The Southend West by-election of 29 January 1959 was held after the death of Conservative Party MP and renowned diarist Henry Channon[1]:
The seat was very safe, having been won at the United Kingdom general election, 1955 by almost 18,500 votes[2]
| General Election 1955: Argyll | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | H Channon | 27,326 | 64.20 | ||
| Labour | VG Marchesi | 8,866 | 20.83 | ||
| Liberal | H Harvey | 6,375 | 14.98 | ||
| Majority | 18,460 | 43.37 | - | ||
| By-election 1959: Southend West | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | Paul Channon | 14,493 | 55.56 | -8.64 | |
| Liberal | Heather Harvey | 6,314 | 24.20 | +9.22 | |
| Labour | A Pearson-Clarke | 5,280 | 20.24 | -0.59 | |
| Majority | 5,166 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
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