Skipton (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1983

Skipton

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Skipton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, 1974–1983

County| West Riding of Yorkshire
Major settlements| Skipton
1885–1983
Seats| One
Created from| Northern West Riding of Yorkshire
Replaced by| Skipton & Ripon, Pendle, Ribble Valley Westmorland & Lonsdale and Keighley[1]

Skipton was a county constituency centred on the town of Skipton in Yorkshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It was created for the 1885 general election, and abolished nearly a hundred years later, for the 1983 general election. It was then partly replaced by the new Skipton and Ripon constituency.

## Boundaries

[edit]

1885–1918: Part of the Wapentake of Skipton and Ewecross.

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Barnoldswick, Earby, and Skipton, and the Rural Districts of Bowland, Sedbergh, Settle, and Skipton.

1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Barnoldswick, Earby, and Skipton, the Rural Districts of Bowland, Sedbergh, and Settle, and the Rural District of Skipton except the parishes of Steeton with Eastburn, and Sutton.

In 1974 the rural district of Sedbergh became part of the new county of Cumbria.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1885 | Mathew Wilson | Liberal
| 1886 | Walter Morrison | Liberal Unionist
| 1892 | Charles Savile Roundell | Liberal
| 1895 | Walter Morrison | Liberal Unionist
| 1900 | Frederick Whitley-Thomson | Liberal
| 1906 | William Clough | Liberal
| 1918 | Richard Roundell | Conservative
| 1924 | Ernest Bird | Conservative
| 1933 by-election | George Rickards | Conservative
| 1944 by-election | Hugh Lawson | Common Wealth
| 1945 | Burnaby Drayson | Conservative
| 1979 | John Watson | Conservative
1983 | constituency abolished: see Skipton & Ripon

## Elections

[edit]

Skipton election results

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1885: Skipton[2][3][4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Mathew Wilson | 5,059  | 54.2  |
| Conservative | Samuel Lister | 4,269  | 45.8  |
Majority  | 790  | 8.4  |
Turnout | 9,328  | 86.4  |
Registered electors | 10,796  |  |
| Liberal win (new seat)
Morrison General election 1886: Skipton[2][4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal Unionist | Walter Morrison | 4,423  | 50.8  | +5.0
| Liberal | Mathew Wilson | 4,289  | 49.2  | −5.0
Majority  | 134  | 1.6  | N/A
Turnout | 8,712  | 80.7  | −5.7
Registered electors | 10,796  |  |
| Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.0  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

Roundell General election 1892: Skipton[2][4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Charles Roundell | 4,700  | 50.5  | +1.3
| Liberal Unionist | Walter Morrison | 4,608  | 49.5  | −1.3
Majority  | 92  | 1.0  | N/A
Turnout | 9,308  | 77.0  | −3.7
Registered electors | 12,087  |  |
| Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +1.3  |
Farrer General election 1895: Skipton[5][4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal Unionist | Walter Morrison | 4,902  | 50.7  | +1.2
| Liberal | James Anson Farrer | 4,763  | 49.3  | −1.2
Majority  | 139  | 1.4  | N/A
Turnout | 9,665  | 87.1  | +10.1
Registered electors | 11,096  |  |
| Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.2  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

General election 1900: Skipton[6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Frederick Whitley-Thomson | 5,139  | 50.7  | +1.4
| Liberal Unionist | Walter Morrison | 5,007  | 49.3  | −1.4
Majority  | 132  | 1.4  | N/A
Turnout | 10,146  | 85.5  | −1.6
Registered electors | 11,865  |  |
| Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +1.4  |
Clough General election 1906: Skipton[6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Clough | 5,834  | 51.0  | +0.3
| Conservative | Richard Roundell | 5,601  | 49.0  | −0.3
Majority  | 233  | 2.0  | +0.6
Turnout | 11,435  | 90.0  | +4.5
Registered electors | 12,707  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.3  |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: Skipton[6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Clough | 6,579  | 52.0  | +1.0
| Conservative | Richard Roundell | 6,071  | 48.0  | −1.0
Majority  | 508  | 4.0  | +2.0
Turnout | 12,650  | 91.2  | +1.2
Registered electors | 13,864  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +1.0  |
General election December 1910: Skipton[6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Clough | 6,151  | 50.2  | −1.8
| Conservative | Richard Roundell | 6,100  | 49.8  | +1.8
Majority  | 51  | 0.4  | −3.6
Turnout | 12,251  | 88.4  | −2.8
Registered electors | 13,864  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −1.8  |

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: William Clough
* Unionist: Richard Roundell

General election 1918: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Unionist | Richard Roundell | 12,599 | 55.0 | +5.2
| Liberal | William Anderton Brigg  | 10,318  | 45.0  | −5.2
Majority  | 2,281  | 10.0  | N/A
Turnout | 22,917  | 64.2  | −24.2
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.2  |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

Verney General election 1922: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Richard Roundell | 13,251  | 41.7  | −13.3
| Liberal | Harry Verney | 10,228  | 32.3  | −12.7
| Labour | Tom Snowden | 8,229  | 26.0  | New
Majority  | 3,023  | 9.4  | −0.6
Turnout | 23,479  | 85.2  | +21.0
| Unionist hold | Swing | -0.3  |
General election 1923: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Richard Roundell | 12,676  | 39.9  | −1.8
| Liberal | Harry Verney | 11,285  | 35.6  | +3.3
| Labour | George Willey | 7,767  | 24.5  | −1.5
Majority  | 1,391  | 4.3  | −5.1
Turnout | 31,728  | 83.6  | −1.6
| Unionist hold | Swing | -2.6  |
General election 1924: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Ernest Roy Bird | 14,924  | 46.0  | +6.1
| Liberal | Thomas Woffenden  | 8,947  | 27.5  | −8.1
| Labour | George Willey | 8,626  | 26.5  | +2.0
Majority  | 5,977  | 18.5  | +14.2
Turnout | 32,497  | 83.8  | +0.2
| Unionist hold | Swing | +7.1  |
General election 1929: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Ernest Roy Bird | 16,588  | 39.5  | −6.5
| Labour | John Davies | 13,088  | 31.2  | +4.7
| Liberal | Thomas Woffenden  | 12,320  | 29.3  | +1.8
Majority  | 3,500  | 8.3  | −10.2
Turnout | 41,996  | 83.4  | −0.4
| Unionist hold | Swing | -5.6  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ernest Roy Bird | 28,013  | 68.2  | +28.7
| Labour | John Davies | 13,053  | 31.8  | +0.6
Majority  | 14,960  | 36.4  | +28.1
Turnout | 41,066  | 80.3  | −3.1
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
1933 Skipton by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Rickards | 18,136  | 43.0  | −25.2
| Labour | John Davies | 14,157  | 33.5  | +1.7
| Liberal | Robert Denby | 9,219  | 21.8  | +21.8
| Communist | James Rushton  | 704  | 1.7  | +1.7
Majority  | 3,979  | 9.5  | −26.9
Turnout | 42,216  | 82.7  | +2.4
| Conservative hold | Swing | -13.5  |
General election 1935: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Rickards | 22,847  | 56.2  | −12.0
| Labour | John Davies | 17,788  | 43.8  | +12.0
Majority  | 5,059  | 12.4  | −24.0
Turnout | 40,635  | 79.6  | −0.7
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

General Election 1939–40

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

* Conservative: George Rickards
* Labour: John Davies[8]

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

1944 Skipton by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Common Wealth | Hugh Lawson | 12,222  | 44.8  | New
| Conservative | Harry Riddiough  | 12,001  | 44.0  | −12.2
| Independent Labour | Joseph Toole | 3,029  | 11.1  | New
Majority  | 221  | 0.8  | N/A
Turnout | 27,252  | 54.9  | −24.7
| Common Wealth gain from Conservative | Swing |  |
General election 1945: Skipton[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 17,905  | 41.5  | −14.7
| Labour | John Davies | 15,704  | 36.4  | −7.4
| Liberal | Eric Townsend  | 9,546  | 22.1  | New
Majority  | 2,201  | 5.1  | −7.3
Turnout | 43,155  | 80.1  | +0.5
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1950: Skipton[9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 22,254  | 49.2  | +7.7
| Labour | Thomas J. Roberts  | 16,290  | 36.0  | −0.4
| Liberal | Eric Arthur Greenwood  | 6,689  | 14.8  | −7.3
Majority  | 5,964  | 13.2  | +8.1
Turnout | 45,233  | 88.9  | +8.8
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1951: Skipton[9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 26,024  | 59.0  | +9.8
| Labour | Edgar Hewitt  | 18,064  | 41.0  | +5.0
Majority  | 7,960  | 18.0  | +4.8
Turnout | 44,088  | 86.1  | −2.8
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Skipton[9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 25,101  | 61.2  | +2.2
| Labour | Vincent P. Richardson  | 15,919  | 38.8  | −2.2
Majority  | 9,182  | 22.4  | +4.4
Turnout | 41,020  | 82.5  | −3.6
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2  |
General election 1959: Skipton[10] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 20,278  | 48.3  | −12.9
| Labour | Frank Hooley | 11,178  | 26.6  | −12.2
| Liberal | Claire Graham | 10,543  | 25.1  | New
Majority  | 9,100  | 21.7  | −0.7
Turnout | 41,999  | 85.7  | +3.2
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1964: Skipton[10] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 18,561  | 46.2  | −2.1
| Labour | Roderick MacSween  | 11,715  | 29.2  | +2.6
| Liberal | Wilfrid E.H. Pickard  | 9,886  | 24.6  | −0.5
Majority  | 8,846  | 17.0  | −3.7
Turnout | 40,162  | 84.0  | −1.7
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.5  |
General election 1966: Skipton[9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 17,532  | 45.1  | −1.1
| Labour | Gordon A. Knott  | 13,276  | 34.1  | +4.9
| Liberal | Wilfrid E.H. Pickard  | 8,104  | 20.8  | −3.8
Majority  | 4,256  | 11.0  | −6.0
Turnout | 38,912  | 82.0  | −2.0
| Conservative hold | Swing | −3.0  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1970: Skipton[9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 20,817  | 51.3  | +6.2
| Labour | Kenneth Targett  | 12,011  | 29.6  | −4.5
| Liberal | Jean Y.L. Burns  | 7,733  | 19.1  | −1.7
Majority  | 8,806  | 21.7  | +10.7
Turnout | 40,561  | 78.6  | −3.4
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.4  |
General election February 1974: Skipton  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 19,301  | 43.3  | −8.0
| Liberal | Claire Brooks | 17,185  | 38.6  | +19.5
| Labour | Terry Wheeler  | 8,079  | 18.1  | −11.5
Majority  | 2,116  | 4.7  | −17.0
Turnout | 44,565  | 85.6  | +7.0
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election October 1974: Skipton  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Burnaby Drayson | 17,882  | 41.3  | −2.0
| Liberal | Claire Brooks | 17,232  | 39.9  | +1.3
| Labour | C.G. Burks  | 8,109  | 18.8  | +0.7
Majority  | 590  | 1.4  | −3.3
Turnout | 43,223  | 82.1  | −3.5
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1979: Skipton  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Grenville Bernard Watson | 23,177  | 51.2  | +9.9
| Liberal | Claire Brooks | 17,484  | 38.6  | −1.3
| Labour | Brian Michael Selby  | 4,632  | 10.2  | −8.6
Majority  | 5,693  | 12.6  | +11.2
Turnout | 45,293  | 84.1  | +2.0
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "'Skipton', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
2. ^ a b c Liberal Year Book, 1908
3. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
4. ^ a b c d Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
5. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
6. ^ a b c d British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
7. ^ a b c d e f g h British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
8. ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
9. ^ a b c d e British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
10. ^ a b F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973

* Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 3)