City of London by-election, February 1906
Encyclopedia
The City of London by-election, February 1906 was a parliamentary by-election
held on 27 February 1906 for the British House of Commons
constituency
of City of London
, which covered the "Square Mile
" which was the United Kingdom's traditional financial district.
The seat had become vacant on the resignation of Alban George Henry Gibbs
, one of the constituency's two Conservative
Members of Parliament
(MPs). Gibbs had resigned in order to provide a safe seat for Arthur James Balfour. He would go on to succeed his father, Hucks Gibbs
, as Baron Aldenham
the following year.
Balfour had been out of Parliament following his defeat at Manchester East
in the 1906 general election
. He had been Prime Minister
between 1902 and 1905 and at the time was Leader of the Conservative Party, with Joseph Chamberlain
filling in as Leader of the Opposition while Balfour was out of Parliament.
, who had been Unionist
Member of Parliament for King's Lynn
from 1892
until 1906
stood as a Free Trader
candidate. The Free Traders were a group of former Conservatives opposed to Balfour's policy of tariff reform, instead preferring free trade
.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 27 February 1906 for the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
constituency
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of City of London
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
, which covered the "Square Mile
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
" which was the United Kingdom's traditional financial district.
The seat had become vacant on the resignation of Alban George Henry Gibbs
Alban Gibbs, 2nd Baron Aldenham
Alban George Henry Gibbs, MA, FSA, MP, 2nd Baron Aldenham was a British Conservative Party politician and peer, the son of Henry Hucks Gibbs, 1st Baron Aldenham....
, one of the constituency's two Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs). Gibbs had resigned in order to provide a safe seat for Arthur James Balfour. He would go on to succeed his father, Hucks Gibbs
Hucks Gibbs, 1st Baron Aldenham
Henry Hucks Gibbs, 1st Baron Aldenham MA BA FGS FSA was a British banker, businessman and Conservative Party politician.Aldenham the son of George Henry Gibbs,...
, as Baron Aldenham
Baron Aldenham
Baron Aldenham, of Aldenham in the County of Hertford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was created on 31 January 1896 for the businessman Hucks Gibbs. He was head of the family firm of Antony Gibbs & Sons and a director and Governor of the Bank of England...
the following year.
Balfour had been out of Parliament following his defeat at Manchester East
Manchester East (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester East was one of six single-member parliamentary constituencies created in 1885 by the division of the existing three-member Parliamentary Borough of Manchester...
in the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. He had been Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
between 1902 and 1905 and at the time was Leader of the Conservative Party, with Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
filling in as Leader of the Opposition while Balfour was out of Parliament.
Candidates
Thomas Gibson BowlesThomas Gibson Bowles
Thomas Gibson Bowles , generally known as Tommy Bowles, was the founder of the magazines The Lady and the English Vanity Fair, a sailor and the maternal grandfather of the Mitford sisters.-Parents:...
, who had been Unionist
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament for King's Lynn
King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk, known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and one member thereafter. Until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, after which the name...
from 1892
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
until 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
stood as a Free Trader
Free Trader
Free Trader was a political label used by several candidates in the 1906 general election and January 1910 general election. Its candidates were in university constituencies, led by John Eldon Gorst, who had been previously elected as a Conservative Party but had split from the party in 1902.The...
candidate. The Free Traders were a group of former Conservatives opposed to Balfour's policy of tariff reform, instead preferring free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
.
Votes
See also
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- City of London constituencyCity of London (UK Parliament constituency)The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
- City of London by-election, 1887
- City of London by-election, April 1891
- City of London by-election, June 1891
- City of London by-election, 1904City of London by-election, 1904The City of London by-election, 1904 was a parliamentary by-election held in England on 9 February 1904 for the House of Commons constituency of City of London....
- City of London by-election, June 1906
- City of London by-election, 1922City of London by-election, 1922The City of London by-election, 1922 was a parliamentary by-election held on 19 May 1922 for the British House of Commons constituency of City of London, which covered the "Square Mile" which was the United Kingdom's traditional financial district....
- City of London by-election, 1938City of London by-election, 1938The City of London by-election, 1938 was a by-election held on 6 April 1938 for the British House of Commons constituency of City of London, which covered the "Square Mile" which was the United Kingdom's traditional financial district....
- City of London by-election, 1940City of London by-election, 1940The City of London by-election, 1940 was a by-election held on 5 February 1940 for the British House of Commons constituency of City of London, which covered the "Square Mile" which was the United Kingdom's traditional financial district....