Woolwich (UK Parliament constituency)

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Woolwich
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1918
SeatsOne
Created fromGreenwich
Replaced byWoolwich East and Woolwich West
1983–1997
SeatsOne
Type of constituencyBorough constituency
Created fromWoolwich East
Replaced byErith & Thamesmead, and Greenwich & Woolwich

Woolwich was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1918 and from 1983 to 1997. It centred on Woolwich, now in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London.

Will Crooks, Member of Parliament for Woolwich 1903–10 and 1910–18, was one of the first Labour MPs in the United Kingdom.

History[edit]

In 1918, the seat was split into Woolwich East and Woolwich West. In 1983, most of Woolwich West became Eltham while the recreated Woolwich constituency was largely based on Woolwich East. In 1997, the seat was split up along different lines, with part of it going into neighbouring Erith and Thamesmead, and part of it merging with the Greenwich seat to form the new Greenwich and Woolwich seat.

Boundaries[edit]

Woolwich in the Metropolitan Board of Works area, showing boundaries used from 1885 to 1918.

1885–1918: The parishes of Woolwich, Eltham and Plumstead.[1]

1983–1997: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Abbey Wood, Arsenal, Burrage, Eynsham, Glyndon, Lakedale, Plumstead Common, St Mary's, St Nicholas, Shrewsbury, Slade, Thamesmead Moorings, and Woolwich Common.

Members of Parliament[edit]

MPs 1885–1918[edit]

Election Member Party
1885 Edwin Hughes Conservative
1902 by-election Lord Charles Beresford Conservative
1903 by-election Will Crooks Labour
1910 (January) William Augustus Adam Conservative
1910 (December) Will Crooks Labour
1918 Constituency divided. See Woolwich East and Woolwich West

MPs 1983–1997[edit]

Election Member Party Notes
1983 John Cartwright SDP Formerly Labour MP for Woolwich East.
1988 SDP (1988)
1990 Independent Social Democrat
1992 John Austin-Walker Labour
1997 Constituency abolished. See Erith & Thamesmead, and Greenwich & Woolwich

Elections[edit]

Elections in the 1990s[edit]

General election 1992: Woolwich[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Austin 17,551 44.2 +7.2
Independent Social Democrat John Cartwright 15,326 38.6 -3.1
Conservative Kevin J.T. Walmsley 6,598 16.6 -4.6
Natural Law Sarah J.E. Hayward 220 0.6 New
Majority 2,225 5.6 +0.9
Turnout 39,695 70.9 +0.2
Labour gain from SDP Swing +5.2

Elections in the 1980s[edit]

General election 1987: Woolwich[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDP John Cartwright 17,137 41.7 +1.2
Labour John Austin 15,200 37.0 +3.6
Conservative Anthony Salter 8,723 21.2 -3.9
Majority 1,937 4.7 -2.4
Turnout 41,060 70.7 +2.7
SDP hold Swing
General election 1983: Woolwich[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDP John Cartwright 15,492 40.49
Labour Audrey Wise 12,767 33.37
Conservative Philomena Brown 9,616 25.13
BNP TC Fitz-Gerald 384 1.00
Majority 2,725 7.12
Turnout 38,259 67.96
SDP win (new seat)

Elections in the 1910s[edit]

General election December 1910: Woolwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Will Crooks 8,252 50.7 +1.6
Conservative William Adam 8,016 49.3 -1.6
Majority 236 1.4 N/A
Turnout 16,268
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +1.6
General election January 1910: Woolwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Adam 8,715 50.9 +7.5
Labour Will Crooks 8,420 49.1 -7.5
Majority 295 1.8 N/A
Turnout 17,135
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +7.5

Elections in the 1900s[edit]

General election 1906: Woolwich[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Repr. Cmte. Will Crooks 9,026 56.6 N/A
Conservative William Adam 6,914 43.4 N/A
Majority 2,112 13.2 N/A
Turnout 15,490 89.2 N/A
Registered electors 17,870
Labour Repr. Cmte. gain from Conservative Swing N/A
1903 Woolwich by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Repr. Cmte. Will Crooks 8,687 61.4 New
Conservative Geoffrey Drage 5,458 38.6 N/A
Majority 3,229 22.8 N/A
Turnout 14,145 87.7 N/A
Registered electors 16,136
Labour gain from Conservative Swing N/A
1902 Woolwich by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 15,376
Conservative hold
General election 1900: Woolwich[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edwin Hughes Unopposed
Registered electors 14,592
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s[edit]

General election 1895: Woolwich[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edwin Hughes 6,662 63.3 +3.9
Lib-Lab Ben Jones 3,857 36.7 −3.9
Majority 2,805 26.6 +7.8
Turnout 10,519 78.2 −3.5
Registered electors 13,458
Conservative hold Swing +3.9
General election 1892: Woolwich[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edwin Hughes 5,992 59.4 −2.9
Lib-Lab Ben Jones 4,100 40.6 +2.9
Majority 1,892 18.8 −5.8
Turnout 10,092 81.7 +5.4
Registered electors 12,347
Conservative hold Swing -2.9

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 1886: Woolwich[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edwin Hughes 4,647 62.3 +5.2
Liberal George Evatt 2,811 37.7 −5.2
Majority 1,836 24.6 +10.4
Turnout 7,458 76.3 −8.9
Registered electors 9,769
Conservative hold Swing +5.2
General election 1885: Woolwich[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edwin Hughes 4,758 57.1
Liberal Henry Montagu Hozier 3,569 42.9
Majority 1,189 14.2
Turnout 8,327 85.2
Registered electors 9,769
Conservative win (new seat)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Chap. 23. Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885". The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1885. pp. 111–198.
  2. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1987. Politics Resources. 11 June 1987. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  4. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1983. Politics Resources. 9 June 1983. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.

Sources[edit]

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