Peckham by-election, 1908
Encyclopedia
The Peckham by-election, 1908 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency of Peckham
in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
, London
on 24 March 1908. The seat was won by the opposition Conservative Party candidate, a gain from the Liberal Party who had won a large majority at the 1906 general election.
MP
, Charles Goddard Clarke
, on 7 March 1908. Clarke had won the seat from the Conservatives
at the 1906 general election
with a majority of 2,339 votes.
that controlled the London County Council
was selected. Gautrey, a former teacher and member of the London School Board, was secretary of the London Teachers Association. He was a long-term resident of Peckham, and had represented the area on the county council since 1904.
The Conservative Party had selected Henry Cubitt Gooch
, a Moderate Party
councillor representing the neighbouring Dulwich
on the London County Council as their prospective parliamentary candidate. The Moderate Party formed the opposition on the county council, and were allied to the parliamentary Conservatives. Gooch had represented Peckham on the London School Board
from 1897 until 1904, when the board was abolished. His candidacy was unanimously approved at a meeting of the Peckham Conservative Association on 12 March.
It was anticipated that the Labour Party
would nominate a candidate. The party had not contested parliamentary elections in Peckham, but had begun to organise in the area. W T Kelly of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers
, who had unsuccessfully contested the county council elections in 1907, was seen as most likely to run. The Camberwell Socialist Council decided on 15 March not to put forward a candidate, as it was felt that this would lead to a split in the anti-Conservative vote.
. In particular he attacked the provisions of the Licensing Act 1906 and proposed education reforms. The Licensed Victuallers' Association
pledged to support Gooch. There was controversy when it emerged that Meux's Brewery
had made two large donations to the Conservative campaign, and the cheques were immediately returned. Gooch was also a strong proponent of "Imperial Preference
" and was supported by the Tariff Reform League
.
Gautrey, in his election address
, made clear his support for free trade
and for the government's licensing legislation. He was in favour of ending denominational education in publically-funded schools, women's suffrage
and land reform. He was opposed to the "hereditary principle in the Legislature" and would support any legislation that curbed the powers of the House of Lords
. Gautrey was supported by the Women's Freedom League
and the Free Trade Union
.
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 Peckham
Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)
Peckham was a borough constituency in South London which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London. The borough was created in 1900 by the London Government Act 1899, covering the area of the ancient parish of Camberwell...
, London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
on 24 March 1908. The seat was won by the opposition Conservative Party candidate, a gain from the Liberal Party who had won a large majority at the 1906 general election.
Vacancy
The by-election was caused by the death of the sitting 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
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,...
, Charles Goddard Clarke
Charles Goddard Clarke
Charles Goddard Clarke was a British businessman and Liberal politician. The son of Richard Clarke and his wife Mary née Millard, he was educated in Liverpool. He left school early, entering employment with a relative...
, on 7 March 1908. Clarke had won the seat from the Conservatives
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...
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**...
with a majority of 2,339 votes.
Candidates
The Liberal Party were described as "quite unprepared" for the election, with no obvious candidate. A decision was taken not to consider the nomination until after Clarke's funeral. A special meeting of the Peckham Liberal, Radical and Progressive Association was held on 12 March, with the names of seven potential candidates for consideration. Thomas Gautrey, a member of the Liberal-backed Progressive PartyProgressive Party (London)
The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its...
that controlled the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
was selected. Gautrey, a former teacher and member of the London School Board, was secretary of the London Teachers Association. He was a long-term resident of Peckham, and had represented the area on the county council since 1904.
The Conservative Party had selected Henry Cubitt Gooch
Henry Cubitt Gooch
Sir Henry Cubitt Gooch was a British barrister, educationalist and Conservative politician.Henry Cubitt Gooch was the second son of Charles Cubitt Gooch and Mary Blake, and an older brother to George Peabody Gooch. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge before being called...
, a Moderate Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
councillor representing the neighbouring Dulwich
Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
on the London County Council as their prospective parliamentary candidate. The Moderate Party formed the opposition on the county council, and were allied to the parliamentary Conservatives. Gooch had represented Peckham on the London School Board
London School Board
The School Board for London was an institution of local government and the first directly elected body covering the whole of London....
from 1897 until 1904, when the board was abolished. His candidacy was unanimously approved at a meeting of the Peckham Conservative Association on 12 March.
It was anticipated that the Labour Party
Labour 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...
would nominate a candidate. The party had not contested parliamentary elections in Peckham, but had begun to organise in the area. W T Kelly of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union was a British trade union. It merged with the MSF to form Amicus in 2001.The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the "Old Mechanics" of 1826, which grew into the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1851...
, who had unsuccessfully contested the county council elections in 1907, was seen as most likely to run. The Camberwell Socialist Council decided on 15 March not to put forward a candidate, as it was felt that this would lead to a split in the anti-Conservative vote.
The campaign
Gooch's campaign centred around opposition to the policies of the Liberal government of Henry Campbell-BannermanHenry Campbell-Bannerman
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman GCB was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 1908. He also served as Secretary of State for War twice, in the Cabinets of Gladstone and Rosebery...
. In particular he attacked the provisions of the Licensing Act 1906 and proposed education reforms. The Licensed Victuallers' Association
Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations
The Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations is the UK trade association for self-employed licensees in the pub trade industry.-History:It was formed in 1992 when the National Licensed Victuallers Association...
pledged to support Gooch. There was controversy when it emerged that Meux's Brewery
Meux's Brewery
Meux's Brewery Co Ltd was a London brewery owned by Sir Henry Meux. Established in 1764 the company was a major supplier of porter in the area. The company had several breweries around London and was eventually sold off in 1961.-Owners and mergers:...
had made two large donations to the Conservative campaign, and the cheques were immediately returned. Gooch was also a strong proponent of "Imperial Preference
Imperial Preference
Imperial Preference was a proposed system of reciprocally-levelled tariffs or free trade agreements between the dominions and colonies within the British Empire...
" and was supported by the Tariff Reform League
Tariff Reform League
The Tariff Reform League was a pressure group formed in 1903 to protest against 'unfair' foreign imports and to advocate Imperial Preference to protect British industry from foreign competition. It was well funded and included politicians, intellectuals and businessmen, and was popular with the...
.
Gautrey, in his election address
Election address
An Election Address is the material sent out by a candidate during a political campaign. Election Addresses are normally only sent out during the election period itself...
, made clear his support for free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and for the government's licensing legislation. He was in favour of ending denominational education in publically-funded schools, women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
and land reform. He was opposed to the "hereditary principle in the Legislature" and would support any legislation that curbed the powers of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. Gautrey was supported by the Women's Freedom League
Women's Freedom League
The Women's Freedom League was an organisation in the United Kingdom which campaigned for women's suffrage and sexual equality.The group was founded in 1907 by seventy members of the Women's Social and Political Union including Teresa Billington-Greig, Charlotte Despard, Elizabeth How-Martyn, and...
and the Free Trade Union
Free Trade Union
The Free Trade Union, later known as the Free Trade League, was a British trade organization extant between July 1903 and the 1970s. It was founded in response to the campaign for empire preference which had been launched by Board of Trade chairman Joseph Chamberlain in May 1903...
.