Royton (UK Parliament constituency)

Royton
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1918–1950
SeatsOne
Created fromMiddleton
Replaced byHeywood and Royton

Royton was, from 1918 to 1950, a parliamentary constituency of the United Kingdom, centred on Royton in North West 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.

History

The constituency was created for the 1918 general election, and abolished for the 1950 general election.

Boundaries

The Urban Districts of Crompton, Littleborough, Milnrow, Norden, Royton, Wardle, and Whitworth.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1918 Sir Wilfrid Sugden Coalition Conservative
1923 William Gorman Liberal
1924 Arthur Vernon Davies Conservative
1931 Harold Sutcliffe
1950 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Wilfrid Hart Sugden 12,434 57.1 N/A
Labour James Crinion 4,875 22.4 N/A
Liberal Hugh Fullerton 4,451 20.5 N/A
Majority 7,559 34.7 N/A
Turnout 21,760 61.7 N/A
Registered electors 35,239
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir Wilfrid Hart Sugden 12,388 42.1 −15.0
Liberal William Gorman 11,295 38.3 +17.8
Labour John B Battle 5,776 19.6 −2.8
Majority 1,093 3.8 −30.9
Turnout 29,459 83.4 +22.7
Registered electors 35,318
Unionist hold Swing −16.4
General election 1923: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Gorman 14,836 49.6 +11.3
Unionist Sir Wilfrid Hart Sugden 12,320 41.2 −0.9
Labour Rev. James Barton Turner 2,740 9.2 −10.4
Majority 2,516 8.4 N/A
Turnout 29,896 82.9 −0.5
Registered electors 36,041
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +6.1
General election 1924: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Arthur Vernon Davies 13,859 44.1 +2.8
Liberal William Gorman 11,433 36.4 −13.2
Labour Albert E. Wood 6,156 19.6 +10.4
Majority 2,426 7.7 N/A
Turnout 31,448 86.3 +3.4
Registered electors 36,449
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +8.0
General election 1929: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Arthur Vernon Davies 15,051 38.4 −5.6
Liberal Harold Derbyshire 13,347 34.1 −2.3
Labour Albert E. Wood 10,763 27.5 +7.9
Majority 1,704 4.3 −3.3
Turnout 39,161 82.9 −3.4
Registered electors 47,266
Unionist hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harold Sutcliffe 21,044 51.2 +12.8
Liberal Ronald Fitz-John Walker 14,142 34.4 +0.3
Labour G Illingworth 5,913 14.4 −13.1
Majority 6,902 16.8 +12.5
Turnout 41,099 85.9
Conservative hold Swing +6.2
General election 1935: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harold Sutcliffe 20,510 52.2 +1.0
Liberal Ronald Fitz-John Walker 9,910 25.2 −9.2
Labour Leonard Oakes 8,845 22.5 +8.2
Majority 10,600 27.0 +10.2
Turnout 39,264 81.7 −4.2
Conservative hold Swing +5.1

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1945: Royton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harold Sutcliffe 15,388 41.9 −10.3
Labour Hervey Rhodes 13,753 37.4 +14.9
Liberal A Mayne Knight 7,618 20.7 −4.5
Majority 1,635 4.5 −25.2
Turnout 81.1 −0.6
Conservative hold Swing -12.6

References

Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.