Devonport by-election, 1904

The Devonport by-election was a Parliamentary by-election. It returned two Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Vacancy

John Lockie had been Conservative MP for one of the seats of Devonport since the Devonport by-election, 1902. He resigned at the age of 43 and died in January 1906.[1]

Electoral history

The seat had been Conservative since he gained it in the Devonport by-election, 1902. Both Devonport seats had been Liberal from 1892-1902.

Devonport by-election, 1902[2] Electorate 8,946
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Lockie 3,785 50.2
Liberal Hon. Thomas Allnutt Brassey 3,757 49.8
Turnout 84.3
Majority 0.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Candidates

Sir John Jackson

The local Conservative Association selected 53-year-old Sir John Jackson as their candidate to defend the seat. He was a contractors for Public Works. He completed the Admiralty Docks at Keyham, Devonport.[3]

The local Liberal Association selected 54-year-old John Benn as their candidate to gain the seat. Benn was active in the London Dock Strike of 1889, and, as an increasingly prominent London politician, was elected in 1892 as the Liberal Party candidate for St George Division of Tower Hamlets. He was narrowly defeated at the general election in 1895. As a London County Councillor, he helped introduce electric trams to London's streets in 1903. He served as Chairman of the London County Council from 1903-04.[4]

Campaign

Polling Day was fixed for 20 June 1904, just days after the previous MP resigned.

Result

The Liberals re-gained the seat from the Conservatives;

John Benn
Devonport by-election, 1904[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Williams Benn 6,219 54.6 +4.8
Conservative Sir John Jackson 5,179 45.4 -4.8
Turnout 79.3 -5.0
Majority 9.2 9.6
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +4.8

Aftermath

At the following General Election the result was;

General Election January 1906[6] Electorate 14,978
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Hudson Ewbanke Kearley 6,923 29.1
Liberal John Williams Benn 6,527 27.5
Conservative Sir John Jackson 5,239 22.0
Conservative F Holme-Summer 5,080 21.4
Turnout 81.4
Majority
Liberal hold Swing
Majority
Liberal hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ Who Was Who
  2. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
  3. ↑ Who Was Who
  4. ↑ Who Was Who
  5. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
  6. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
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