Bassetlaw by-election, 1890
Encyclopedia
The Bassetlaw by-election, 1890 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency of Bassetlaw
in Nottinghamshire
on 15 December October 1890.
MP
, William Beckett-Denison
on 23 November 1890. Beckett-Denison had won the newly-created seat at the 1885 general election
.
, son-in-law of the deceased MP and former member for York
, as their candidate. Milner's candidature was supported by Francis Foljambe
, a Liberal Unionist
and former MP for the area, who had been defeated by Beckett-Denison in the 1885 election. The Liberal
candidate was John William Mellor
, former MP for Grantham
.
and the Women's Liberal association
who were reported to be 'taking a Home Rule
van through the district'.
The Home Rule issue was a difficult one for the Liberals at this precise moment, with a split in the Irish Parliamentary Party
taking place over the continued leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell
, following a crisis over the divorce of his partner Katharine O'Shea; Liberal leader William Gladstone had warned the party that Parnell's continued leadership would mean the end of prospects of Home Rule. At a public meeting in the Constituency, the Conservative MP for North Armagh, Edward James Saunderson
, made fun of Gladstone's difficulties: "in 1886, a marriage was consummated between Mr Gladstone and his followers and Mr Parnell and his friends. Since then, however, there had been a divorce (cheers and laughter), and ... they had discovered that all the love was on one side". The issue was picked up in a later speech by the Liberal Unionist MP for Tyrone South Thomas Russell: "he would ask his fellow Nonconformists
not to submit the Presbyterians, Methodists and Independents of Ireland to the shame and humiliation of being governed by a man who was a convicted adulterer and liar, and whose conduct, he regretted to say, was practically condoned by the Liberal party".
The Liberal position was put in a speech by Henry Labouchère
, MP for Northampton
: "He was not going to love Ireland less because Mr Parnell loved Mrs O'Shea more. (Laughter) ... Mr Parnell was doing his best to wreck Home Rule in Ireland ... if they could only win [the] Bassetlaw election it would put backbone and hope into the Liberals all over the country." Gladstone himself, speaking at a public meeting in the constituency, emphasised that the crisis only showed how important it was to achieve Home Rule: "Why should English politics, and Scotch and Welsh politics, be dependent on the choice of an Irish leader?"
The Parnell crisis overshadowed all other issues in the campaign, although it was always most likely that Milner would hold his father-in-law's seat, picking up the rural vote while the miners supported the Liberal. The Conservatives defended their actions on improvements in housing for the poor while Milner had spoken against an eight-hour day for miners, which Mellor supported.
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 of Bassetlaw
Bassetlaw (UK Parliament constituency)
Bassetlaw is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
on 15 December October 1890.
Vacancy
The by-election was caused by the death of the sitting ConservativeConservative 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...
MP
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,...
, William Beckett-Denison
William Beckett-Denison
William Beckett-Denison was an English banker and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1876 and 1890. He died when he fell under a train....
on 23 November 1890. Beckett-Denison had won the newly-created seat at the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
.
The candidates
The Conservative party selected Sir Frederick MilnerSir Frederick Milner, 7th Baronet
Sir Frederick George Milner, 7th Baronet was born in November 1849 and educated at Eton and Oxford University.He became the MP for York from 1883 until losing at the 1885 General Election , and then the MP for Bassetlaw from 1890 to 1906...
, son-in-law of the deceased MP and former member for York
City of York (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of York was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, as their candidate. Milner's candidature was supported by Francis Foljambe
Francis John Savile Foljambe
Francis John Savile Foljambe was a British Liberal member of parliament.Born at Osberton in 1830, Foljambe was the eldest son of George Savile Foljambe and Lady Selina Jenkinson , and the older brother of Cecil Foljambe, a fellow Liberal politician...
, a Liberal Unionist
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
and former MP for the area, who had been defeated by Beckett-Denison in the 1885 election. The Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
candidate was John William Mellor
John William Mellor
John William Mellor PC DL QC was an English lawyer and Liberal Party politician.Born in London, the eldest of the eight sons of Rt Hon...
, former MP for Grantham
Grantham (UK Parliament constituency)
Grantham was a Parliamentary constituency in Lincolnshire, England.The constituency was created in 1468 as a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until the union with Scotland, and then to the Parliament of Great Britain...
.
The campaign
Campaigning was lively. "The constituency is being flooded with literature of every description", reported the Times. Women campaigners were active, from the Conservative Primrose LeaguePrimrose League
The Primrose League was an organisation for spreading Conservative principles in Great Britain. It was founded in 1883 and active until the mid 1990s...
and the Women's Liberal association
Women's Liberal Federation
The Women's Liberal Federation was an organisation which was part of the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom during the 1880s.During this period women became more active in politics. The Women's Liberal Federation attempted to make the Liberal Party introduce a measure which gave women the vote...
who were reported to be 'taking a Home Rule
Irish Home Rule Movement
The Irish Home Rule Movement articulated a longstanding Irish desire for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 by a demand for self-government within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The movement drew upon a legacy of patriotic thought that dated back at least to the late 17th...
van through the district'.
The Home Rule issue was a difficult one for the Liberals at this precise moment, with a split in the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
taking place over the continued leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
, following a crisis over the divorce of his partner Katharine O'Shea; Liberal leader William Gladstone had warned the party that Parnell's continued leadership would mean the end of prospects of Home Rule. At a public meeting in the Constituency, the Conservative MP for North Armagh, Edward James Saunderson
Edward James Saunderson
Edward James Saunderson PC, JP, DL was an Irish unionist politician.He was born at Castle Saunderson, County Cavan. He was the son of Colonel Alexander Saunderson, Member of Parliament for Cavan , his mother being a daughter of the 6th Baron Farnham...
, made fun of Gladstone's difficulties: "in 1886, a marriage was consummated between Mr Gladstone and his followers and Mr Parnell and his friends. Since then, however, there had been a divorce (cheers and laughter), and ... they had discovered that all the love was on one side". The issue was picked up in a later speech by the Liberal Unionist MP for Tyrone South Thomas Russell: "he would ask his fellow Nonconformists
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
not to submit the Presbyterians, Methodists and Independents of Ireland to the shame and humiliation of being governed by a man who was a convicted adulterer and liar, and whose conduct, he regretted to say, was practically condoned by the Liberal party".
The Liberal position was put in a speech by Henry Labouchère
Henry Labouchere
Henry Du Pré Labouchère was an English politician, writer, publisher and theatre owner in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. He married the actress Henrietta Hodson....
, MP for Northampton
Northampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Northampton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Northampton which existed until 1974.It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was reduced to one member for the 1918 general election...
: "He was not going to love Ireland less because Mr Parnell loved Mrs O'Shea more. (Laughter) ... Mr Parnell was doing his best to wreck Home Rule in Ireland ... if they could only win [the] Bassetlaw election it would put backbone and hope into the Liberals all over the country." Gladstone himself, speaking at a public meeting in the constituency, emphasised that the crisis only showed how important it was to achieve Home Rule: "Why should English politics, and Scotch and Welsh politics, be dependent on the choice of an Irish leader?"
The Parnell crisis overshadowed all other issues in the campaign, although it was always most likely that Milner would hold his father-in-law's seat, picking up the rural vote while the miners supported the Liberal. The Conservatives defended their actions on improvements in housing for the poor while Milner had spoken against an eight-hour day for miners, which Mellor supported.