1899 Elland by-election

A by-election was held for the British House of Commons in the constituency of Elland on 8 March 1899.

Vacancy

The seat became vacant following the retirement on grounds of ill-health of the sitting Member of Parliament, Thomas Wayman.

Electoral history
Thomas Wayman
General election 1895: Elland[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Wayman 5,387 51.5 -8.4
Conservative Arthur Travis Clay 5,081 48.5 +8.4
Majority 306 3.0 -16.8
Turnout 10,468 83.6
Liberal hold Swing -8.4

Candidates

The Liberal candidate was Charles Philips Trevelyan, opposed by the Unionist Philip Foster.

Campaign

Important issues in the campaign included the Liberal demands for disestablishment of the Church of England, school building, and payment for Members of Parliament. According to The Times, "One of the Unionist placards told the electorate if they wanted their rates and taxes raised, if they wished to pay members of Parliament, and to build Board schools where they were not required, they must vote for Mr Trevelyan; but if they wanted peace, good trade, and their rates and taxes raised, then they ought to vote for Mr Foster".[3]

Result

When the count, which took just two hours and seven minutes, was completed, the result was as expected: a hold for the Liberal Party, with a majority of around three times what it had been in the last election.

C.P. Trevelyan
Elland by-election, 1899[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Philips Trevelyan 6,041 54.4 +2.9
Conservative Philip Staveley Foster 5,057 45.6 -2.9
Majority 984 8.9 +5.8
Turnout 11,098 85.9 +2.3
Liberal hold Swing +2.9

Since the Conservative vote was only slightly less than the last time despite an increase of about 4–500 in the electorate, the Liberals claimed this as a sign that "radicalism was growing right through the West Riding".[5]

Aftermath

Trevelyan would go on to hold the seat until the general election of 1900;

General election 1900: Elland[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Philips Trevelyan 6,154 57.7 +3.3
Conservative Edward Feetham Coates 4,512 42.3 -3.3
Majority 1,642 15.4 +6.6
Turnout 10,666 81.1 -4.8
Liberal hold Swing +3.3

See also

References
  1. British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
  2. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 156 (180 in web page)
  3. The Times, "Election Intelligence", 9 March 1899
  4. British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
  5. The Times, "Election Intelligence", 10 March 1899.
  6. British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
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