South Molton (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated
South Molton
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1950
Number of membersone
Replaced by Torrington and North Devon
Created from North Devon

South Molton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the small town of South Molton in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Contents

The constituency was created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1950 general election, when it was largely replaced by Torrington.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of South Molton, and the Sessional Divisions of Crediton, Great Torrington, and South Molton.

1918–1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Great Torrington, Okehampton, and South Molton, the Urban District of Crediton, and the Rural Districts of Crediton, Okehampton, South Molton, and Torrington.

Members of Parliament

George Lambert George Lambert.jpg
George Lambert
ElectionMemberParty
1885 Newton Wallop Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1891 George Lambert Liberal
1924 Cedric Drewe Unionist
1929 George Lambert Liberal
1931 Liberal National
1945 George Lambert jnr. National Liberal
1950 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Newton Wallop 4,925 62.7
Conservative Walter Rodolph Trefusis [2] 2,92437.3
Majority2,00125.4
Turnout 7,84984.0
Registered electors 9,343
Liberal win (new seat)
General election 1886: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Unionist Newton Wallop 4,041 63.2 +25.9
Liberal William Heap Walker [3] 2,35236.8−25.9
Majority1,68926.4N/A
Turnout 6,39368.4−15.6
Registered electors 9,343
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +25.9

Elections in the 1890s

Viscount Lymington was elevated to the peerage, becoming Earl of Portsmouth, causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 Nov 1891: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 4,222 58.4 +21.6
Liberal Unionist Charles William Buller [4] [5] 3,01041.6−21.6
Majority1,21216.8N/A
Turnout 7,23283.0+14.6
Registered electors 8,712
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +21.6
General election 1892: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 4,278 59.3 +22.5
Conservative Richard Moore-Stevens 2,93940.7−22.5
Majority1,33918.6N/A
Turnout 7,21782.6+14.2
Registered electors 8,737
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +22.5
General election 1895: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 4,283 59.4 +0.1
Liberal Unionist James J. Long [6] 2,92340.6−0.1
Majority1,36018.8+0.2
Turnout 7,20683.2+0.6
Registered electors 8,662
Liberal hold Swing +0.1

Elections in the 1900s

General election January 1900: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election January 1906: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert Unopposed
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1910s

George Lambert 1910 George Lambert MP.jpg
George Lambert
General election January 1910: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 4,419 56.5 N/A
Liberal Unionist John Perowne 3,39843.5New
Majority1,02113.0N/A
Turnout 7,81789.9N/A
Registered electors 8,700
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election December 1910: South Molton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 4,224 56.8 +0.3
Liberal Unionist John Perowne 3,21743.2−0.3
Majority1,00713.6+0.6
Turnout 7,44185.5-4.4
Registered electors 8,700
Liberal hold Swing +0.3

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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

George Lambert 1921 George Lambert.jpg
George Lambert
General election 1918: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 10,424 56.3 −0.5
C Unionist Herbert Sparkes 8,09343.7+0.5
Majority2,33112.6−1.0
Turnout 18,51765.8−19.7
Liberal hold Swing −0.5
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert Unopposed N/AN/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1923: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert Unopposed N/AN/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1924:South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Cedric Drewe 12,811 51.3 New
Liberal George Lambert 12,15748.7N/A
Majority6542.6N/A
Turnout 24,96885.3N/A
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
General election 1929: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Lambert 15,072 48.1 -0.6
Unionist Cedric Drewe 13,56743.2-8.1
Labour Rudolph Putnam Messel 2,7318.7New
Majority1,5054.9N/A
Turnout 31,37087.4+2.1
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +3.8

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal National George Lambert 25,700 88.0 +44.8
Labour Rudolph Putnam Messel 3,49912.0+3.3
Majority22,20176.0+71.1
Turnout 29,19981.0-6.4
Liberal National hold Swing
General election 1935: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal National George Lambert 20,767 78.7 -9.3
Labour H F Chilcott5,61021.3+9.3
Majority15,15757.4-12.6
Turnout 26,37772.9-8.1
Liberal National 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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1945: South Molton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal National George Lambert 19,065 67.6 -11.1
Labour C Lang9,14032.4+11.1
Majority9,92535.2-22.3
Turnout 28,20571.9-1.0
Liberal National hold Swing

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References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 258. ISBN   9781349022984.
  2. ↑ "The General Election" . Oxford Journal. 12 December 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 11 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ↑ "Nomination Day" . North Devon Journal . 8 July 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 11 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ Lambert, Sophia. "8. George Lambert M.P. (George IV) 1866-1958 AND FAMILY" . Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Nominations for South Molton". Kirkintilloch Herald . 11 Nov 1891. p. 6. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "South Molton Division". Western Morning News . 22 Jul 1895. p. 8. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
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