Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)

Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Dulwich
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyGreater London
1885–1997
SeatsOne
Created fromEast Surrey (certainly as to bulk)
Lambeth (possibly as to negligible parts)
Replaced byDulwich and West Norwood

The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. The constituency was abolished by the Boundary Commission in 1997, when most of its former territory became part of the Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

History

The constituency of Dulwich was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, as one of nine covering the enlarged parliamentary former borough of Lambeth. Lambeth councillors had been overwhelmingly progressive Liberals though this part of the seat did have Conservative parish/urban district councillors before 1885.[1] Dulwich was one of three seats in the new parliamentary borough of Camberwell.

As a suburban London constituency, Dulwich tended to favour the Conservatives, and returned a Conservative member in each election between 1885 and 1945, when it fell to the Labour party. After that it became a marginal seat, with Labour winning slightly more times than the Conservatives. In 1892 the Liberal candidate estimated that it had around 4,000 working class voters out of around 10,500 and observed that although it had a reputation as a 'villa constituency' there were many voters in the many less impressive houses.[2]

The constituency shared boundaries with the Dulwich electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981. Gerald Bowden held the seat from 1977 to 1981.

Boundaries
Dulwich in London 1885–1918
Dulwich in London 1918–50
A map showing the wards of Camberwell Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916.
Dulwich in the Parliamentary County of London 1950–74

1885–1918: The wards of Camberwell and Dulwich, and the hamlet of Penge.[3]

1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell wards of Alleyn, College, Hamlet, Ruskin, and St John's. Penge was transferred to the new Bromley constituency.

1950–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell wards of Alleyn, College, Hamlet, Lyndhurst, Nunhead, Ruskin, Rye, Rye Lane, and St John's.

1974–1997: The London Borough of Southwark wards of Alleyn, Bellenden, College, Lyndhurst, Ruskin, Rye, The Lane, and Waverley.[4][5]

Members of Parliament
ElectionMemberParty
1885 John Morgan Howard Conservative
1887 by-election Sir John Blundell Maple Conservative
1903 by-election Frederick Rutherfoord Harris Conservative
1906 by-election Bonar Law Conservative
1910 Sir Frederick Hall Conservative
1932 by-election Sir Bracewell Smith Conservative
1945 Wilfrid Vernon Labour
1951 Robert Jenkins Conservative
1964 Samuel Silkin Labour
1983 Gerald Bowden Conservative
1992 Tessa Jowell Labour
1997 constituency abolished: see Dulwich & West Norwood

Elections

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1992: Dulwich[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tessa Jowell 17,714 47.3 +5.3
Conservative Gerald Bowden 15,658 41.8 −0.6
Liberal Democrats Alex Goldie 4,078 10.9 −3.6
Majority 2,056 5.5 N/A
Turnout 37,450 67.8 −1.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +3.0

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Dulwich[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Bowden 16,563 42.4 +1.8
Labour Kate Hoey 16,383 42.0 +6.3
SDP Andrew Harris 5,664 14.5 −7.5
Green Alex Goldie 432 1.1 +0.5
Majority 180 0.4 -4.5
Turnout 39,042 69.3
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1983: Dulwich[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Bowden 15,424 40.6 −2.2
Labour Kate Hoey 13,565 35.7 −7.4
SDP Dick Taverne 8,376 22.0 New
National Front Raymond Barker 338 0.9 −1.2
Ecology R Baker 237 0.6 −0.5
Loony Society Richard Vero 99 0.3 New
Majority 1,859 4.9 N/A
Turnout 38,039
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Silkin 18,557 43.0 −6.5
Conservative Eric Morley 18,435 42.7 +10.1
Liberal William H Pearson 4,759 11.0 −6.9
National Front David Thompson 920 2.1 New
Ecology David Smart 468 1.1 New
Majority 122 0.3 −16.7
Turnout 43,139
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Silkin 21,790 49.5 +4.0
Conservative Eric Morley 14,331 32.6 −2.1
Liberal William H Pearson 7,866 17.9 −2.0
Majority 7,459 17.0 +6.2
Turnout 43,987
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Silkin 22,530 45.5 −1.7
Conservative Keith Raffan 17,189 34.7 −10.4
Liberal William H Pearson 9,851 19.9 +12.2
Majority 5,341 10.8 +8.7
Turnout 49,570
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Silkin 20,145 47.2 −4.7
Conservative Patrick Mayhew 19,250 45.1 +6.5
Liberal Alfred Noel H. Blackburn 3,301 7.7 −1.8
Majority 895 2.1 −11.3
Turnout 42,696
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Silkin 24,469 51.95 +5.1
Conservative Martin Stevens 18,173 38.58 −2.2
Liberal Michael Ridd 4,458 9.46 −2.3
Majority 6,296 13.37
Turnout 47,100
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Silkin 22,320 46.86 +4.0
Conservative Martin Stevens 19,415 40.76 −6.3
Liberal Fred G Redman 5,627 11.81 +1.78
Christian Socialist Frederick Palmer 264 0.56 New
Majority 2,905 6.10 N/A
Turnout 47,626
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jenkins 24,991 47.10 −1.32
Labour A Leslie Hill 22,740 42.86 −2.02
Liberal W John Searle 5,324 10.03 +3.34
Majority 2,251 4.24 +0.70
Turnout 53,055
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jenkins 25,333 48.42 +0.8
Labour Wilfrid Vernon 23,482 44.88 −1.5
Liberal David Phillips 3,501 6.69 +0.8
Majority 1,851 3.54 +2.30
Turnout 52,316
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jenkins 26,579 47.66 +3.4
Labour Wilfrid Vernon 25,888 46.42 −0.3
Liberal Paul Baker 3,302 5.92 −3.1
Majority 691 1.24 N/A
Turnout 55,769
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1950: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Vernon 25,511 46.70 +3.21
Conservative Robert Jenkins 24,186 44.28 +1.69
Liberal Paul Baker 4,929 9.02 -4.90
Majority 1,325 2.42 +1.52
Turnout 54,626
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Vernon 10,266 43.49
Conservative Bracewell Smith 10,055 42.59
Liberal John Peter James Ellis 3,287 13.92
Majority 211 0.90 N/A
Turnout 23,608
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

The candidates selected for the aborted 1939–1940 general election were;

General election 1935: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bracewell Smith 16,870 60.78
Labour James Vinor Delahaye 7,142 25.73
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 3,743 13.49
Majority 9,728 35.05
Turnout 27,755 65.76
Conservative hold Swing
1932 Dulwich by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bracewell Smith 12,342 61.0 -10.6
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 3,998 19.7 +6.8
Labour Helen Bentwich 3,905 19.3 +3.7
Majority 8,344 41.3 -14.7
Turnout 20,245 43.0 -27.7
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Dulwich[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hall 21,752 71.6 +22.8
Labour F. Hughes 4,747 15.6 -14.7
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 3,924 12.9 -8.0
Majority 17,005 56.0 +37.5
Turnout 30,423 70.7 -1.4
Conservative hold Swing +18.7

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Dulwich[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Hall 15,009 48.8 −9.7
Labour C. A. Smith 9,309 30.3 +3.8
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 6,442 20.9 +5.9
Majority 5,700 18.5 −13.5
Turnout 30,760 72.1 −6.8
Registered electors 42,638
Unionist hold Swing −6.8
General election 29 October 1924: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Hall 15,611 58.5 +5.1
Labour C. A. Smith 7,068 26.5 New
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 4,017 15.0 −31.6
Majority 8,543 32.0 +25.2
Turnout 26,696 78.9 +17.6
Registered electors 33,833
Unionist hold Swing +18.4
General election 6 December 1923: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Hall 10,855 53.4 −14.2
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 9,488 46.6 +14.2
Majority 1,367 6.8 −28.4
Turnout 20,343 61.3 −2.7
Registered electors 33,185
Unionist hold Swing −14.2
General election 15 November 1922: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Hall 14,046 67.6 −11.3
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 6,733 32.4 +11.3
Majority 7,313 35.2 −22.6
Turnout 20,779 64.0 +13.8
Registered electors 32,486
Unionist hold Swing −11.3

Elections in the 1910s
General election 14 December 1918: Dulwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Frederick Hall 12,039 78.9 +20.2
Liberal C. R. Cooke-Taylor 3,219 21.1 −20.2
Majority 8,820 57.8 +40.4
Turnout 15,258 50.2 −30.5
Registered electors 30,377
Unionist hold Swing +20.2
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election December 1910: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hall 7,796 58.7 +0.4
Liberal Evan Spicer 5,495 41.3 −0.4
Majority 2,301 17.4 +0.8
Turnout 13,291 80.7 −7.5
Registered electors 16,478
Conservative hold Swing +0.4
General election January 1910: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bonar Law 8,472 58.3 +6.9
Liberal Evan Cotton 6,054 41.7 -6.9
Majority 2,418 16.6 +13.8
Turnout 14,526 88.2 +3.7
Registered electors 16,478
Conservative hold Swing +6.9

Elections in the 1900s
By-election, 1906: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bonar Law 6,709 55.3 +3.9
Liberal David Williamson 5,430 44.7 −3.9
Majority 1,279 10.6 +6.8
Turnout 12,139 79.4 −5.1
Registered electors 15,286
Conservative hold Swing +3.9
General election 1906: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Rutherfoord Harris 6,639 51.4 N/A
Liberal David Williamson 6,282 48.6 N/A
Majority 357 2.8 N/A
Turnout 12,921 84.5 N/A
Registered electors 15,286
Conservative hold Swing N/A
1903 Dulwich by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Rutherfoord Harris 5,819 57.0 N/A
Liberal Charles Masterman 4,382 43.0 New
Majority 1,437 14.0 N/A
Turnout 10,201 75.5 N/A
Registered electors 13,515
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1900: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Blundell Maple Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s
1895 general election: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Blundell Maple 5,258 70.7 +7.8
Liberal Charles Clarke 2,176 29.3 −7.8
Majority 3,082 41.4 +15.6
Turnout 7,434 62.2 −12.8
Registered electors 11,960
Conservative hold Swing +7.8
1892 general election: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Blundell Maple 5,318 62.9 N/A
Liberal Arthur Clayden[13] 3,138 37.1 N/A
Majority 2,180 25.8 N/A
Turnout 8,456 75.0 N/A
Registered electors 11,277
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s
By-election, 1 Dec 1887: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Blundell Maple 4,021 60.6 N/A
Liberal James Henderson[14] 2,609 39.4 New
Majority 1,412 21.2 N/A
Turnout 6,630 83.9 N/A
Registered electors 8,972
Conservative hold Swing N/A
1886 general election: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Morgan Howard Unopposed
Conservative hold
1885 general election: Dulwich[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Morgan Howard 4,406 61.9
Liberal George Collins 2,712 38.1
Majority 1,694 23.8
Turnout 7,118 79.4
Registered electors 8,963
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

References
  1. Jeffrey Cox, The English churches in a secular society: Lambeth, 1870–1930 (Oxford University Press, 1982) p. 156.
  2. Alex Windscheffel, Popular Conservatism in Imperial London, 1868–1906 (Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2007) p. 9.
  3. Debrett's Illustrated Heraldic and Biographical House of Commons and the Judicial Bench (Debrett's, 1896) p. 181.
  4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (London Borough of Southwark) Order 1971. SI 1971/2113". Statutory Instruments 1971. Part III Section 2. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1972. pp. 6231–6233.
  5. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1983/417, retrieved 5 March 2023
  6. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  7. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  8. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  10. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949, Fred W. S. Craig Parliamentary Research Services, 1983
  11. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949, Fred W. S. Craig Parliamentary Research Services, 1983
  12. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  13. "The Dulwich Division: The Liberal Candidate". South London Press. 4 June 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  14. "Election Intelligence". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 19 November 1887. p. 6. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Sources
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