Colne Valley by-election, 1907

The Colne Valley by-election was a Parliamentary by-election. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Vacancy

Lord Airedale,
Oil on canvas, John Singer Sargent 1905

Sir James Kitson had been Liberal MP for the seat of Colne Valley since the 1892 General Election. He was created Baron Airedale on 17 July 1907 and resigned to take a seat in the House of Lords.

Electoral history

The seat was re-gained from the Liberal Unionists in 1892;

General Election January 1906[1]

Electorate 11,563

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir James Kitson unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a

Candidates

The local Liberal Association selected Philip Bright to defend the seat. He was the son of John Bright the famous Free-trader.

The Conservatives selected 35 year old Barrister Granville Wheler as their candidate. He had contested Osgoldcross at the last General Election.[2]

Victor Grayson in the late 1900s

26 year-old Victor Grayson stood as an Independent Labour candidate, having been nominated by the local branch of the Independent Labour Party. He was born in Liverpool and became an apprentice engineer. He joined the Independent Labour Party and toured the country giving lectures, becoming a well-known orator despite having a stammer.

Campaign

Polling Day was fixed for 18 July 1907.

Result

Grayson gained the seat;

Colne Valley by-election, 1907[3]

Electorate 11,771

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Labour Albert Victor Grayson 3,648 35.2 n/a
Liberal Philip Bright 3,495 33.7 n/a
Conservative Granville Charles Hastings Wheler 3,227 31.1 n/a
Majority 153 1.5 n/a
Turnout 88.1 n/a
Independent Labour gain from Liberal Swing n/a

Aftermath

Rev. Charles Leach

Wheler was elected at Faversham at the next General Election. Grayson was defeated by a new Liberal candidate;

General Election January 1910[4]

Electorate 12,489

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rev. Charles Leach 4,741 40.7 +7.0
Conservative Archibald Boyd-Carpenter 3,750 32.2 +1.1
Independent Labour Albert Victor Grayson 3,149 27.1 -8.1
Majority 991 8.5 +7.0
Turnout 93.2 +5.1
Liberal gain from Independent Labour Swing +7.6

References

  1. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918
  2. ↑ Who's Who
  3. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918
  4. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918