Middlesbrough by-election, 1878
Encyclopedia
The Middlesbrough by-election, 1878 was a parliamentary by-election
held on 5 July 1878 to elect a new Member of Parliament
(MP) for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Middlesbrough
in the North Riding of Yorkshire
.
MP, Henry Bolckow.
The town of Middlesbrough
had been enfranchised by the Representation of the People Act 1867, and at the United Kingdom general election
the industrialist Henry Bolckow had been elected unopposed as its first Member of Parliament
(MP). In 1853, he had become the town's first mayor.
The Conservative Party
candidate was Samuel Sadler
, the owner of a major chemicals business in the town, and Mayor of Middlesbrough in 1877. The Liberal Party
selected Isaac Wilson
, whose railway locomotive business had been merged in 1865 to Hopkins, Gilkes & Co. Wilson had been Mayor in 1854.
.
Sadler did not stand again until the 1895 general election
, when he was also unsuccessful. But he finally won the seat at the 1900 general election
, 22 years after the by-election. He was defeated at the 1906 general election
.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 5 July 1878 to elect a new Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP) 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
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough (UK Parliament constituency)
Middlesbrough is a borough 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 the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
.
Vacancy
The vacancy was caused by the death on 18 June 1878 of the town's LiberalLiberal 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...
MP, Henry Bolckow.
The town of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
had been enfranchised by the Representation of the People Act 1867, and at the United Kingdom general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
the industrialist Henry Bolckow had been elected unopposed as its first Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP). In 1853, he had become the town's first mayor.
Candidates
Three candidates were nominated.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...
candidate was Samuel Sadler
Samuel Alexander Sadler
Sir Samuel Alexander Sadler Knight M.P. J.P. V.D. was an eminent industrialist, public servant and the first Conservative Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, the town with which his name is associated....
, the owner of a major chemicals business in the town, and Mayor of Middlesbrough in 1877. The Liberal Party
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...
selected Isaac Wilson
Isaac Wilson (MP)
Isaac Wilson was an English industrialist and Liberal politician.Wilson was born in Kendal, Westmorland, the son of Isaac Wilson and Mary Jowitt. He was related to the Pease family and in 1841 went to Middlesbrough where he managed a pottery in Commercial Street...
, whose railway locomotive business had been merged in 1865 to Hopkins, Gilkes & Co. Wilson had been Mayor in 1854.
Results
The result was a victory was for Wilson, who held the seat for the Liberal with a comfortable majority of 37.6% of the votes.Aftermath
Wilson held the seat until he stood down at the 1892 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
.
Sadler did not stand again until the 1895 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
, when he was also unsuccessful. But he finally won the seat at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, 22 years after the by-election. He was defeated at the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
.