Belfast Shankill (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

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Belfast Shankill
Parliament of Northern Ireland
Borough constituency
Belfast Shankill shown within Belfast and Belfast shown within Northern Ireland
Created: 1929
Abolished: 1972
Election Method: First past the post

Belfast Shankill was a constituency of the Northern Ireland Parliament.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

Belfast Shankill was a borough constituency comprising part of northern Belfast. It was created in 1929 when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first past the post elections throughout Northern Ireland.

Belfast Shankill was created by the division of Belfast North into four new constituencies. It survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament, until the Northern Ireland Parliament was prorogued in 1972 and formally abolished in 1973.[1]

[edit] Politics

In common with other seats in North Belfast, the seat had little nationalist presence. The seat was strongly Unionist, but there was some labour movement strength. For the first twenty-four years of its existence, the seat was held by an independent Unionist.[1]

[edit] Members of Parliament

[edit] Election results

General Election 1929: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Unionist Tommy Henderson 6,525 51.1 N/A
Ulster Unionist Samuel McGuffin 6,244 48.9 N/A
Majority 281 2.2 N/A
Turnout 74.8 N/A
Independent Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 1933: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Unionist Tommy Henderson 6,451 50.5 -0.6
Ulster Unionist J. N. Fulton 6,335 49.5 +0.6
Majority 116 1.0 -1.2
Turnout 76.4 +1.6
Independent Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1938: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind. Unionist Association Tommy Henderson 7,518 51.4 +0.9
Ulster Unionist J. N. Fulton 7,095 48.6 -0.9
Majority 423 2.8 +1.8
Turnout 83.6 +7.2
Ind. Unionist Association gain from Independent Unionist Swing
At the 1945 and 1949 general elections, Tommy Henderson was elected unopposed.[2]
General Election 1953: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Henry Holmes 5,485 47.3 N/A
Independent Unionist Tommy Henderson 3,215 27.7 N/A
Labour (NI) N. B. Fullerton 2,897 25.0 N/A
Majority 2,270 19.6 N/A
Turnout 65.6 N/A
Ulster Unionist gain from Independent Unionist Swing N/A
General Election 1958: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Henry Holmes 6,411 56.2 +8.9
Labour (NI) Samuel Cree 4,995 43.8 +18.0
Majority 1,416 12.4 -7.2
Turnout 61.5 -4.1
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
Belfast Shankill by-election, 1960[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Desmond Boal 4,320 64.2 +8.0
Labour (NI) Samuel Cree 2,414 35.8 -8.0
Majority 1,906 28.4 +16.0
Turnout 28.4 -33.1
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
At the Northern Ireland general election, 1962, Desmond Boal was elected unopposed.[2]
General Election 1965: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Desmond Boal 6,289 67.4 N/A
Labour (NI) D. A. Overend 3,035 32.6 N/A
Majority 3,254 34.8 N/A
Turnout 50.5 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1969: Belfast Shankill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Desmond Boal 6,384 49.4 -18.0
Independent Unionist S. H. Walsh 4,545 35.2 N/A
Labour (NI) D. A. Overend 1,997 15.4 -17.2
Majority 1,839 14.2 -20.6
Turnout 71.1 +20.6
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Northern Ireland House of Commons, 1921-1972, Northern Ireland Elections
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Northern Ireland Parliamentary Elections Results: Boroughs: Belfast