54°50′17″N 6°53′49″W / 54.838°N 6.897°W / 54.838; -6.897

South Londonderry
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1922
Seats1
Created fromLondonderry
Replaced byLondonderry

South Londonderry was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the British House of Commons from 1885 until it was abolished in 1922.

Boundaries and boundary changes

This county constituency comprised the southern part of County Londonderry. Its official title was the South Derry division of county Londonderry.

1885–1922: The barony of Loughinsholin, and that part of the barony of Coleraine not contained within the Division of North Derry.

Prior to the 1885 United Kingdom general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1922 the area was part of the Londonderry constituency.

Politics

The constituency was a majority unionist area.

All three candidates in 1918 were Roman Catholics. Had the Sinn Féin candidate won, then instead of taking up the Westminster seat he would have participated in the revolutionary First Dáil.

Members of Parliament

Election Name Party Born Died
1885 Timothy Michael Healy Irish Parliamentary Party 17 May 1855 26 March 1931
1886 Sir Thomas Lea Liberal Unionist 17 January 1841 9 January 1902
1900 John Gordon Liberal Unionist 23 November 1849 26 September 1922
1906
Jan 10
Dec 10
1912 Irish Unionist
1916 Denis Henry 7 March 1864 1 October 1925
1918
1921 Robert Chichester Irish Unionist 13 August 1874 10 December 1921
1922 Sir William Hacket Pain Ulster Unionist 5 February 1855 14 February 1924

Elections

The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system.

Elections in the 1880s

1885 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Tim Healy 4,723 53.2
Irish Conservative Hugh McCalmont 2,341 26.4
Liberal William Findlater 1,816 20.5
Majority 2,382 26.8
Turnout 8,880 82.3
Registered electors 10,790
Irish Parliamentary win (new seat)
1886 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Lea 4,737 50.6 +24.2
Irish Parliamentary Tim Healy 4,629 49.4 −3.8
Majority 108 1.2 N/A
Turnout 9,366 86.8 +4.5
Registered electors 10,790
Liberal Unionist gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing +14.0

Elections in the 1890s

1892 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Lea 4,554 52.9 +2.3
Liberal Samuel Walker 4,053 47.1 New
Majority 501 5.8 +4.6
Turnout 8,607 91.8 +5.0
Registered electors 9,380
Liberal Unionist hold Swing
1895 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Lea 4,485 52.4 −0.5
Liberal William Huston Dodd 4,068 47.6 +0.5
Majority 417 4.8 −1.0
Turnout 8,553 92.5 +0.7
Registered electors 9,247
Liberal Unionist hold Swing −0.5

Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist John Gordon Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
1906 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist John Gordon 3,847 50.5 N/A
Russellite Unionist Samuel Robert Keightley 3,776 49.5 New
Majority 71 1.0 N/A
Turnout 7,623 91.7 N/A
Registered electors 8,313
Liberal Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist John Gordon 3,985 52.0 +1.5
Liberal Samuel Robert Keightley 3,678 48.0 −1.5
Majority 307 4.0 +3.0
Turnout 7,663 95.2 +3.5
Registered electors 8,052
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +1.5
December 1910 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist John Gordon 3,845 52.3 +0.3
Liberal William John Johnston 3,513 47.7 −0.3
Majority 332 4.4 +0.4
Turnout 7,358 91.4 −3.8
Registered electors 8,052
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +0.3

Gordon is appointed a judge, prompting a by-election.

By-election, 1916: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Denis Henry 3,808 94.7 +42.4
Ind. Unionist Arthur Turnbull 214 5.3 New
Majority 3,594 89.4 +85.0
Turnout 4,022 47.8 −43.6
Registered electors 8,416
Irish Unionist hold Swing
1918 general election: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Denis Henry 8,942 54.7 +2.4
Irish Parliamentary Arthur W. Conway 3,981 24.4 New
Sinn Féin Louis Joseph Walsh 3,425 21.0 New
Majority 4,961 30.3 +25.9
Turnout 16,348 77.1 −14.3
Registered electors 21,199
Irish Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

Henry is appointed Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, prompting a by-election.

By-election, 1921: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Robert Chichester Unopposed
Ulster Unionist hold

Chichester dies, causing a by-election.

By-election, 1922: South Londonderry[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist William Hacket Pain Unopposed
Ulster Unionist hold

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 363, 393. ISBN 0901714127.

External links

See also

Categories