Rossendale by-election, 1900
Encyclopedia
The Rossendale by-election, 1900 was a parliamentary by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency of Rossendale
in Lancashire
on 13 February 1900.
MP, John Henry Maden
who had represented Rossendale since himself being returned in a by-election in 1892. Later, Maden would briefly return to Parliament as Rossendale’s MP between 1917-1918 when he would win the seat at a by-election
and hold it until the 1918 general election
.
Maden announced late in 1899 that he wished to resign as Rossendale’s Member of Parliament. The local Liberal Association met in December 1899 and passed a motion regretting Maden’s resignation, asking him to stay on until the next general election and authorising the search for a new candidate. Maden was unwilling to wait for the next general election however and it was clear that political differences had developed between Maden and his local party. He put out a statement in January 1900 placing the blame for his resignation on the officers of the Rossendale Liberal Council and their demands that he devote more time and, crucially, more of his own income to the constituency and its financial support. He specifically rejected the argument that he was tired of Parliament, which was probably true since he chose to return there at the by-election in Rossendale in 1917. He also denied that he had in any way fallen out of sympathy with the principles of Liberalism
. In late January he sought an appointment as Steward and Bailiff to the Manor of Northstead
, a traditional device for resigning MPs.
There was clearly some bad blood between Maden and the local Liberal establishment however as when the time came Maden refused to sign the nomination paper of the Liberal candidate in the by-election and he refused to appear in support of the candidate during the election, leading to accusations of his being ‘the spoilt baby of politics.’
. Mather was the chairman of an engineering company and had previously been the Liberal MP for Salford
and for Manchester Gorton
. He was formally adopted at a meeting on 3 February 1900.
and had polled heavily in 1892
. However the Conservatives
decided to fight the seat and selected Dr George Kingsbury, a medical doctor who was the Mayor
of Blackpool
. Kingsbury apparently fought a good campaign and while his chances were rated very low at the outset of the election, he gained many independent plaudits for his performance at the hustings. He also had the advantage that Mather was unable to visit the constituency during most of the contest as he was unwell in St. Moritz
. After the election, he was told by his doctors that he needed at least six weeks rest before conducting any sort of business.
. Kingsbury also focussed his attention on the war in support of the government’s position, saying that the main issue before the electors of Rossendale was one of patriotism against party. It was noted that the local sentiment was generally pro-war and when Kingsbury read out a telegram of support from another MP expressing the hope that Rossendale would, like other places, ‘help our soldiers at the front’ it was received with great enthusiasm. Liberals too were divided on the question of the war, although it was doubted voters would desert the party on the issue and Mather was probably more anti-war than he chose to admit in public.
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 Rossendale
Rossendale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rossendale was a parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire, England. Created in 1885, it elected 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...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
on 13 February 1900.
Vacancy
The by-election was caused by the resignation 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, John Henry Maden
John Henry Maden
Sir John Henry Maden was a British Liberal Party politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Rossendale in 1892, resigning in 1900 by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead...
who had represented Rossendale since himself being returned in a by-election in 1892. Later, Maden would briefly return to Parliament as Rossendale’s MP between 1917-1918 when he would win the seat at a by-election
Rossendale by-election, 1917
The Rossendale by-election, 1917 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Rossendale on 13 February 1917.-Vacancy:...
and hold it until the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
.
Maden announced late in 1899 that he wished to resign as Rossendale’s Member of Parliament. The local Liberal Association met in December 1899 and passed a motion regretting Maden’s resignation, asking him to stay on until the next general election and authorising the search for a new candidate. Maden was unwilling to wait for the next general election however and it was clear that political differences had developed between Maden and his local party. He put out a statement in January 1900 placing the blame for his resignation on the officers of the Rossendale Liberal Council and their demands that he devote more time and, crucially, more of his own income to the constituency and its financial support. He specifically rejected the argument that he was tired of Parliament, which was probably true since he chose to return there at the by-election in Rossendale in 1917. He also denied that he had in any way fallen out of sympathy with the principles of Liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
. In late January he sought an appointment as Steward and Bailiff to the Manor of Northstead
Manor of Northstead
The Manor of Northstead was once a collection of fields and farms in the parish of Scalby in the North Riding of Yorkshire in England. By 1600, the manor house had fallen into disrepair and was occupied only by a shepherd. At present the Manor is part of the Barrowcliff area of the town of...
, a traditional device for resigning MPs.
There was clearly some bad blood between Maden and the local Liberal establishment however as when the time came Maden refused to sign the nomination paper of the Liberal candidate in the by-election and he refused to appear in support of the candidate during the election, leading to accusations of his being ‘the spoilt baby of politics.’
Liberals
The Rossendale Liberals first chose Alderman Trickett, chairman of the Rossendale Liberal Council and a prominent local slipper manufacturer, as their candidate and it was reported that he had accepted the offer. However before long the Liberals had formally adopted another man, William MatherWilliam Mather
Sir William Mather was a British industrialist and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1904....
. Mather was the chairman of an engineering company and had previously been the Liberal MP for Salford
Salford (UK Parliament constituency)
Salford was a borough 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. The borough constituency dated from 1997 and was abolished in 2010.A parliamentary borough of the same...
and for Manchester Gorton
Manchester Gorton (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester, Gorton is a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester, 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.-1885–1918:...
. He was formally adopted at a meeting on 3 February 1900.
Unionists
The Liberals had an expectation that the by-election would be uncontested as Maden had been returned unopposed at the 1895 general electionUnited 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...
and had polled heavily in 1892
United 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...
. However 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...
decided to fight the seat and selected Dr George Kingsbury, a medical doctor who was the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
. Kingsbury apparently fought a good campaign and while his chances were rated very low at the outset of the election, he gained many independent plaudits for his performance at the hustings. He also had the advantage that Mather was unable to visit the constituency during most of the contest as he was unwell in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
. After the election, he was told by his doctors that he needed at least six weeks rest before conducting any sort of business.
Issues
Mather issued an election address soon after his adoption as candidate in which he highlighted what he saw as the most important political questions of the day; the need for improved methods of national education, Irish Home Rule and he cautiously raised the issue of the government’s role in the outbreak and conduct of the war in South AfricaSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Kingsbury also focussed his attention on the war in support of the government’s position, saying that the main issue before the electors of Rossendale was one of patriotism against party. It was noted that the local sentiment was generally pro-war and when Kingsbury read out a telegram of support from another MP expressing the hope that Rossendale would, like other places, ‘help our soldiers at the front’ it was received with great enthusiasm. Liberals too were divided on the question of the war, although it was doubted voters would desert the party on the issue and Mather was probably more anti-war than he chose to admit in public.
The result
Although snow lay on the ground on election day, placing difficulties on party workers and electors, the day was a fine one and, while the turnout was said to be down on recent elections, Mather held the seat for the Liberals with a majority broadly consistent with previous elections.The votes
See also
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- United Kingdom by-election recordsUnited Kingdom by-election recordsUK by-election records is an annotated list of notable records from UK Parliamentary by-elections. A by-election occurs when a Member of Parliament resigns, dies, or is disqualified or expelled, and an election is held to fill the vacant seat...