Wellington by-election, 1911

The Wellington by-election of 1911 was held when the sitting MP Sir Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood was elevated to the peerage. The by-election was won by the conservative candidate Dennis Boles.

Vacancy

Sir Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood had been Conservative MP for Wellington, Somerset since 1892.[1] The seat had been Conservative since it was gained from the Liberals in 1886. He was raised to the peerage as Baron St Audries, of St Audries in the County of Somerset and given a seat in the House of Lords.

Electoral history

Acland-Hood was returned at the last election unopposed. In the previous election the result was;

General Election January 1910: Wellington
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood 5,216 55.7 +4.2
Liberal W. King 4,150 44.3 -4.2
Majority 1,066 11.4 +8.4
Turnout 90.9 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing +4.2

Candidates

Devonian Dennis Boles was chosen by the Conservatives to defend the seat, having never stood for parliament before. The Liberals also chose a first time candidate in C.H. Dudley Ward.

Result

Wellington by-election, 1911 [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Dennis Fortescue Boles 5,025 53.2 n/a
Liberal Charles Humble Dudley Ward 4,421 46.8 n/a
Majority 604 6.4 n/a
Turnout 88.3 n/a
Conservative hold Swing n/a

Aftermath

A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the autumn of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place;

Following boundary changes the seat was abolished and mostly replaced by Taunton

General Election 1918: Taunton
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Lt-Col. Dennis Fortescue Boles 12,619
Labour Rev. George Saville Woods 4,816
Majority
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ "Mr Alexander Acland-Hood". They work for you. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  2. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
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