Lewisham by-election, 1891
Encyclopedia
The Lewisham by-election, 1891 was a by-election
held on 26 August 1891 for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Lewisham
.
The by-election was triggered by the elevation to the peerage of the serving Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
(MP), Viscount Lewisham
on the death of his father.
candidate was John Penn
. The Liberal Party
candidate was George Septimus Warmington.
Penn, who was treasurer of the Royal Kent Dispensary and president of the Lee, Lewisham and Blackheath Horticultural Society, was head of his family's marine engineering firm in nearby Greenwich and as such was a major local employer. In his election address, he stated that he was a loyal supporter of Lord Salisbury's government and praised their policies in Ireland, which he said had brought a reduction in rural crime and poverty, and declared himself in favour of restrictions on immigration and for improvements to the Thames. He was supported by the Liberal Unionist party. Warmington, a solicitor, was a resident of the area for over 20 years, a vestryman and Poor Law guardian and deacon of the Burnt Ash Congregational Church.
, free education, and labour questions. Mr V Clayton of the Liberal Unionists, spoke widely in the constituency against what he saw as the 'specious literature' from the Home Rule side. His talks were accompanied by magic lantern
slides showing 'the houghing
of cattle and the pouring of pitch
upon the heads of unhappy constables'. Penn had to contend with allegations from the Liberals that he paid his workers inadequate wages.
One issue that arose in the course of the campaign was that of temperance
, and proposals to close public houses on Sundays. Penn told a deputation of temperance supporters that he could not support them. The deputation issued an appeal to temperance voters to vote for Warmington; his nomination was later officially seconded by the Temperance party. Penn later told a deputation from the Blackheath Licensed Victuallers and Beerseller's Protection Society that he was in favour of compensation being given to any publican who was forced to close on Sundays. The Society, believed to influence about a thousand votes, pledged him their support.
Two unknown factors in the by-election were the number of new voters on the register - around 2,400 since the last general election - and the number of voters who were expected to be away on holiday at the time, estimated at around 500 to 1,000, a circumstance which was thought likely to favour the Liberals. Special trains were laid on to ferry working class voters to the constituency on the day.
, sent to ferry Conservative voters to the polls. The Conservatives also had a St Bernard dog carrying a motto, "Vote for Penn, and don't you forget it." The Liberals paraded "Mr Balfour's maiden", a battering-ram of the type used in evictions in Ireland under the authority of the Chief Secretary of Ireland, Arthur Balfour
.
The result, announced just after midnight, was a win for the Conservative candidate, with a slightly reduced majority from the preceding general election five years earlier.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 26 August 1891 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
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of Lewisham
Lewisham (UK Parliament constituency)
Lewisham was a borough constituency in the Lewisham district of London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...
.
The by-election was triggered by the elevation to the peerage of the serving Conservative Party
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...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP), Viscount Lewisham
William Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth
William Heneage Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth GCVO, KCB, PC, VD, TD, JP , styled Viscount Lewisham between 1853 and 1891, was a British peer and Conservative politician...
on the death of his father.
Candidates
The UnionistConservative 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...
candidate was John Penn
John Penn (MP)
John Penn was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament for Lewisham from 1891 to 1903....
. The Liberal Party
Liberal 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...
candidate was George Septimus Warmington.
Penn, who was treasurer of the Royal Kent Dispensary and president of the Lee, Lewisham and Blackheath Horticultural Society, was head of his family's marine engineering firm in nearby Greenwich and as such was a major local employer. In his election address, he stated that he was a loyal supporter of Lord Salisbury's government and praised their policies in Ireland, which he said had brought a reduction in rural crime and poverty, and declared himself in favour of restrictions on immigration and for improvements to the Thames. He was supported by the Liberal Unionist party. Warmington, a solicitor, was a resident of the area for over 20 years, a vestryman and Poor Law guardian and deacon of the Burnt Ash Congregational Church.
Issues in the campaign
The major questions that arose in the course of the campaign were Irish Home RuleIrish Home Rule Movement
The Irish Home Rule Movement articulated a longstanding Irish desire for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 by a demand for self-government within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The movement drew upon a legacy of patriotic thought that dated back at least to the late 17th...
, free education, and labour questions. Mr V Clayton of the Liberal Unionists, spoke widely in the constituency against what he saw as the 'specious literature' from the Home Rule side. His talks were accompanied by magic lantern
Magic lantern
The magic lantern or Laterna Magica is an early type of image projector developed in the 17th century.-Operation:The magic lantern has a concave mirror in front of a light source that gathers light and projects it through a slide with an image scanned onto it. The light rays cross an aperture , and...
slides showing 'the houghing
Hamstringing
Hamstringing is a method of crippling a person or animal so that they cannot walk properly, by cutting the two large tendons at the back of the knees.- Method :...
of cattle and the pouring of pitch
Pitch (resin)
Pitch is the name for any of a number of viscoelastic, solid polymers. Pitch can be made from petroleum products or plants. Petroleum-derived pitch is also called bitumen. Pitch produced from plants is also known as resin. Products made from plant resin are also known as rosin.Pitch was...
upon the heads of unhappy constables'. Penn had to contend with allegations from the Liberals that he paid his workers inadequate wages.
One issue that arose in the course of the campaign was that of temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
, and proposals to close public houses on Sundays. Penn told a deputation of temperance supporters that he could not support them. The deputation issued an appeal to temperance voters to vote for Warmington; his nomination was later officially seconded by the Temperance party. Penn later told a deputation from the Blackheath Licensed Victuallers and Beerseller's Protection Society that he was in favour of compensation being given to any publican who was forced to close on Sundays. The Society, believed to influence about a thousand votes, pledged him their support.
Two unknown factors in the by-election were the number of new voters on the register - around 2,400 since the last general election - and the number of voters who were expected to be away on holiday at the time, estimated at around 500 to 1,000, a circumstance which was thought likely to favour the Liberals. Special trains were laid on to ferry working class voters to the constituency on the day.
Polling
On polling day, one feature which attracted attention was the arrival of a number of fire engines from Merryweather & SonsMerryweather & Sons
Merryweather & Sons of Clapham, later Greenwich, London, were builders of steam fire engines and steam tram engines.The founder was Moses Merryweather of Clapham, who was joined by his son Richard Moses .-Fire appliances:...
, sent to ferry Conservative voters to the polls. The Conservatives also had a St Bernard dog carrying a motto, "Vote for Penn, and don't you forget it." The Liberals paraded "Mr Balfour's maiden", a battering-ram of the type used in evictions in Ireland under the authority of the Chief Secretary of Ireland, Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
.
The result, announced just after midnight, was a win for the Conservative candidate, with a slightly reduced majority from the preceding general election five years earlier.
Votes
See also
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- Lewisham constituencyLewisham (UK Parliament constituency)Lewisham was a borough constituency in the Lewisham district of London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...