1937 Tonbridge by-election

The 1937 Tonbridge by-election was held on 23 March 1937. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, Herbert Spender-Clay. It was won by the Conservative candidate Adrian Baillie.[1]

Candidates

Adrian Baillie had previously been the Unionist MP for the normally Labour seat of Linlithgowshire from 1931 to 1935.

The Liberal challenger was 59 year-old[2] Borlase Matthews. He was Liberal candidate at Henley for the 1931 general election, the 1932 Henley by-election and at Ashford for the 1935 general election.[3] He was an engineer but left engineering to take up farming. He was a Member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society. He was a Member of the Electricity Commissioners Rural Electrification Conference. He was Chairman of the Rural Reconstruction Association. He was also an author of several books and papers on farming.[4]

Result
Tonbridge by-election, 1937[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adrian Baillie 18,802 56.9 -4.4
Labour H Smith 8,147 24.7 +0.1
Liberal Richard Borlase Matthews 6,073 18.4 +4.3
Majority 10,655 32.2 -4.3
Turnout 33,022 58.2
Conservative hold Swing -2.2

References
  1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
  2. Who's who in Engineering, 1921
  3. The Times House of Commons, 1935
  4. The Times House of Commons, 1931
  5. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig


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