Middlesbrough West by-election, 1940
Encyclopedia
The Middlesbrough West by-election, 1940 was a parliamentary by-election
held on 7 August 1940 for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Middlesbrough West
.
(23 December 1889 – 25 September 1962) vacated his seat on becoming a County Court Judge.
Griffith was first elected as the constituency's MP at the Middlesbrough West by-election, 1928
, caused by the death of the previous Liberal MP Walter Trevelyan Thomson. Griffith had previously contested Bromley
in 1922, 1923 and 1924.
The Liberal Party candidate, supporting the coalition government, was Harcourt Johnstone
(19 May 1895 – 1 March 1945).
Johnstone was elected unopposed as the constituency's MP at the by-election. He sat for the seat until he died. Johnstone had previously been MP for Willesden East
1923 – 1924 and South Shields
1931 – 1935.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 7 August 1940 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 Middlesbrough West
Middlesbrough West (UK Parliament constituency)
Middlesbrough West was a parliamentary constituency in the town of Middlesbrough in North East England. 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 voting system....
.
Previous MP
The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), Frank Kingsley GriffithFrank Kingsley Griffith
Frank Kingsley Griffith was a British Liberal Party politician, barrister and County Court judge.-Early life:...
(23 December 1889 – 25 September 1962) vacated his seat on becoming a County Court Judge.
Griffith was first elected as the constituency's MP at the Middlesbrough West by-election, 1928
Middlesbrough West by-election, 1928
The Middlesbrough West by-election, 1928 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Middlesbrough West on 7 March 1928.-Vacancy:...
, caused by the death of the previous Liberal MP Walter Trevelyan Thomson. Griffith had previously contested Bromley
Bromley (UK Parliament constituency)
Bromley is a former borough constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Its best-known MP was Harold Macmillan ....
in 1922, 1923 and 1924.
Candidates
The election took place during the Second World War. Under an agreement between the Conservative, Labour and Liberal parties; who were participating in a wartime coalition, the party holding a seat would not be opposed by the other two at a by-election. Accordingly the Liberal Party nominated a candidate, but no Labour or Conservative representative was put forward. As no one else was nominated, there was an unopposed return and no poll took place.The Liberal Party candidate, supporting the coalition government, was Harcourt Johnstone
Harcourt Johnstone
Harcourt 'Crinks' Johnstone was a British Liberal Party politician.-Early Life & Education:Johnstone was born in London in 1895, the son of the Hon. Sir Alan Johnstone, a British diplomat, and his American wife Antoinette Pinchot. His nickname 'Crinks' is alleged to have derived from the wrinkled...
(19 May 1895 – 1 March 1945).
Johnstone was elected unopposed as the constituency's MP at the by-election. He sat for the seat until he died. Johnstone had previously been MP for Willesden East
Willesden East (UK Parliament constituency)
Willesden East was a borough constituency in the Municipal Borough of Willesden, in North-West London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
1923 – 1924 and South Shields
South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)
South Shields is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
1931 – 1935.
Votes
See also
- Middlesbrough West constituencyMiddlesbrough West (UK Parliament constituency)Middlesbrough West was a parliamentary constituency in the town of Middlesbrough in North East England. 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 voting system....
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- United Kingdom by-election recordsUnited Kingdom by-election recordsUK by-election records is an annotated list of notable records from UK Parliamentary by-elections. A by-election occurs when a Member of Parliament resigns, dies, or is disqualified or expelled, and an election is held to fill the vacant seat...