Rothwell
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1918–1950
Seatsone
Created fromBarkston Ash and Dewsbury
Replaced byNormanton and Wakefield

Rothwell was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Rothwell area of West Yorkshire. 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.

History

The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918 for the 1918 general election. It was abolished for the 1950 general election.

Boundaries

The Urban Districts of Ardsley East and West, Emley, Flockton, Horbury, Rothwell, and Stanley; and the Rural Districts of Hunslet, and Wakefield.[1]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party Notes
1918 William Lunn Labour Died May 1942
1942 by-election Thomas Brooks Labour
1950 constituency abolished

Election results

Election in the 1910s

General election 1918: Rothwell[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 9,998 46.4
C Unionist Henry Christopher Bruce Wilson 6,621 30.8
Liberal John Athur Yonge 4,909 22.8
Majority 3,377 15.6
Turnout 21,528 63.5
Registered electors 33,899
Labour win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Rothwell[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 17,831 62.8 +16.4
Unionist Albert Braithwaite 10,580 37.2 +6.4
Majority 7,251 25.6 +10.0
Turnout 28,411 78.4 +14.9
Registered electors 36,227
Labour hold Swing +5.0
General election 1923: Rothwell[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 15,115 66.0 +3.2
Liberal Benjamin Pickersgill Wilson 7,788 34.0 New
Majority 7,327 32.0 +6.4
Turnout 22,903 60.9 −17.5
Registered electors 37,611
Labour hold Swing
General election 1924: Rothwell[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 16,540 61.8 −4.2
Liberal Benjamin Pickersgill Wilson 10,240 38.2 +4.2
Majority 6,300 23.6 −8.4
Turnout 26,780 69.3 +8.4
Registered electors 38,635
Labour hold Swing −4.2
General election 1929: Rothwell [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 27,320 61.7 −0.1
Unionist James Wilder Harrison 8,799 19.9 New
Liberal Herbert Holdsworth 8,141 18.4 −19.8
Majority 18,521 41.8 +18.2
Turnout 44,260 79.2 +9.9
Registered electors 55,869
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Rothwell [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 24,897 52.9 −8.8
Conservative Clifford Harrison Stringer 22,198 47.1 +27.2
Majority 2,699 5.8 −36.0
Turnout 47,095 79.9 +0.7
Registered electors 58,974
Labour hold Swing −18.0
General election 1935: Rothwell [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Lunn 31,472 64.5 +11.6
Conservative Gwendoline Beaumont 17,352 35.5 −11.6
Majority 14,120 29.0 +23.2
Turnout 48,824 75.4 −4.5
Registered electors 64,730
Labour hold Swing +11.6

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

1942 Rothwell by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Brooks Unopposed
Labour hold
General election 1945: Rothwell[2][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Brooks 43,829 74.0 +9.5
Conservative Sir Arthur William Milborne-Swinnerton-Pilkington, 13th Baronet 15,370 26.0 −9.5
Majority 28,459 48.0 +19.0
Turnout 59,199 75.3 −0.1
Registered electors 78,588
Labour hold Swing +9.5

References

  1. ^ Craig, F.W.S., ed. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1985-1972. Chichester, Sussex: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-09-4.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, F.W.S., ed. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949. Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. p. 524. ISBN 0-900178-01-9.
  3. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922
  4. ^ Yorkshire Evening Post 1 Aug 1939
  5. ^ Election Results - 1945 section 16 Politics Resources


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