Lowestoft by-election, 1934
Encyclopedia
The 1934 Lowestoft by-election was an election held for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom's constituency of Lowestoft
, it was the first ever by election in the constituency. It was held on Thursday 15 February 1934, polling stations opened between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm. It was held after the Conservative Party
Member of Parliament (MP) Gervais Rentoul
retired.
's meetings focussed on the towns fishing industry, an advert appeared in the Lowestoft
Journal of 1934 stating that a meeting would take place at the towns hippodrome on Sunday 4 February 1934 at 7.30 pm. Guest speakers included the rt hon Ted Kennedy,Noel Palmer and the Labour Party candidate himself.
The Conservative Party also decided to focus their campaign on the local fishing industry and Loftus conducted many meetings, in the run up to the election, this included one with the Southwold
's women unionists. Loftus also conducted a constituency meeting on the Claremont Pier pavilion, where he was joined by speakers Geoff Shakespeare. The constituency meeting was described in a local paper as "full and lively".
Whereas William Smith the independent Liberal decided to concentrate his campaign on unemployment, this included unemployment at a national and a local level.
who stood on behalf of the Conservative Party, Reginald Sorensen was selected on behalf of the Labour Party. William Smith a local councilor decided to stand as an Independent Liberal.
Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)
Lowestoft was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. 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...
, it was the first ever by election in the constituency. It was held on Thursday 15 February 1934, polling stations opened between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm. It was held after the Conservative Party
Conservative 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...
Member of Parliament (MP) Gervais Rentoul
Gervais Rentoul
Sir Gervais Squire Chittick Rentoul K.C.,M.A. , commonly known as Gervais Rentoul, was a British Conservative politician....
retired.
Campaigns
In the weeks and months leading up to the by election several meetings took place, the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's meetings focussed on the towns fishing industry, an advert appeared in the Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
Journal of 1934 stating that a meeting would take place at the towns hippodrome on Sunday 4 February 1934 at 7.30 pm. Guest speakers included the rt hon Ted Kennedy,Noel Palmer and the Labour Party candidate himself.
The Conservative Party also decided to focus their campaign on the local fishing industry and Loftus conducted many meetings, in the run up to the election, this included one with the Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
's women unionists. Loftus also conducted a constituency meeting on the Claremont Pier pavilion, where he was joined by speakers Geoff Shakespeare. The constituency meeting was described in a local paper as "full and lively".
Whereas William Smith the independent Liberal decided to concentrate his campaign on unemployment, this included unemployment at a national and a local level.
Candidates
The candidates selected for the by election, were as follows Pierse LoftusPierse Loftus
Pierse Creagh Loftus was an Irish-born British businessman and Conservative Party politician. A notable figure in the public life of Lowestoft and East Suffolk for several decades, he sat in the House of Commons from 1934 to 1945 as the Member of Parliament for the Lowestoft division of Suffolk.-...
who stood on behalf of the Conservative Party, Reginald Sorensen was selected on behalf of the Labour Party. William Smith a local councilor decided to stand as an Independent Liberal.