Belfast Oldpark (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

54°36′58″N 5°57′11″W / 54.616°N 5.953°W / 54.616; -5.953

Belfast Oldpark
Former Borough constituency
for the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Belfast Oldpark 1929-1969
Belfast shown within Northern Ireland
Former constituency
Created1929
Abolished1973
Election methodFirst past the post

Belfast Oldpark was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

Boundaries

Belfast Oldpark was a borough constituency comprising part of northern Belfast. It was created in 1929 when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland.

Belfast Oldpark was created by the division of Belfast North into four new constituencies. It survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament, until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.[1]

Politics

In common with other seats in North Belfast, the seat had little nationalist presence. The seat alternated between Unionist and labour movement representatives, and was often closely contested.[1]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1929 Wilson Hungerford Ulster Unionist
1945 Robert Getgood Labour (NI)
1949 William James Morgan Ulster Unionist
1958 Vivian Simpson Labour (NI)
1973 constituency abolished

Election results

(1921–72)
Politics of Northern Ireland
The Ulster Banner
Government
Parliament
1921, 1925, 1929, 1933
1938, 1945, 1949, 1953
1958, 1962, 1965, 1969
Senate
Elections
1921, 1925, 1929, 1933
1938, 1945, 1949, 1953
1958, 1962, 1965, 1969
By-elections
See also
General Election 1929: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Wilson Hungerford 6,122 50.8
NI Labour Sam Kyle 5,933 49.2
Majority 189 1.6
Turnout 12,055 77.0
UUP win (new seat)
General Election 1933: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Sir Wilson Hungerford 5,427 56.6 +5.8
Ind. Unionist William McConnell Wilton 5,933 49.2 New
Majority 1,272 13.2 +11.6
Turnout 11,360 61.9 −15.1
UUP hold Swing
General Election 1938: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Sir Wilson Hungerford 7,310 50.5 −6.1
NI Labour Jack MacGougan 5,900 40.8 New
Progressive Unionist Robert Bradford 1,253 8.7 New
Majority 1,410 9.7 −3.5
Turnout 14,463 74.9 +13.0
UUP hold Swing
General Election 1945: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
NI Labour Robert Getgood 8,829 56.2 +15.4
UUP Sir Wilson Hungerford 6,390 40.7 −9.8
Socialist Republican David Wylie 481 3.1 New
Majority 2,439 15.5 +5.8
Turnout 15,700 74.7 −0.2
NI Labour gain from UUP Swing
General Election 1949: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William James Morgan 9,599 59.0 +18.3
NI Labour Robert Getgood 6,661 41.0 −15.2
Majority 2,938 18.0 N/A
Turnout 16,260 78.6 +3.9
UUP gain from NI Labour Swing
General Election 1953: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William James Morgan 6,984 50.2 −8.8
NI Labour Billy Blease 4,183 30.0 −11.0
Irish Labour Cronan Francis Hughes 2,752 19.8 New
Majority 2,801 20.2 +2.2
Turnout 13,919 64.7 −13.9
UUP hold Swing
General Election 1958: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
NI Labour Vivian Simpson 6,307 50.6 +20.6
UUP William James Morgan 6,152 49.4 −0.8
Majority 155 1.2 −19.0
Turnout 12,459 61.5 −3.2
NI Labour gain from UUP Swing
General Election 1962: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
NI Labour Vivian Simpson 8,486 62.5 +11.9
UUP William Henry Cushley 5,082 37.5 −11.9
Majority 3,404 25.0 +23.8
Turnout 13,568 69.7 +8.2
NI Labour hold Swing
General Election 1965: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
NI Labour Vivian Simpson 6,210 59.5 −3.0
UUP John Ferguson 4,221 40.5 +3.0
Majority 1,989 19.0 −6.0
Turnout 10,431 55.1 −14.6
NI Labour hold Swing
General Election 1969: Belfast Oldpark[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
NI Labour Vivian Simpson 6,779 56.5 −3.0
UUP Joseph Foster Cairns 5,224 43.5 +3.0
Majority 1,555 13.0 −6.0
Turnout 12,003 67.4 +12.3
NI Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ^ a b The Northern Ireland House of Commons, 1921-1972, Northern Ireland Elections
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Northern Ireland Parliamentary Elections Results: Boroughs: Belfast