Louth by-election, 1921

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The Louth by-election, 1921 was a by-election held on 22 September 1921 for the British House of Commons constituency of Louth in Lincolnshire.

Vacancy

The seat had become vacant on the death on 8 August of the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) Thomas Wintringham. He had been elected at the by-election in 1920.

Electoral history

The result at the last election was;

T. Wintringham
Louth by-election, 1920[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Wintringham 9,859 57.3 +11.8
Conservative Christopher Hatton Turnor 7,354 42.7 −11.8
Majority 2,505 14.6
Turnout 17,213 63.1 +2.8
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing 11.8
  • Received the Coalition Government 'Coupon'.

Candidates

  • The Liberals selected 41-year-old Margaret Wintringham, widow of the former MP as their candidate to defend the seat. She worked as a teacher, before becoming headmistress of a school in Grimsby. She became a magistrate and a member of the Grimsby Education Committee. She was involved in many political movements, including the National Union of Women Workers, the British Temperance Association, the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (NUSEC), the Women's Institute and the Townswomen's Guild. She was standing for parliament for the first time.
  • On 17 August, the Unionists selected 41-year-old Sir Alan Hutchings as their candidate to challenge for the seat. He was Secretary of the Department of the Director-General of Voluntary Organisations (War Office) from 1915-19.[2] He was standing for parliament for the first time.
  • The Labour Party selected Lt. James George of Peterborough as their candidate to challenge for the seat.[3] He was standing for parliament for the first time.

Campaign

Polling Day was set for 22 September 1921, 45 days after the death of the former MP, allowing for a long campaign. Despite rumours the contrary, on 13 September nominations closed to confirm that the election would be a three-way contest.[4]

Hutchings received the official endorsement of the Coalition Government.

Result

Wintringham held the seat that her husband had gained for the Liberals in a by-election the year before.

Mrs. Wintringham
Louth by-election, 1921[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Margaret Wintringham 8,386 42.2 −15.1
Conservative Sir Alan Hutchings 7,695 38.3 −4.4
Labour James L. George 3,873 19.5 N/A
Majority 791 3.9 −10.7
Turnout 19,954 72.1 +9.0
Liberal hold Swing

Wintringham become only the second woman to take her seat in the House of Commons, and the first female Liberal MP.

Aftermath

Wintringham was re-elected at the 1922 general election,

1922 General Election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Margaret Wintringham 11,609
Conservative Sir Alan Hutchings 10,726
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing

See also

References

  1. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  2. ↑ ‘HUTCHINGS, Sir Alan’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012 ; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 4 Jan 2014
  3. ↑ Grantham Journal, 27 Aug 1921
  4. ↑ Grantham Journal, 17 Sep 1921
  5. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  6. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
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