Wells by-election, 1939
Encyclopedia
The Wells by-election, 1939 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Wells
in Somerset
on 13 December 1939. The seat had become vacant when Anthony Muirhead, the constituency's Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
had died on 29 October, aged 48. He had held the seat since the 1929 general election
. It was viewed as a significant turning point for politics in the local area.
The Conservative candidate, Lt. Col. Dennis Boles
, was returned unopposed.
This was the ninth election since the start of World War II
, when unopposed by-elections were common, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties. Contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party
was formed in 1942 with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
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
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 Wells
Wells (UK Parliament constituency)
Wells is a county constituency centred on the city of Wells in Somerset. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
on 13 December 1939. The seat had become vacant when Anthony Muirhead, the constituency's Conservative Party
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
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,...
had died on 29 October, aged 48. He had held the seat since the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. It was viewed as a significant turning point for politics in the local area.
The Conservative candidate, Lt. Col. Dennis Boles
Dennis Coleridge Boles
Lieutenant-Colonel Dennis Coleridge Boles was a soldier and Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom...
, was returned unopposed.
This was the ninth election since the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when unopposed by-elections were common, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties. Contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party
Common Wealth Party
The Common Wealth Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom in the Second World War. Thereafter, it continued in being, essentially as a pressure group, until 1993.-The war years:...
was formed in 1942 with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
See also
- Wells (UK Parliament constituency)Wells (UK Parliament constituency)Wells is a county constituency centred on the city of Wells in Somerset. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system...
- The town of WellsWellsWells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections