↑ General Election, 15 October 1964: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  24. ↑ General Election, 31 March 1966: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  25. ↑ General Election, 18 June 1970: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  26. ↑ By-election 1960: Westhoughton. British Election Ephemera Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  27. ↑ General Election, 28 February 1974: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  28. ↑ General Election, 10 October 1974: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  29. ↑ General Election, 3 May 1979: Westhoughton. Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 May 2010.

Coordinates: 53°36′N2°38′W / 53.60°N 2.64°W / 53.60; -2.64

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