Pontefract (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1974

Pontefract

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1295–1301
Seats| 2
1621–1974 (1974)
Seats| 2 until 1885; 1 from 1885 to 1974
Type of constituency| Borough constituency
Replaced by| Pontefract and Castleford

Pontefract was an English parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Pontefract in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons briefly in the 13th century and again from 1621 until 1885, and one member from 1885 to 1974.

## History

[edit]

### In the unreformed Parliaments (1295–1832)

[edit]

Pontefract had representation in the Model Parliament of 1295, and in that which followed it in 1298, but gained a continuous franchise only from 1621. The constituency was a parliamentary borough, returning two members, consisting only of the town of Pontefract itself.

Until 1783, Pontefract was a burgage borough, where the right to vote was attached to the holders of about 325 specified properties in the borough. As in most burgage boroughs, the majority of the burgage tenements were concentrated in a small number of hands, giving their owners an effective stranglehold on the choice of representatives; but, since an individual could not vote more than once in person, however, many of the burgages he controlled, such a majority could only be exercised by conveying each of the properties to a reliable nominee at election time. In Pontefract the two chief landowners in the first half of the 18th century, George Morton Pitt and Lord Galway, owned between them a narrow majority of the burgages, but rather than putting in dummy voters to enforce their control they had preferred to reach an amicable settlement at each election with the remaining small burgage holders, who were mostly residents of the town. Consequently, the inhabitants generally had some voice in the choice of their MPs, as well as benefiting from the monetary outlay that the patrons expended to secure their goodwill.

However, in 1766 Pitt sold his burgages to John Walsh, who persuaded Galway to join him in abandoning canvassing and treating of the other voters, instead bringing in "faggot voters" to enforce their majority. At the next general election, in 1768, the indignant inhabitants put up their own candidates (Sir Rowland Winn and his brother), and a riot on polling day prevented the imported voters from reaching the polling booth. The election was declared void and Walsh's nominee duly returned at the by-election, but the townsmen refused to abandon their quest.

Defeated in 1774, when Charles James Fox stood as one of their candidates, they petitioned against the result, but the Commons upheld the burgage franchise. But in 1783, when they tried again, the Commons abandoned its usual practice of refusing to reconsider a decision on a constituency's franchise, and declared that the right to vote was properly vested in all the (male) resident householders; this remained the case for the final half-century of the unreformed Parliament.

By the time of the Great Reform Act 1832, roughly 800 householders qualified to vote, and 699 did so in the contested election of 1830; the borough at this period had a total population of just under 5,000. Nevertheless, Pontefract still classed as a pocket borough, where the Earl of Harewood had the effective power to choose one of its two MPs.

### After the Reform Act 1832

[edit]

A map of the Parliamentary Borough of Pontefract as it existed before the Reform Act 1832 (in green) and after (in red)

The Reform Act 1832 extended the boundaries of the constituency, bringing in the neighbouring townships of Tanshelf, Monkhill, Knottingley, Ferrybridge and Carleton, as well as Pontefract Castle and Pontefract Park, which had previously been excluded. This doubled the population to just over 10,000, in 4,832 houses.

In 1872 Pontefract became the first British constituency to hold a parliamentary election by secret ballot, at a by-election held shortly after the act of Parliament[which?] ending the old practice of open voting had come into effect. There was considerable interest in the outcome, many observers believing that support for the parties might be drastically different once voters were able to make their choice in secret; but in the event the shares of the vote were much as they had been at the previous general election. Hugh Childers was re-elected on 15 August 1872 following his appointment as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Pontefract museum holds the original ballot box, sealed in wax with a liquorice stamp.[1]

The third Reform Act, which came into effect at the general election of 1885, reduced Pontefract's representation from two members to one, though the boundaries remained essentially unchanged. In 1918, Pontefract became a county constituency, with boundaries extended to cover a much wider area – Pontefract itself, the towns of Knottingley and Goole, and the Pontefract and Goole rural districts.

At the 1950 general election Pontefract regained its borough status, being redrawn as a wholly urban constituency consisting of Pontefract, Castleford and Featherstone. From February 1974, the constituency was renamed Pontefract and Castleford, although its composition remained unchanged.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### 1621–1640

[edit]

Parliament | First member | Second member

|
|

Right to return members restored, 1621
1621 | George Shilleto | Sir Edwin Sandys, jnr
1623 | Sir Henry Holcroft [nb 1] | Sir Thomas Wentworth
1623  | Sir John Jackson | Sir Thomas Wentworth
1625 | Sir John Jackson | Richard Beaumont
1626 | Sir John Jackson | Sir Francis Foljambe, 1st Baronet
1628 | Sir John Ramsden | Sir John Jackson
1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned

### 1640–1885

[edit]

Year | First member | First party | Second member | Second party

|
|
|
|

|  | April 1640 | John Ramsden | Royalist | Sir George Wentworth (1) | Royalist
|  | November 1640 | Sir George Wentworth (1) | Royalist | Sir George Wentworth (2) | Royalist
| September 1642  | Wentworth disabled to sit – seat vacant [nb 2]
| January 1644  | Wentworth disabled to sit – seat vacant
| 1645  | Henry Arthington |
| 1646  | William White |
|  | 1653  | Pontefract was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
|  | January 1659 | John Hewley |  | John Lambert [nb 3] |
|  | May 1659 | William White |  | One seat vacant
|  | 1660  | William Lowther |  | Sir George Savile, Bt. |
| 1661  | Sir John Dawnay |
| 1679  | Sir Patience Ward |
| 1685  | Sir Thomas Yarburgh |
|  | 1690  | Henry Dawnay |  | Sir John Bland, Bt. |
|  | 1695  | Sir William Lowther |  | Robert Monckton |
|  | 1698  | Sir John Bland, Bt. |  | John Bright |
| 1701  | William Lowther |
| 1710  | Robert Frank |
| 1713  | John Dawnay[nb 4] |
|  | 1716 [nb 5] | Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet |  | Hugh Bethell |
| 1722  | John Lowther |
| 1729  | Sir William Lowther, 2nd Baronet |
| 1730  | John Mordaunt |
| 1734  | John Monckton |
| 1741  | George Morton Pitt |
| 1747  | William Monckton |
| 1749  | John Monckton |
| 1751  | Robert Monckton |
|  | 1754 | William Monckton-Arundell |  | Sambrooke Freeman |
| 1761  | William Gerard Hamilton |
| March 1768  | Sir Rowland Winn |
| December 1768  | Henry Strachey |
| 1772  | Henry Monckton-Arundell |
| March 1774  | Robert Monckton |
|  | October 1774  | Sir John Goodricke, Bt. |  | Charles Mellish [nb 6] |
|  | 1780 | William Nedham |  | Robert Monckton-Arundell |
| February 1783  | Nathaniel Smith |
| April 1783  | John Smyth | Whig[2]
| 1784  | William Sotheron |
| 1796  | Robert Monckton-Arundell |
| 1802  | Richard Benyon |
| 1806  | Robert Pemberton Milnes | Tory[2]
| 1807  | John Savile | Tory[2]
| October 1812  | Henry Lascelles[nb 7] | Tory[2]
| December 1812  | John Savile | Tory[2]
| 1818  | Thomas Houldsworth | Tory[2]
| 1826  | Le Gendre Starkie | Tory[2]
|  | 1830 | Hon. Henry Stafford-Jerningham | Whig[2] | Sir Culling Eardley, Bt. | Tory[2]
| 1831  | John Savile | Tory[2]
| 1832  | John Gully | Whig[2]
| 1835  | John Savile | Conservative[2]
|  | 1837 | Richard Monckton Milnes | Conservative[2] | William Stanley-Massey-Stanley | Whig[2][3][4]
| 1841  | John Savile | Conservative[2]
| 1847  | Samuel Martin | Whig[5][6][7]
| 1851  | Hon. Beilby Lawley[nb 8] | Whig[8]
| 1852  | Benjamin Oliveira | Whig[9]
|  | 1857  | Whig[10][11] | William Wood | Whig
|  | 1859  | Liberal | William Overend | Conservative
| 1860  | Hugh Childers | Liberal
| 1863  | Samuel Waterhouse | Conservative
| 1880  | Sidney Woolf | Liberal
1885 | Representation reduced to one member

### 1885–1974

[edit]

Election | Member | Party | Notes

|
|
|

1885 | reduced to one member
| 1885 | Rowland Winn | Conservative
| February 1893 | Sir Harold Reckitt | Liberal
| June 1893 | Thomas Nussey | Liberal
| 1910 | Frederick Handel Booth | Liberal
| 1918 | Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett | Coalition Liberal
| 1919 | Walter Forrest | Coalition Liberal
| 1922 | Tom Smith | Labour
| 1924 | Christopher Brooke | Unionist
| 1929 | Tom Smith | Labour
| 1931 | Thomas E. Sotheron-Estcourt | Conservative
| 1935 | Adam Hills | Labour
| 1941 by-election | Percy Barstow | Labour
| 1950 | George Sylvester | Labour | Died October 1961
| 1962 by-election | Joe Harper | Labour
Feb 1974 | constituency abolished: see Pontefract & Castleford

Notes

1. ^ Holcroft also stood for Stockbridge, winning both but chose to represent Stockbridge so a writ was issued to elect another MP for Pontefract.
2. ^ Wentworth was disabled from sitting in the House of Commons for "disserting the service of the House and being in the King's quarters".
3. ^ Lambert was also elected for Aldborough but chose to sit for Pontefract.
4. ^ Dawnay had also been elected for Aldborough, but a petition against the result there had not been resolved by the time the Parliament was dissolved. Not being required to choose which constituency he would represent while there was an outstanding petition against one of the elections, he sat for both boroughs throughout the Parliament
5. ^ At the general election of 1715, Dawnay and Frank were declared re-elected, but on petition the result was overturned and their opponents, Bethell and Lowther, seated in their place
6. ^ After an election petition, Mellish was declared elected in Pontefract as well as in Boroughbridge but chose to sit for Pontefract.
7. ^ Lascelles was also elected for Yorkshire, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Pontefract
8. ^ Lawley was ennobled as Baron Wenlock in May 1852 but no new writ was ordered.

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election 1830: Pontefract (2 seats)[2][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Culling Eardley Smith | 529  | 41.4  |
| Whig | Henry Stafford-Jerningham | 413  | 32.3  |
| Whig | Robert Torrens | 337  | 26.3  |
Turnout | 699  | c. 85.2 |
Registered electors | c. 820 |  |
Majority  | 116  | 9.1  |
| Tory hold | Swing |  |
Majority  | 76  | 6.0  | N/A
| Whig gain from Tory | Swing |  |
General election 1831: Pontefract (2 seats)[2][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | John Savile | Unopposed
| Whig | Henry Stafford-Jerningham | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 820 |
| Tory hold
| Whig hold
General election 1832: Pontefract (2 seats)[2][13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | Henry Stafford-Jerningham | Unopposed
| Whig | John Gully | Unopposed
Registered electors | 956  |
| Whig hold
| Whig gain from Tory
General election 1835: Pontefract (2 seats)[2][13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | John Gully | 509  | 34.3
| Conservative | John Savile | 498  | 33.5
| Whig | Alexander Raphael | 478  | 32.2
Turnout | c. 743 | c. 86.1
Registered electors | 862  |
Majority  | 11  | 0.8
| Whig hold
Majority  | 20  | 1.3
| Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1837: Pontefract (2 seats)[2][13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Richard Monckton Milnes | 507  | 49.1  | +15.6
| Whig | Sir William Stanley-Massey-Stanley, 10th Baronet  | 403  | 39.0  | +4.7
| Whig | Culling Eardley Smith | 123  | 11.9  | −20.3
| Conservative | Henry Gompertz[14] | 0  | 0.0  | N/A
Turnout | 679  | 85.4  | c. −0.7
Registered electors | 795  |  |
Majority  | 104  | 10.1  | +8.8
| Conservative hold | Swing | +15.6  |
Majority  | 280  | 27.1  | +26.3
| Whig hold | Swing | −1.6  |

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

General election 1841: Pontefract (2 seats)[2][13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Savile | 464  | 40.3  | −8.8
| Conservative | Richard Monckton Milnes | 433  | 37.7  | +37.7
| Whig | John Gully | 253  | 22.0  | −28.9
Majority  | 180  | 15.7  | +5.6
Turnout | 632  | 88.8  | +3.4
Registered electors | 712  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.8  |
| Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +26.1  |
General election 1847: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Samuel Martin | 415  | 36.9  | +14.9
| Conservative | Richard Monckton Milnes | 365  | 32.4  | −5.3
| Conservative | Thomas Henry Preston[15] | 346  | 30.7  | −9.6
Majority  | 69  | 6.2  | N/A
Turnout | 563 (est)  | 82.2 (est)  | −6.6
Registered electors | 685  |  |
| Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.9  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −6.4  |

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

Martin resigned after being appointed a judge of the Court of the Exchequer, causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 February 1851: Pontefract[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Beilby Lawley | 427  | 78.8  | +41.9
| Conservative | John Savile | 115  | 21.2  | −41.9
Majority  | 312  | 57.6  | +51.4
Turnout | 542  | 80.3  | −1.9
Registered electors | 675  |  |
| Whig hold | Swing | +41.9  |
General election 1852: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Richard Monckton Milnes | 433  | 39.9  | +7.5
| Whig | Benjamin Oliveira | 338  | 31.2  | −5.7
| Conservative | William David Lewis[16] | 313  | 28.9  | −1.8
Turnout | 542 (est)  | 79.2 (est)  | −3.0
Registered electors | 684  |  |
Majority  | 95  | 8.7  | N/A
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.2  |
Majority  | 25  | 2.3  | −3.9
| Whig hold | Swing | −5.7  |
General election 1857: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Richard Monckton Milnes | 439  | 38.8  | −1.1
| Whig | William Wood | 374  | 33.0  | N/A
| Whig | Benjamin Oliveira | 319  | 28.2  | −0.7
Majority  | 65  | 5.8  | +3.5
Turnout | 566 (est)  | 80.3 (est)  | +1.1
Registered electors | 705  |  |
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |
| Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A |
General election 1859: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Richard Monckton Milnes | 497  | 45.2  | +6.4
| Conservative | William Overend | 306  | 27.8  | New
| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 296  | 26.9  | N/A
Turnout | 550 (est)  | 78.4 (est)  | −1.9
Registered electors | 701  |  |
Majority  | 191  | 17.4  | +11.6
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
Majority  | 10  | 0.9  | N/A
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

Overend resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 31 January 1860: Pontefract[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 320  | 55.5  | −16.6
| Conservative | Samuel Waterhouse | 257  | 44.5  | +16.7
Majority  | 63  | 11.0  | N/A
Turnout | 577  | 83.7  | +5.3
Registered electors | 689  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −16.7  |

Milnes was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Houghton and causing a by-election.

By-election, 3 August 1863: Pontefract[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Samuel Waterhouse | Unopposed
| Conservative gain from Liberal

Childers was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, causing a by-election.

By-election, 20 April 1864: Pontefract[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | Unopposed
| Liberal hold
General election 1865: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 359  | 36.7  | +9.8
| Conservative | Samuel Waterhouse | 330  | 33.8  | +6.0
| Liberal | William McArthur | 288  | 29.5  | −15.7
Turnout | 654 (est)  | 93.5 (est)  | +15.1
Registered electors | 699  |  |
Majority  | 29  | 2.9  | −14.5
| Liberal hold | Swing | +3.4  |
Majority  | 42  | 4.3  | +4.4
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0  |
General election 1868: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 913  | 36.6  | −0.1
| Conservative | Samuel Waterhouse | 900  | 36.1  | +2.3
| Liberal | Charles Milnes Gaskell | 680  | 27.3  | −2.2
Turnout | 1,697 (est)  | 88.8 (est)  | −4.7
Registered electors | 1,910  |  |
Majority  | 13  | 0.5  | −2.6
| Liberal hold | Swing | −0.6  |
Majority  | 220  | 8.8  | +4.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.3  |

Childers was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, causing a by-election.

By-election, 21 December 1868: Pontefract[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | Unopposed
| Liberal hold

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

Childers was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, causing a by-election.

By-election, 17 Aug 1872: Pontefract (1 seat)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 658  | 53.2  | −10.7
| Conservative | John Horace Savile, 5th Earl of Mexborough  | 578  | 46.8  | +10.7
Majority  | 80  | 6.4  | +5.9
Turnout | 1,236  | 63.7  | −25.1
Registered electors | 1,941  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −13.0  |
General election 1874: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 934  | 37.3  | +0.6
| Conservative | Samuel Waterhouse | 861  | 34.4  | +0.6
| Conservative | John Horace Savile, 5th Earl of Mexborough  | 709  | 28.3  | −1.2
Turnout | 1,719 (est)  | 84.3 (est)  | −4.5
Registered electors | 2,038  |  |
Majority  | 73  | 2.9  | +2.4
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.5  |
Majority  | 152  | 6.1  | −2.7
| Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0  |

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1880: Pontefract (2 seats)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 1,154  | 31.1  | +12.4
| Liberal | Sidney Woolf | 1,029  | 27.7  | +9.0
| Conservative | Edward Green | 904  | 24.3  | −10.1
| Conservative | John Shaw[17] | 627  | 16.9  | −11.4
Majority  | 125  | 3.4  | +0.5
Turnout | 1,857 (est)  | 76.5 (est)  | −7.8
Registered electors | 2,429  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +11.9  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.6  |

Childers was appointed Secretary of State for War, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 8 May 1880: Pontefract (1 seat)[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Hugh Childers | Unopposed
| Liberal hold
Hugh Childers General election 1885: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Rowland Winn | 1,111  | 50.8  | +9.6
| Liberal | Hugh Childers | 1,075  | 49.2  | −9.6
Majority  | 36  | 1.6  | N/A
Turnout | 2,186  | 88.7  | +12.2 (est)
Registered electors | 2,465  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.6  |
General election 1886: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Rowland Winn | 1,156  | 55.0  | +4.2
| Liberal | Charles James Fleming | 947  | 45.0  | −4.2
Majority  | 209  | 10.0  | +8.4
Turnout | 2,103  | 85.3  | −3.4
Registered electors | 2,465  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +4.2  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

General election 1892: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Rowland Winn | 1,132  | 50.9  | −4.1
| Liberal | Henry Smithson Lee Wilson[19] | 1,092  | 49.1  | +4.1
Majority  | 40  | 1.8  | −8.2
Turnout | 2,224  | 88.3  | +3.0
Registered electors | 2,518  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −4.1  |

Winn succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord St Oswald.

Harold Reckitt February 1893 Pontefract by-election[18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Harold Reckitt | 1,228  | 51.3  | +2.2
| Conservative | John Reginald Shaw  | 1,165  | 48.7  | −2.2
Majority  | 63  | 2.6  | N/A
Turnout | 2,393  | 92.9  | +4.6
Registered electors | 2,575  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.2  |

The by-election was declared void on petition, requiring a by-election.

Thomas Nussey June 1893 Pontefract by-election[18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Thomas Nussey | 1,191  | 50.7  | +1.6
| Conservative | Elliott Lees[20] | 1,159  | 49.3  | −1.6
Majority  | 32  | 1.4  | N/A
Turnout | 2,350  | 91.3  | +3.0
Registered electors | 2,575  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.6  |
General election 1895: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Thomas Nussey | 1,245  | 51.2  | +2.1
| Conservative | James Hope | 1,188  | 48.8  | −2.1
Majority  | 57  | 2.4  | N/A
Turnout | 2,433  | 89.4  | +1.1
Registered electors | 2,721  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.1  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

General election 1900: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Thomas Nussey | 1,385  | 52.2  | +1.0
| Conservative | Frederick Ripley | 1,269  | 47.8  | −1.0
Majority  | 116  | 4.4  | +2.0
Turnout | 2,654  | 88.3  | −1.1
Registered electors | 3,004  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +1.0  |
General election 1906: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Thomas Nussey | 1,837  | 64.1  | +11.9
| Conservative | Charles Yate | 1,030  | 35.9  | −11.9
Majority  | 807  | 28.2  | +23.8
Turnout | 2,867  | 87.2  | −1.1
Registered electors | 3,288  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +11.9  |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Thomas Nussey | 1,924  | 55.9  | −8.2
| Conservative | John Reginald Shaw  | 1,515  | 44.1  | +8.2
Majority  | 409  | 11.8  | −16.4
Turnout | 3,439  | 93.9  | +6.7
Registered electors | 3,661  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −8.2  |
General election December 1910: Pontefract [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Handel Booth | 1,679  | 50.8  | −5.1
| Conservative | John Reginald Shaw  | 1,627  | 49.2  | +5.1
Majority  | 52  | 1.6  | −10.2
Turnout | 3,306  | 90.3  | −3.6
Registered electors | 3,661  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −5.1  |

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

* Liberal: Handel Booth
* Unionist:
* Labour:

Compton-Rickett General election 1918: Pontefract [21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Liberal | Joseph Compton-Rickett | 8,561 | 62.9 | +12.1
| Labour | Isaac Burns | 5,047  | 37.1  | New
Majority  | 3514  | 25.8  | +24.2
Turnout | 13,608  | 45.6  | −44.7
| Liberal hold | Swing |  |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
Walter Forrest 1919 Pontefract by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Liberal | Walter Forrest | 9,920 | 54.0 | −8.9
| Labour | Isaac Burns  | 8,445  | 46.0  | +8.9
Majority  | 1,475  | 8.0  | −17.8
Turnout | 18,365  | 61.5  | +15.9
| Liberal hold | Swing | −8.9  |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: Pontefract [22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Tom Smith | 9,111  | 38.9  | +1.8
| Unionist | Joshua Scholefield  | 8,495  | 36.1  | New
| National Liberal | Walter Forrest | 5,879  | 25.0  | −29.0
Majority  | 626  | 2.8  | N/A
Turnout | 23,485  | 73.9  | +12.4
| Labour gain from National Liberal | Swing |  |
Mary Grant General election 1923: Pontefract [22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Tom Smith | 11,134  | 45.3  | +6.4
| Unionist | Albert Braithwaite | 8,872  | 36.1  | 0.0
| Liberal | Mary Pollock Grant | 4,567  | 18.6  | −6.4
Majority  | 2,262  | 9.2  | +6.4
Turnout | 24,573  | 73.5  | −0.4
| Labour hold | Swing | +3.2  |
General election 1924: Pontefract[22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Christopher Brooke | 13,745  | 51.3  | +15.2
| Labour | Tom Smith | 13,044  | 48.7  | +3.4
Majority  | 701  | 2.6  | N/A
Turnout | 26,789  | 76.2  | +2.7
| Unionist gain from Labour | Swing |  |
General election 1929: Pontefract[22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Tom Smith | 17,335  | 47.8  | −0.9
| Unionist | Christopher Brooke | 10,040  | 27.7  | −23.6
| Liberal | Harold Powis  | 8,892  | 24.5  | New
Majority  | 7,185  | 20.1  | N/A
Turnout | 27,375  | 80.1  | +3.9
| Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +11.3  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Thomas Sotheron-Estcourt | 20,941  | 55.38  |
| Labour | Tom Smith | 16,870  | 44.62  |
Majority  | 4,071  | 10.76  | N/A
Turnout | 37,811  | 80.89  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  |
General election 1935: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Adam Hills | 19,783  | 53.41  |
| National Liberal | Victor Seely | 17,257  | 46.59  |
Majority  | 2,526  | 6.82  | N/A
Turnout | 37,040  | 75.75  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

1941 Pontefract by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Percy Barstow | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Labour hold
General election 1945: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Percy Barstow | 24,690  | 60.61  |
| Conservative | K Hargreaves  | 16,048  | 39.39  |
Majority  | 8,642  | 21.22  |
Turnout | 40,738  | 75.09  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1950: Pontefract [23] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Sylvester | 35,432  | 75.61  |
| National Liberal | Maurice Grant  | 11,431  | 24.39  |
Majority  | 24,001  | 51.22  |
Turnout | 46,863  | 87.30  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1951: Pontefract [24] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Sylvester | 35,280  | 76.16  |
| National Liberal | Mervyn Pike | 11,043  | 23.84  |
Majority  | 24,237  | 52.32  |
Turnout | 46,323  | 86.01  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Pontefract [25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Sylvester | 32,646  | 76.22  |
| National Liberal | Alan Geoffrey Blake  | 10,183  | 23.78  |
Majority  | 22,463  | 52.44  |
Turnout | 42,829  | 79.49  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1959: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Sylvester | 35,194  | 76.38  |
| National Liberal | Edward Bowman | 10,884  | 23.62  |
Majority  | 24,310  | 52.76  |
Turnout | 46,078  | 84.27  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

1962 Pontefract by-election[26] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Joseph Harper | 26,461  | 77.28  | +0.90
| Conservative | Paul Dean | 6,633  | 19.37  | −4.25
| Independent | Russell Ernest Eckley  | 1,146  | 3.35  | New
Majority  | 19,828  | 57.91  | +5.15
Turnout | 34,240  | 63.26  | −21.01
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1964: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Joseph Harper | 32,357  | 76.16  |
| Conservative | John Flett Whitfield  | 10,128  | 23.84  |
Majority  | 22,229  | 52.32  |
Turnout | 42,485  | 77.56  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1966: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Joseph Harper | 32,328  | 78.36  |
| Conservative | Anthony F Wigram  | 8,927  | 21.64  |
Majority  | 23,401  | 56.72  |
Turnout | 41,255  | 75.63  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Election in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1970: Pontefract  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Joseph Harper | 31,774  | 74.83  |
| Conservative | Ian Deslandes  | 10,687  | 25.17  |
Majority  | 21,087  | 49.66  |
Turnout | 42,461  | 70.61  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "BBC – A History of the World – Object : Pontefract's secret ballot box, 1872". Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 160–162\. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2018 - via Google Books.
3. ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 213\. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2018 - via Google Books.
4. ^ Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 219\. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2018 - via Google Books.
5. ^ Ollivier, John (2007). "Alphabetical List of the House of Commons". Ollivier's parliamentary and political director. p. 26\. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
6. ^ "Yorkshire Gazette". 31 July 1847. p. 5. Retrieved 30 June 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
7. ^ "Close of the Poll: Pontefract". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 31 July 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 30 June 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
8. ^ The Gardeners' Chronicle, Volume 1. 1841. p. 402\. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
9. ^ "The General Elections". The Globe. 8 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 30 June 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Houghton, Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
11. ^ Swift, Roger (2017). Charles Pelham Villiers: Aristocratic Victorian Radical (eBook). Abingdon: Routledge. p. 179\. ISBN 978-1-315-26797-5. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
12. ^ a b Casey, Martin. "Pontefract". The History of Parliament. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
14. ^ "Pontefract". The Evening Chronicle. 26 July 1837. p. 3. Retrieved 21 April 2020 - via British Newspaper Archive.
15. ^ "The Polling". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 2 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 27 November 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
16. ^ "The Elections". Leeds Intelligencer. 10 July 1852. p. 8. Retrieved 30 June 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
17. ^ "Mr John Shaw". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 10 March 1880. p. 3. Retrieved 9 December 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
19. ^ "The General Election". Worcester Journal. 9 July 1892. p. 6. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
20. ^ "The Pontefract by-election ended in the return of the Gladstonian". The Spectator. 1 July 1983. p. 11\. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
21. ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p520
22. ^ a b c d British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
23. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1950.
24. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
25. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
26. ^ "1962 by Elections". by-elections.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.

* Robert Beatson, "A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament" (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
* Bean, W. W., "The Parliamentary Representation of the Six Northern Counties of England" (Hull: Charles Henry Barnwell, 1890)
* John Brooke, The House of Commons 1754–1790: Introductory Survey (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1968, reprinted from Volume I of Namier & Brooke, The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754–1790, London: HMSO, 1964)
* "Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803" (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808)
* Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
* Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
* J Holladay Philbin, "Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales" (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
* Frederic A Youngs, jr, "Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol II" (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991)
* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 2)

## External links

[edit]

* Pontefract elections

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

*[c.]: circa