Stepney (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950–1974

Stepney

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1918
Seats| one
Created from| Tower Hamlets
1950–1974 (1974)
Seats| one
Created from| Limehouse, Mile End and Whitechapel and St George's
Replaced by| Stepney and Poplar

Stepney was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Stepney district of the East End of London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

## History

[edit]

The constituency existed for two separate periods:

* it was first created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1918 general election
* from the 1950 general election until its abolition for the February 1974 general election, when it was largely replaced by the new constituency of Stepney and Poplar.

## Boundaries

[edit]

Stepney in the Metropolitan area, boundaries 1885–1918 Stepney in the County of London, boundaries 1950–74

The constituency was first created in 1885, as a division of the parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets, centred on the Stepney neighbourhood in the East End of London. The area was administered as part of the Tower division of the county of Middlesex.

In 1889 there were administrative changes. The territory of the constituency was severed from Middlesex and included in the new County of London. The lower tier of local government in the area continued to be administered by parish vestries and local boards of works.

In 1900 local government in London was rationalised. The Stepney Board of Works was abolished and the civil parish of Stepney became part of a larger Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.

In the redistribution of parliamentary seats in 1918, the Metropolitan Borough was divided between three constituencies - Limehouse, Mile End and Whitechapel and St George's. The previous Stepney constituency was abolished and largely replaced by Whitechapel and St George's.

In the next major redistribution of parliamentary seats, which took effect for the 1950 United Kingdom general election, the Stepney constituency was re-created. The 1950 version of the seat comprised the whole of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.

In 1965 Stepney became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Greater London. When parliamentary constituencies were next redistributed, for the February 1974 general election, the area was included in the Stepney and Poplar seat.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### MPs 1885–1918

[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1885 | John Charles Durant | Liberal
| 1886 | Frederick Wootton Isaacson | Conservative
| 1898 | W. C. Steadman | Liberal
| 1900 | William Evans-Gordon | Conservative
| 1907 | Frederick Leverton Harris | Conservative
| 1910 Dec. | William Glyn-Jones | Liberal
1918 | constituency abolished

### MPs 1950–1974

[edit]

Constituency re-established 1950

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1950 | Walter Edwards | Labour
| 1964 | Peter Shore | Labour
| Feb 1974 | constituency abolished

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Peter Shore | 18,993  | 74.8  | −1.3
| Conservative | Harry Greenway | 4,922  | 19.4  | +2.8
| Communist | Solly Kaye | 1,468  | 5.8  | −1.5
Majority | 14,071  | 55.4  | −4.1
Turnout | 25,383  | 44.9  | −5.8
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1966: Stepney  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Peter Shore | 23,098  | 76.1  | +4.7
| Conservative | Beryl Phyllis Cooper  | 5,049  | 16.6  | −4.1
| Communist | Solly Kaye | 2,209  | 7.3  | −0.6
Majority | 18,049  | 59.5  | +8.8
Turnout | 30,356  | 50.7  | −0.6
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1964: Stepney  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Peter Shore | 22,184  | 71.4  | +0.7
| Conservative | Ian F Hay Davison  | 6,466  | 20.7  | −1.9
| Communist | Solly Kaye | 2,454  | 7.9  | +1.2
Majority | 15,818  | 50.7  | +2.5
Turnout | 31,104  | 51.3  | −7.9
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1959: Stepney  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Walter Edwards | 26,875  | 70.7  | −2.3
| Conservative | P Brian Calwell  | 8,566  | 22.6  | +7.5
| Communist | Solly Kaye | 2,548  | 6.7  | −0.9
Majority | 18,309  | 48.2  | −9.7
Turnout | 37,989  | 59.4  | +1.6
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Stepney  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Walter Edwards | 27,677  | 73.0  | −3.5
| Conservative | Lillian F Sutton  | 5,733  | 15.1  | −1.1
| Communist | Solly Kaye | 2,888  | 7.6  | +0.3
| Liberal | Fred Winckless  | 1,615  | 4.3  | New
Majority | 21,944  | 57.9  | −2.4
Turnout | 37,913  | 57.8  | −13.1
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1951: Stepney  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Walter Edwards | 35,849  | 76.5  | +6.5
| Conservative | Martin Herbert Bernhard Solomon  | 7,586  | 16.2  | +3.1
| Communist | Ted Bramley | 3,436  | 7.3  | −5.2
Majority | 28,263  | 60.3  | +3.4
Turnout | 46,871  | 70.9  | −1.6
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1950: Stepney  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Walter Edwards | 33,475  | 70.0  |
| Conservative | Martin Herbert Bernhard Solomon  | 6,238  | 13.1  |
| Communist | Phil Piratin | 5,991  | 12.5  |
| Liberal | John Henry Maynard  | 2,105  | 4.4  |
Majority | 27,237  | 56.9  |
Turnout | 47,809  | 72.5  |
| Labour win (new seat)

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

WS Glyn-Jones General election December 1910: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Glyn-Jones | 1,926  | 51.5  | +4.5
| Conservative | Walter Preston | 1,812  | 48.5  | −4.5
Majority | 114  | 3.0  | N/A
Turnout | 3,738  | 80.3  | −4.9
Registered electors | 4,653  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.5  |
General election January 1910: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Frederick Leverton Harris | 2,102  | 53.0  | −4.3
| Liberal | William Glyn-Jones | 1,861  | 47.0  | +4.3
Majority | 241  | 6.0  | −8.6
Turnout | 3,963  | 85.2  | +1.3
Registered electors | 4,653  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −4.3  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

1907 Stepney by-election[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Frederick Leverton Harris | 2,299  | 63.0  | +5.7
| Lib-Lab | Ben Cooper | 1,350  | 37.0  | −5.7
Majority | 949  | 26.0  | +11.4
Turnout | 3,649  | 64.9  | −19.0
Registered electors | 5,621  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.7  |
General election 1906: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | William Evans-Gordon | 2,490  | 57.3  | −4.5
| Liberal | Durham Stokes  | 1,853  | 42.7  | +4.5
Majority | 637  | 14.6  | −9.0
Turnout | 4,343  | 83.9  | +7.3
Registered electors | 5,176  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -4.5  |
General election 1900: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | William Evans-Gordon | 2,783  | 61.8  | +6.2
| Lib-Lab | W. C. Steadman | 1,718  | 38.2  | −6.2
Majority | 1,065  | 23.6  | +12.4
Turnout | 4,501  | 76.6  | +6.8
Registered electors | 5,878  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +6.2  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

Steadman By-election, 9 Mar 1898: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Lib-Lab | W. C. Steadman | 2,492  | 50.2  | +5.8
| Conservative | William Evans-Gordon | 2,472  | 49.8  | −5.8
Majority | 20  | 0.4  | N/A
Turnout | 4,964  | 77.7  | +7.9
Registered electors | 6,387  |  |
| Lib-Lab gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.8  |
Dickinson General election 1895: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Frederick Isaacson | 2,346  | 55.6  | +4.6
| Liberal | Willoughby Dickinson | 1,876  | 44.4  | −4.6
Majority | 470  | 11.2  | +9.2
Turnout | 4,222  | 69.8  | −4.3
Registered electors | 6,048  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +4.6  |
Isaacson General election 1892: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Frederick Isaacson | 2,292  | 51.0  | −5.3
| Liberal | Benjamin Thomas Lindsay Thomson  | 2,203  | 49.0  | +5.3
Majority | 89  | 2.0  | −10.6
Turnout | 4,495  | 74.1  | +16.7
Registered electors | 6,069  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -5.3  |

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1886: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Frederick Isaacson | 2,237  | 56.3  | +6.4
| Liberal | Robert Samuel Wright[2] | 1,735  | 43.7  | −6.4
Majority | 502  | 12.6  | N/A
Turnout | 3,972  | 57.4  | −1.5
Registered electors | 6,925  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.6  |
General election 1885: Tower Hamlets, Stepney[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | John Durant | 2,045  | 50.1  |
| Conservative | Frederick Isaacson | 2,035  | 49.9  |
Majority | 10  | 0.2  |
Turnout | 4,080  | 58.9  |
Registered electors | 6,925  |  |
| Liberal win (new seat)

The initial count for this election had Durant on 2,141 votes and Isaacson on 2,119 votes; a re-count then led to Durant on 2,052 votes and Isaacson on 2,051 votes. Further scrutiny then led to the above results.[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
2. ^ "Stepney Division". East London Observer. 14 August 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 11 December 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 5)

* v
* t
* e

Historic constituencies in London

1885|

* Battersea
* Bermondsey
* Bethnal Green North East
* Bethnal Green South West
* Bow and Bromley
* Brixton
* Camberwell North
* Chelsea
* City of London
* Clapham
* Deptford
* Dulwich
* Finsbury Central
* Finsbury East
* Fulham
* Greenwich
* Hackney Central
* Hackney North
* Hackney South
* Haggerston
* Hammersmith
* Hampstead
* Holborn
* Hoxton
* Islington East
* Islington North
* Islington South
* Islington West
* Kennington
* Kensington North
* Kensington South
* Lambeth North
* Lewisham
* Limehouse
* Marylebone East
* Marylebone West
* Mile End
* Newington West
* Norwood
* Paddington North
* Paddington South
* Peckham
* Poplar
* Rotherhithe
* Southwark West
* St George
* St George's Hanover Square
* St Pancras East
* St Pancras North
* St Pancras South
* St Pancras West
* Stepney
* Strand
* Walworth
* Wandsworth
* Westminster
* Whitechapel
* Woolwich

1950|

* Battersea North
* Battersea South
* Bermondsey
* Bethnal Green
* Brixton
* Chelsea
* Cities of London and Westminster
* Clapham
* Deptford
* Dulwich
* Fulham East
* Fulham West
* Greenwich
* Hackney South
* Hammersmith North
* Hammersmith South
* Hampstead
* Holborn and St Pancras South
* Islington East
* Islington North
* Islington South West
* Kensington North
* Kensington South
* Lewisham North
* Lewisham South
* Lewisham West
* Norwood
* Paddington North
* Paddington South
* Peckham
* Poplar
* Putney
* St Marylebone
* St Pancras North
* Streatham
* Shoreditch and Finsbury
* Southwark
* Stepney
* Stoke Newington and Hackney North
* Vauxhall
* Wandsworth Central
* Woolwich East
* Woolwich West

1955|

* Barons Court
* Battersea North
* Battersea South
* Bermondsey
* Bethnal Green
* Brixton
* Chelsea
* Cities of London and Westminster
* Clapham
* Deptford
* Dulwich
* Fulham
* Greenwich
* Hackney Central
* Hammersmith North
* Hampstead
* Holborn and St Pancras South
* Islington East
* Islington North
* Islington South West
* Kensington North
* Kensington South
* Lewisham North
* Lewisham South
* Lewisham West
* Norwood
* Paddington North
* Paddington South
* Peckham
* Poplar
* Putney
* St Marylebone
* St Pancras North
* Shoreditch and Finsbury
* Southwark
* Stepney
* Stoke Newington and Hackney North
* Streatham
* Vauxhall
* Wandsworth Central
* Woolwich East
* Woolwich West

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