Rossendale by-election, 1904
Encyclopedia
The Rossendale by-election, 1904 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency of Rossendale
in Lancashire
on 15 March 1904.
MP, Sir William Mather
. Mather, who was 66 years old in 1904, had been Liberal MP for Salford
and Manchester Gorton
before winning Rossendale at a by-election in 1900. He had already announced that he would not stand at the next general election believing it would be held earlier in the Parliament elected at the 1900 general election
owing to the weakness of the Conservative
government. The government determined to hang on however and Mather decided to resign. He chose the traditional route of applying for the Chiltern Hundreds
.
in anticipation of Mather’s standing down.
with only the interlude of 1886-1892 when it was represented by the former Liberal MP the Marquess of Hartington
having switched to the Liberal Unionists
. The Unionists were forced to look as far abroad as Wimbledon
for a candidate, approaching Colonel T Mitchell who was the brother of the Tory
MP for Burnley
but he declined to stand. They next turned to Mr John Whittaker, a cotton trader from Wilpshire
, near Blackburn but he too declined to fight the seat. In the event the Conservatives were unable to find anyone willing to contest a Liberal stronghold, citing the serious state of the Lancashire cotton industry as the reason.
considered putting up a candidate. They first approached Daniel Irving, a leading socialist from Burnley
, but he said he was too busy working for Henry Hyndman
another prominent Labour politician. In the end, like the Conservatives, the Labour Party chose not to contest the by-election.
, education and temperance. He also confirmed his position as an out-and-out free trader
.
the seat was held for the Liberals by Sir John Henry Maden
.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held 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 of Rossendale
Rossendale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rossendale was a parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire, England. Created in 1885, it elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
on 15 March 1904.
Vacancy
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting LiberalLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP, Sir William Mather
William Mather
Sir William Mather was a British industrialist and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1904....
. Mather, who was 66 years old in 1904, had been Liberal MP for Salford
Salford (UK Parliament constituency)
Salford was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The borough constituency dated from 1997 and was abolished in 2010.A parliamentary borough of the same...
and Manchester Gorton
Manchester Gorton (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester, Gorton is a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-1885–1918:...
before winning Rossendale at a by-election in 1900. He had already announced that he would not stand at the next general election believing it would be held earlier in the Parliament elected at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
owing to the weakness of the 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...
government. The government determined to hang on however and Mather decided to resign. He chose the traditional route of applying for the Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
.
Liberals
The Rossendale Liberals had already selected as their candidate Lewis HarcourtLewis Vernon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt
Lewis Vernon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt PC was a British Liberal Party politician who held the Cabinet office of Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1910 to 1915...
in anticipation of Mather’s standing down.
Unionists
The local Conservatives had not expected a by-election and did not have a candidate in the field. Rossendale was a traditionally Liberal seat. It had been held by the Liberals since its creation for the 1885 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
with only the interlude of 1886-1892 when it was represented by the former Liberal MP the Marquess of Hartington
Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire
Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1834 and 1858 and Marquess of Hartington between 1858 and 1891, was a British statesman...
having switched to the Liberal Unionists
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
. The Unionists were forced to look as far abroad as Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
for a candidate, approaching Colonel T Mitchell who was the brother of the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
MP for Burnley
Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)
Burnley is a borough constituency centred on the town of Burnley in Lancashire, which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
but he declined to stand. They next turned to Mr John Whittaker, a cotton trader from Wilpshire
Wilpshire
Wilpshire is a village and civil parish in the county of Lancashire, England. It is north of Blackburn, and forms part of the town's urban area, although it is in the Ribble Valley local government district...
, near Blackburn but he too declined to fight the seat. In the event the Conservatives were unable to find anyone willing to contest a Liberal stronghold, citing the serious state of the Lancashire cotton industry as the reason.
Labour
The Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
considered putting up a candidate. They first approached Daniel Irving, a leading socialist from Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, but he said he was too busy working for Henry Hyndman
Henry Hyndman
Henry Mayers Hyndman was an English writer and politician, and the founder of the Social Democratic Federation and the National Socialist Party.-Early years:...
another prominent Labour politician. In the end, like the Conservatives, the Labour Party chose not to contest the by-election.
Issues
It being an uncontested election, topical political issues were not subject to public debate. However, Harcourt did issue an election address in which he stated that his main concerns were taxation, Chinese labour in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, education and temperance. He also confirmed his position as an out-and-out free trader
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...
.
The result
Harcourt was returned unopposed. He held the seat until 1917 when he became a peer. In the ensuing by-electionRossendale by-election, 1917
The Rossendale by-election, 1917 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Rossendale on 13 February 1917.-Vacancy:...
the seat was held for the Liberals by Sir John Henry Maden
John Henry Maden
Sir John Henry Maden was a British Liberal Party politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Rossendale in 1892, resigning in 1900 by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead...
.
See also
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- United Kingdom by-election recordsUnited Kingdom by-election recordsUK by-election records is an annotated list of notable records from UK Parliamentary by-elections. A by-election occurs when a Member of Parliament resigns, dies, or is disqualified or expelled, and an election is held to fill the vacant seat...