Dudley
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1832–February 1974
SeatsOne
Created fromWorcestershire
Replaced byDudley East
Dudley West

Dudley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dudley in Worcestershire (now in the West Midlands) which existed between 1832 and 1974. 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.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be re-established for the next general election, formed from the current seat of Dudley North with the addition of one ward from the disappearing Dudley South constituency.[1]

History

The borough of Dudley returned two members to Parliament in 1294, Benedict Andrew and Ralph Clerk de Duddlegh, but not to any subsequent one.[2]

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election. It was abolished for the February 1974 general election, when it was replaced by the new Dudley East and Dudley West constituencies, which expanded beyond the town's historic boundaries to include Coseley and part of Sedgley in Dudley East (previously in the old Bilston constituency), as well as Kingswinford, Brierley Hill, and the remainder of Sedgley in Dudley West. All of these areas had been incorporated into the Dudley borough in 1966.[3]

In the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was decided that Dudley would return as a constituency, made up of the current Dudley North wards as well as the added Brockmoor and Pensnett wards.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The County Borough of Dudley, and the parish of Dudley Castle Hill.

1950–1974: The County Borough of Dudley, and the Borough of Stourbridge.

Proposed

The re-established constituency will be composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

It will comprise the whole of the current Dudley North constituency with the addition of the Brockmoor and Pensnett ward from Dudley South (to be abolished), thus bringing the electorate within the permitted range.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1832 Sir John Campbell Whig[5][6][7][8]
Feb. 1834 Thomas Hawkes Tory[8]
Dec. 1834 Conservative[8]
1844 John Benbow Conservative[8]
1855 Sir Stafford Northcote Conservative
1857 Henry Brinsley Sheridan Independent[9][10][11]
1859 Liberal
1886 Brooke Robinson Conservative
1906 Arthur George Hooper Liberal
1910 Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen Conservative
1921 James Wilson Labour
1922 Cyril Lloyd Unionist
1929 Oliver Baldwin Labour
1931 Dudley Joel Conservative
1941 Cyril Lloyd Conservative
1945 George Wigg Labour
1968 Donald Williams Conservative
1970 John Gilbert Labour
Feb 1974 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Dudley [12][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig John Campbell 318 58.1
Tory Sir Horace St Paul, 1st Baronet 229 41.9
Majority 89 16.2
Turnout 547 81.6
Registered electors 670
Whig win (new seat)

Campbell was appointed as Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 28 February 1834: Dudley [12][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Thomas Hawkes 322 55.9 +14.0
Whig John Campbell 254 44.1 −14.0
Majority 68 11.8 N/A
Turnout 576 80.6 −1.0
Registered electors 715
Tory gain from Whig Swing +14.0
General election 1835: Dudley [12][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Hawkes 360 56.3 +14.4
Whig John Forbes 279 43.7 −14.4
Majority 81 12.6 N/A
Turnout 639 87.9 +6.3
Registered electors 727
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +14.4
General election 1837: Dudley [12][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Hawkes 385 57.1 +0.8
Whig William Merryweather Turner 289 42.9 −0.8
Majority 96 14.2 +1.6
Turnout 674 79.9 −8.0
Registered electors 844
Conservative hold Swing +0.8

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Dudley [12][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Hawkes 436 69.8 +12.7
Whig William Adams Smith 189 30.2 −12.7
Majority 247 39.6 +25.4
Turnout 625 64.4 −15.5
Registered electors 971
Conservative hold Swing +12.7

Hawkes resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 8 August 1844: Dudley [12][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Benbow 388 68.9 −0.9
Radical William Rawson 175 31.1 +0.9
Majority 213 37.8 −1.8
Turnout 563 61.8 −2.6
Registered electors 911
Conservative hold Swing −0.9
General election 1847: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Benbow Unopposed
Registered electors 791
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Benbow 400 63.4 N/A
Radical James Baldwin[13][14][15] 231 36.6 New
Majority 169 26.8 N/A
Turnout 631 69.2 N/A
Registered electors 912
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Benbow's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 8 March 1855: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stafford Northcote 346 99.1 +35.7
Radical James Baldwin 3 0.9 −35.7
Majority 343 98.2 +71.4
Turnout 349 38.5 −30.7
Registered electors 907
Conservative hold Swing +35.7
General election 1857: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Henry Brinsley Sheridan Unopposed
Registered electors 884
Independent gain from Conservative
General election 1859: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 432 54.5 New
Conservative Charles Monck 361 45.5 New
Majority 71 9.0 N/A
Turnout 793 79.9 N/A
Registered electors 992
Liberal gain from Independent Swing N/A

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 526 65.7 +11.2
Conservative Francis Wyatt Truscott[16] 275 34.3 −11.2
Majority 251 31.4 +22.4
Turnout 801 59.0 −20.9
Registered electors 1,358
Liberal hold Swing +11.2
General election 1868: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan Unopposed
Registered electors 11,847
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 5,149 55.2 N/A
Conservative Frederick Smith-Shenstone[17] 4,181 44.8 New
Majority 968 10.4 N/A
Turnout 9,330 63.9 N/A
Registered electors 14,593
Liberal hold Swing N/A

The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election.

By-election, 21 May 1874: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 5,607 53.4 −1.8
Conservative Noah Hingley 4,889 46.6 +1.8
Majority 718 6.8 −3.6
Turnout 10,496 71.9 +8.0
Registered electors 14,593
Liberal hold Swing −1.8

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Dudley [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 6,948 62.5 +7.3
Conservative Alfred Waterman[18] 4,163 37.5 −7.3
Majority 2,785 25.0 +14.6
Turnout 11,111 74.1 +10.2
Registered electors 15,000
Liberal hold Swing +7.3
General election 1885: Dudley [19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 6,377 55.0 −7.5
Conservative Brooke Robinson 5,211 45.0 +7.5
Majority 1,166 10.0 −15.0
Turnout 11,588 77.7 +3.6
Registered electors 14,918
Liberal hold Swing −7.5
General election 1886: Dudley [19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brooke Robinson 6,475 58.8 +13.8
Liberal Henry Brinsley Sheridan 4,545 41.2 -13.8
Majority 1,930 17.6 N/A
Turnout 11,020 73.9 -3.8
Registered electors 14,918
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +13.8

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Dudley [19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brooke Robinson 6,668 54.3 −4.5
Liberal Howard Spensley 5,619 45.7 +4.5
Majority 1,049 8.6 −9.0
Turnout 12,287 80.3 +6.4
Registered electors 15,303
Conservative hold Swing −4.5
General election 1895: Dudley [19][20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brooke Robinson 6,536 53.0 -1.3
Liberal Charles James Fleming 5,795 47.0 +1.3
Majority 741 6.0 -2.6
Turnout 12,331 83.1 +2.8
Registered electors 14,831
Conservative hold Swing -1.3

Elections in the 1900s

Belcher
General election 1900: Dudley [19][20][21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brooke Robinson 6,461 52.4 −0.6
Lib-Lab William Belcher 5,876 47.6 +0.6
Majority 585 4.8 −1.2
Turnout 12,337 77.8 −5.3
Registered electors 15,859
Conservative hold Swing −0.6
A.G. Hooper
General election 1906: Dudley[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur George Hooper 8,296 52.4 +4.8
Conservative Gilbert Claughton 7,542 47.6 -4.8
Majority 754 4.8 N/A
Turnout 15,838 90.2 +12.4
Registered electors 17,564
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +4.8

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Dudley [19][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur George Hooper 8,342 50.6 -1.8
Conservative Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 8,155 49.4 +1.8
Majority 187 1.2 -3.6
Turnout 16,497 94.4 +4.2
Liberal hold Swing
Griffith-Boscawen
General election December 1910: Dudley [19][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 8,260 51.1 +1.7
Liberal Arthur George Hooper 7,900 48.9 -1.7
Majority 360 2.2 N/A
Turnout 16,160 92.4 -2.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +1.7

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1918: Dudley[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 9,126 60.2 +9.1
Labour William Bridgland Steer 6,046 39.8 New
Majority 3,080 20.4 +18.2
Turnout 15,174 60.4 −32.0
Registered electors 25,103
Unionist hold Swing +9.1
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

1921 Dudley by-election[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Wilson 10,244 50.7 +10.9
C Unionist Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 9,968 49.3 −10.9
Majority 276 1.4 N/A
Turnout 20,212 79.9 +19.5
Registered electors 25,305
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +10.9
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1922: Dudley[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Cyril Lloyd 12,876 60.2 0.0
Labour James Wilson 8,522 39.8 0.0
Majority 4,354 20.4 0.0
Turnout 21,398 82.5 +22.1
Registered electors 25,923
Unionist hold Swing 0.0
General election 1923: Dudley [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Cyril Lloyd 10,227 49.4 −10.8
Liberal Francis James Ballard 8,510 41.1 New
Labour Richard Fowler Smith 1,958 9.5 −30.3
Majority 1,717 8.3 −12.1
Turnout 20,696 78.9 −3.6
Registered electors 26,257
Unionist hold Swing +9.8
General election 1924: Dudley[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Cyril Lloyd 11,199 52.1 +2.7
Labour Oliver Baldwin 10,314 47.9 +38.4
Majority 885 4.2 −4.1
Turnout 21,513 80.2 +1.3
Registered electors 26,826
Unionist hold Swing −17.9
General election 1929: Dudley[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Oliver Baldwin 13,551 47.6 −0.3
Unionist Cyril Lloyd 10,508 36.9 −15.2
Liberal Thomas Illingworth Clough 4,399 15.5 New
Majority 3,043 10.7 N/A
Turnout 28,458 81.6 +1.4
Registered electors 34,883
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +7.6

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Joel 16,009 56.94
Labour W Hodgkiss 12,105 43.06
Majority 3,904 13.88 N/A
Turnout 28,114 80.75
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1935: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Joel 13,958 54.81
Labour William Wedgwood Benn 11,509 45.19
Majority 2,449 9.62
Turnout 25,467 75.29
Conservative hold Swing

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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

1941 Dudley by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cyril Lloyd 6,234 56.1 +1.3
Independent Noel Pemberton Billing 4,869 43.9 New
Majority 1,365 12.2 +2.6
Turnout 11,103 34.7 -40.6
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1945: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 15,439 62.77
Conservative Tatton Brinton 9,156 37.23
Majority 6,283 25.54 N/A
Turnout 24,595 73.81
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 32,856 54.62
Conservative Roy Farran 19,825 32.96
Liberal Bertram Samuel White 7,470 12.42 New
Majority 13,031 21.66
Turnout 60,151 86.83
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 34,376 58.36
Conservative Harold Soref 24,525 41.64
Majority 9,851 16.72
Turnout 58,901 83.65
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 31,384 54.87
Conservative Sir Thomas Douglas Wilson, 4th Baronet 20,333 35.55
Liberal Wallace Lawler 5,479 9.58 New
Majority 11,051 19.32
Turnout 57,196 79.83
Labour hold Swing
General election 1959: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 31,826 54.94
Conservative Frank E. Spiller 26,101 45.06
Majority 5,725 9.88
Turnout 57,927 79.54
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 30,250 53.20
Conservative David Howell 19,980 35.02
Liberal Robert CS Fowler 6,829 11.97 New
Majority 10,270 18.18
Turnout 56,879 76.53
Labour hold Swing
General election 1966: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Wigg 32,693 59.1 +5.9
Conservative Donald Williams 22,671 40.9 +5.9
Majority 10,022 18.2 0.0
Turnout 55,364 73.9 -2.6
Labour hold Swing
1968 Dudley by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Williams 28,016 58.1 +17.2
Labour John Gilbert 16,360 34.0 -25.1
Liberal Derek Bird 3,809 7.9 New
Majority 11,656 24.1 N/A
Turnout 48,185 63.5 -10.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +21.2

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Dudley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Gilbert 29,499 50.29
Conservative Donald Williams 29,163 49.71
Majority 336 0.58
Turnout 58,662 71.92
Labour hold Swing

See also

References

  1. ^ "West Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  2. ^ Treadway Russell Nash, History and Antiquities of the County of Worcester I (1781), introduction, xxxii.
  3. ^ "Dudley CB/MB through time". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 8 West Midlands region.
  5. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Campbell, John Campbell, Baron" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  6. ^ "On Affairs in General". Dublin University Magazine, Volume 3. W. Curry, Jun., and Company. 1834. p. 481. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  7. ^ Fisher, David R. (2009). "CAMPBELL, John II (1779-1861), of 9 New Street, Spring Gardens and 14 Paper Buildings, Temple, Mdx". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 131. Retrieved 5 November 2018 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Clark, C. F. G., ed. (1881). The Curiosities of Dudley AND THE Black Country, From 1800 to 1860. Birmingham: Buckler Brothers. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Election Proceedings". Worcester Journal. 28 March 1857. p. 6. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Dudley". Evening Mail. 25 March 1857. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  13. ^ "The Elections". Worcestershire Chronicle. 14 July 1852. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Dudley". Globe. 8 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Election Intelligence". Morning Chronicle. 8 July 1852. pp. 2–6. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Dudley Election". Aris's Birmingham Gazette. 15 July 1865. p. 4. Retrieved 10 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "Dudley". Staffordshire Advertiser. 27 October 1877. p. 5. Retrieved 29 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "The General Election". London Evening Standard. 31 March 1880. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  20. ^ a b c d e The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  21. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  22. ^ Vincent, J (1971). McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book (8th ed.). Brighton, UK: The Harvester Press. p. 72 (Section II). ISBN 0855270004.
  23. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
  24. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  25. ^ a b c d e f British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  26. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922
  27. ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
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