Ross (UK Parliament constituency)

For the 1708–1832 constituency in Scotland, see Ross-shire (UK Parliament constituency). For the 1801–1885 constituency in Ireland, see New Ross (UK Parliament constituency).
Ross
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
County Herefordshire
Major settlements Ross-on-Wye
1885–1918
Number of members One
Replaced by Hereford
Created from Herefordshire

Ross, or the Southern division of Herefordshire was a county constituency centred on the town of Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. It returned 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.

The constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when the three-seat Herefordshire constituency was replaced by two single-member county divisions: the Leominster (or Northern) division, and the Ross (or Southern) division.

Ross was abolished for the 1918 general election.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[1][2] Party
1885 Michael Biddulph Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1900 Percy Archer Clive Liberal Unionist
1906 Alan Coulston Gardner Liberal
1908 by-election Percy Archer Clive Liberal Unionist
1912 Unionist
May 1918 by-election Charles Thornton Pulley Unionist
Dec. 1918 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1885: Ross[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Michael Biddulph 4,415 54.8 n/a
Conservative Sir Joseph Russell Bailey 3,643 45.2 n/a
Majority 772 9.6 n/a
Turnout 79.2 n/a
Liberal win (new seat)
General Election 1886: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Michael Biddulph 3,968 70.4
Liberal Thomas Duckham 1,670 29.6
Majority 2,298 40.8
Turnout 55.4
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1892: Ross[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Michael Biddulph 4,326 52.8 -17.6
Liberal Joseph Pulley 3,869 47.2 +17.6
Majority 457 5.6 -35.2
Turnout 74.7 +19.3
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +17.6
General Election 1895: Ross[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Michael Biddulph 4,573 61.8 +9.0
Liberal A. Withy 2,828 38.2 -9.0
Majority 1,745 23.6 +18.0
Turnout 65.8
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +9.0

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1900: Ross[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Archer Clive unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal Unionist hold Swing n/a
General Election 1906: Ross[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Coulston Gardner 4,497 51.8 n/a
Liberal Unionist Percy Archer Clive 4,185 48.2 n/a
Majority 312 3.6 n/a
Turnout 83.5 n/a
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing n/a
Ross by-election, 1908[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Archer Clive 4,947 55.7 +7.5
Liberal Frederick Whitley Thomson 3,928 44.3 -7.5
Majority 11.4 15.0
Turnout 84.6
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +7.5

Elections in the 1910s

Harry Webb
General Election January 1910: Ross[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Archer Clive 5,073 52.0
Liberal Henry Webb 4,678 48.0
Majority 395 4.0
Turnout 89.1
Liberal Unionist hold Swing
General Election December 1910: Ross[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Archer Clive 4,748 50.6 -1.4
Liberal Henry Webb 4,627 49.4 +1.4
Turnout 9,375 85.6 -3.5
Majority 121 1.2 -2.8
Liberal Unionist hold Swing -1.4

General Election 1914/15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Ross by-election, 1918[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Thornton Pulley 3,260 64.6
Agriculture *T. Percy Preece 1,784 35.4 n/a
Majority 1,476 29.2
Turnout 44.2
Unionist hold Swing -1.4

References

  1. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  2. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 294. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
  3. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  4. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  5. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  6. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  7. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  8. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  9. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  10. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  11. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918
  12. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918