St Helens (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1983

St Helens

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons

St Helens in Lancashire, showing boundaries used from 1974–1983

County| Lancashire
Major settlements| St Helens
1885–1983
Seats| One
Created from| South West Lancashire
Replaced by| St Helens North and St Helens South

St Helens was a constituency in the county of Lancashire, England. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.

Created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the constituency was abolished in 1983, being split into St Helens North and St Helens South seats.

## Boundaries

[edit]

1885–1918: The municipal borough of St Helens.[1]

1918–1983: The County Borough of St Helens.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member | Party | Notes

|
|
|

| 1885 | Henry Seton-Karr | Conservative
| 1906 | Thomas Glover | Labour
| 1910 | Rigby Swift | Conservative
| 1918 | James Sexton | Labour
| 1931 | Richard Austin Spencer | Conservative
| 1935 | William Albert Robinson | Labour
| 1945 | Hartley Shawcross | Labour | Resigned May 1958
| 1958 by-election | Leslie Spriggs | Labour
1983 | constituency abolished

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

Seton-Karr General election 1885: St Helens [2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Seton-Karr | 3,750  | 50.4  |
| Liberal | David Gamble  | 3,693  | 49.6  |
Majority | 57  | 0.8  |
Turnout | 7,443  | 89.8  |
Registered electors | 8,291  |  |
| Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: St Helens [3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Seton-Karr | 3,621  | 51.5  | +1.1
| Liberal | Arthur Sinclair[4] | 3,404  | 48.5  | −1.1
Majority | 217  | 3.0  | +2.2
Turnout | 7,025  | 84.7  | −5.1
Registered electors | 8,291  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

General election 1892: St Helens [5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Seton-Karr | 4,258  | 50.3  | −1.2
| Liberal | William Rann Kennedy | 4,199  | 49.7  | +1.2
Majority | 59  | 0.6  | −2.4
Turnout | 8,457  | 90.3  | +5.6
Registered electors | 9,370  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -1.2  |
General election 1895: St Helens [6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Seton-Karr | 4,700  | 53.5  | +3.2
| Liberal | John Forster  | 4,091  | 46.5  | −3.2
Majority | 609  | 7.0  | +6.4
Turnout | 8,791  | 88.4  | −1.9
Registered electors | 9,950  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

General election 1900: St Helens [7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Seton-Karr | 5,300  | 60.9  | +7.4
| Liberal | Charles Conybeare | 3,402  | 39.1  | −7.4
Majority | 1,898  | 21.8  | +14.8
Turnout | 8,702  | 80.9  | −7.5
Registered electors | 10,763  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +7.4  |
Glover General election 1906: St Helens [8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour Repr. Cmte. | Thomas Glover | 6,058  | 56.6  | New
| Conservative | Henry Seton-Karr | 4,647  | 43.4  | −17.5
Majority | 1,411  | 13.2  | N/A
Turnout | 10,705  | 87.9  | +7.0
Registered electors | 12,174  |  |
| Labour Repr. Cmte. gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: St Helens [9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Thomas Glover | 6,512  | 53.3  | −3.3
| Conservative | Rigby Swift | 5,717  | 46.7  | +3.3
Majority | 795  | 6.6  | −6.6
Turnout | 12,229  | 93.6  | +5.7
Registered electors | 13,068  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing | −3.3  |
General election December 1910: St Helens [10] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Rigby Swift | 6,016  | 51.1  | +4.4
| Labour | Thomas Glover | 5,752  | 48.9  | −4.4
Majority | 264  | 2.2  | N/A
Turnout | 11,768  | 90.1  | −3.5
Registered electors | 13,068  |  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.4  |

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;

* Unionist: Rigby Swift
* Labour: James Sexton

1915 St Helens by-election[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Rigby Swift | Unopposed
| Unionist hold
General election 1918: St Helens[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Sexton | 15,583  | 57.1  | +8.2
C | Unionist | Rigby Swift | 11,689  | 42.9  | −8.2
Majority | 3,894  | 14.2  | N/A
Turnout | 27,272  | 61.5  | −28.6
| Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +8.2  |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: St Helens[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Sexton | 20,731  | 58.7  | +1.6
| Unionist | Edward Wooll | 14,587  | 41.3  | −1.6
Majority | 6,144  | 17.4  | +3.2
Turnout | 35,318  | 80.0  | +18.5
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.6  |
General election 1923: St Helens[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Sexton | 20,086  | 55.5  | −3.2
| Unionist | Margaret Evelyn Pilkington  | 16,109  | 44.5  | +3.2
Majority | 3,977  | 11.0  | −6.4
Turnout | 36,195  | 80.5  | +0.5
| Labour hold | Swing | -3.2  |
General election 1924: St Helens[15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Sexton | 21,313  | 55.8  | +0.3
| Unionist | Margaret Evelyn Pilkington  | 16,908  | 44.2  | −0.3
Majority | 4,405  | 11.6  | +0.6
Turnout | 38,221  | 83.1  | +2.6
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1929: St Helens[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Sexton | 27,665  | 58.6  | +2.8
| Unionist | Richard Austin Spencer | 19,560  | 41.4  | −2.8
Majority | 8,105  | 17.2  | +5.6
Turnout | 47,225  | 78.3  | −4.8
| Labour hold | Swing | +2.8  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Richard Austin Spencer | 26,131  | 52.4  | +11.0
| Labour | James Sexton | 23,701  | 47.6  | −11.0
Majority | 2,430  | 4.8  | N/A
Turnout | 49,832  | 78.9  | +0.6
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  |
General election 1935: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Robinson | 29,044  | 53.7  | +6.1
| Conservative | Richard Austin Spencer | 25,063  | 46.3  | −6.1
Majority | 3,981  | 7.4  | +2.6
Turnout | 54,107  | 82.6  | +3.7
| Labour gain from Conservative | 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;

* Labour: William Robinson[17]
* Conservative: S J Hill

### Election in the 1940s

[edit]

Shawcross General election 1945: St Helens[18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Hartley Shawcross | 34,675  | 66.2  | +12.5
| Conservative | Frank Whitworth  | 17,686  | 33.8  | −12.5
Majority | 16,989  | 32.4  | +25.0
Turnout | 52,361  | 76.7  | −5.9
| Labour hold | Swing | +12.5  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1950: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Hartley Shawcross | 39,514  | 63.2  | −3.0
| Conservative | Alfred Hall-Davis | 20,741  | 33.18  | −0.6
| Liberal | Joseph H Winskill  | 2,263  | 3.6  | New
Majority | 18,773  | 30.0  | −2.4
Turnout | 62,518  | 84.9  | +8.2
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1951: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Hartley Shawcross | 37,688  | 63.3  | +0.1
| Conservative | Michael Hughes-Young | 21,830  | 36.7  | +3.5
Majority | 15,858  | 26.6  | −3.4
Turnout | 59,518  | 79.7  | −5.2
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Hartley Shawcross | 35,737  | 64.3  | +1.0
| Conservative | Abram Maxwell Caplin  | 19,854  | 35.7  | −1.0
Majority | 15,883  | 28.6  | +2.0
Turnout | 55,591  | 73.5  | −6.2
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
1958 St Helens by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 26,405  | 64.7  | +0.4
| Conservative | Mark Carlisle | 14,411  | 35.3  | −0.4
Majority | 11,994  | 29.4  | +0.8
Turnout | 40,816  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1959: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 35,961  | 62.1  | −2.2
| Conservative | Mark Carlisle | 21,956  | 37.9  | +2.2
Majority | 14,005  | 24.2  | −4.4
Turnout | 57,917  | 76.9  | +3.4
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1964: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 34,137  | 67.0  | +4.9
| Conservative | Keith Speed | 16,826  | 33.0  | −4.9
Majority | 17,311  | 34.0  | +9.8
Turnout | 50,963  | 72.3  | −4.6
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1966: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 33,325  | 70.8  | +3.8
| Conservative | Christopher C. Fielden  | 13,776  | 29.2  | −3.8
Majority | 19,549  | 41.6  | +7.6
Turnout | 47,101  | 68.6  | −3.7
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1970: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 31,587  | 65.7  | −5.1
| Conservative | Ian D. McGaw  | 16,509  | 34.3  | +5.1
Majority | 15,078  | 31.4  | −10.2
Turnout | 48,096  | 64.5  | −4.1
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election February 1974: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 32,621  | 59.0  | −6.7
| Liberal | AE Lycett  | 10,905  | 19.7  | New
| Conservative | KJ Bridgeman  | 10,752  | 19.5  | −14.8
| Ind. Labour Party | M Pike  | 991  | 1.8  | New
Majority | 21,716  | 39.3  | +7.9
Turnout | 55,269  | 73.2  | +8.7
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election October 1974: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 32,620  | 64.1  | +5.1
| Conservative | K.J. Bridgeman  | 10,554  | 20.8  | +1.3
| Liberal | A.E. Lycett  | 7,689  | 15.1  | −4.6
Majority | 22,066  | 43.3  | +4.0
Turnout | 50,863  | 66.9  | −6.3
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1979: St Helens  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leslie Spriggs | 32,489  | 59.6  | −4.5
| Conservative | J. Brown  | 16,934  | 31.1  | +10.3
| Liberal | Ian Smith  | 4,587  | 8.4  | −6.7
| Workers Revolutionary | J. Boylan  | 471  | 0.9  | New
Majority | 15,555  | 28.5  | −14.8
Turnout | 54,481  | 72.8  | +5.9
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

## Sources

[edit]

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 1)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Chap. 23. Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885". The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1885. pp. 111–198.
2. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
3. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
4. ^ "The Candidates for St. Helens". Liverpool Mercury. 19 June 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 10 December 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
5. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
6. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
7. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
8. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
9. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
10. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
11. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
12. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
13. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
14. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
15. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
16. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
17. ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
18. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig