Middleton (UK Parliament constituency)

Middleton
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1918
Seatsone
Created fromSouth East Lancashire
Replaced byMiddleton and Prestwich

Middleton was a county constituency in the county of Lancashire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, it was represented by one Member of Parliament. The constituency was abolished in 1918.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1885 George Salis-Schwabe Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1886 Thomas Fielden Conservative
1892 Charles Henry Hopwood Liberal
1895 Thomas Fielden Conservative
1897 b-e James Duckworth Liberal
1900 Edward Fielden Conservative
1906 Ryland Adkins Liberal
1918 Constituency abolished

Boundaries

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 provided that the constituency was to consist of "The Sessional Division of Middleton (except so much of the Parish of Spotland as is included in Division No. 10 as herein described, or in the Municipal Borough of Bacup), the Municipal Borough of Rochdale, and the Parishes of Alkrington and Tonge, and in the Sessional Division of Bury so much of the Parish of Hopwood as is not included in the Municipal Borough of Heywood."[1]

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Middleton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Salis-Schwabe 5,882 54.6
Conservative Thomas Fielden 4,885 45.4
Majority 997 9.2
Turnout 10,767 91.6
Registered electors 11,748
Liberal win (new seat)
Thomas Fielden
General election 1886: Middleton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Fielden 5,126 51.6 +6.2
Liberal Charles Henry Hopwood 4,808 48.4 −6.2
Majority 318 3.2 N/A
Turnout 9,934 84.6 −7.0
Registered electors 11,748
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Middleton[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Henry Hopwood 5,389 50.5 +2.1
Conservative Thomas Fielden 5,273 49.5 −2.1
Majority 116 1.0 N/A
Turnout 10,662 89.2 +4.6
Registered electors 11,951
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.1
General election 1895: Middleton[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Fielden 5,926 53.9 +4.4
Liberal Charles Henry Hopwood 5,061 46.1 −4.4
Majority 865 7.8 N/A
Turnout 10,987 88.3 −0.9
Registered electors 12,446
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.4

Fielden's death caused a by-election.

J. Duckworth
1897 Middleton by-election[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Duckworth 5,964 51.3 +5.2
Conservative William Mitchell 5,664 48.7 −5.2
Majority 300 2.6 N/A
Turnout 11,628 89.8 +1.5
Registered electors 12,945
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.2

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Middleton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fielden 6,147 50.6 −3.3
Liberal James Duckworth 6,011 49.4 +3.3
Majority 136 1.2 −6.6
Turnout 12,158 88.7 +0.4
Registered electors 13,707
Conservative hold Swing −3.3
Potter
General election January 1906: Middleton[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ryland Adkins 7,018 56.1 +6.7
Conservative Cyril Potter 5,485 43.9 −6.7
Majority 1,533 12.2 N/A
Turnout 12,503 87.3 −1.4
Registered electors 14,314
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.7

Elections in the 1910s

Ryland Adkins
General election January 1910: Middleton[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ryland Adkins 7,669 55.0 −1.1
Conservative Patrick Rose-Innes 6,266 45.0 +1.1
Majority 1,403 10.0 −2.2
Turnout 13,935 90.5 +3.2
Liberal hold Swing -1.1
William Hewins
General election December 1910: Middleton[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ryland Adkins 7,071 52.9 −2.1
Liberal Unionist William Hewins 6,284 47.1 +2.1
Majority 787 5.8 −4.2
Turnout 13,355 86.8 −3.7
Liberal hold Swing -2.1

Adkins was appointed Recorder of Nottingham and required to seek re-election.

1911 Middleton by-election[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ryland Adkins 6,863 51.5 −1.4
Liberal Unionist William Hewins 6,452 48.5 +1.4
Majority 411 3.0 −2.8
Turnout 13,315 86.2 −0.6
Liberal hold Swing -1.4

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

References

  1. ^ Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Seventh Schedule.
  2. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  3. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  4. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  5. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  6. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  7. ^ The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 147 (171 in web page), Lancashire North East
  8. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  9. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  10. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  11. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  12. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  13. ^ Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 11 Mar 1914