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1927 Stourbridge by-election

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This was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Stourbridge. Stourbridge was one of the Worcestershire constituencies, bordering Bewdley, where the Conservative Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin sat.

Vacancy

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Douglas Pielou who had been the Unionist MP here since 1922, died on 9 January 1927, at the age of 39, causing the by-election.

Electoral history

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Pielou had gained the seat in 1922 from the Liberals. Since then, Labour had emerged as the main challenger, finishing a close second at the last General election in 1924;

General election, 29 October 1924: Stourbridge[1] Electorate: 48,466
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Pielou 16,023 39.5
Labour Wilfred Wellock 14,113 34.8
Liberal Geoffrey Mander 10,418 25.7
Majority 1,910 4.7
Turnout 40,554
Unionist hold Swing

Candidates

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Henry Hogbin
  • The Unionist candidate chosen to defend the seat was 47-year-old Henry Hogbin. He had served briefly as the Liberal MP for Battersea South from 1923-24. At the 1924 election he had been defeated standing as a Constitutionalist despite the support of both Unionist and Liberal local Associations.
  • The Labour candidate was 50-year-old pacifist Wilfred Wellock. He was contesting the seat for the third time, having lost on the previous two occasions. He was imprisoned as a conscientious objector in the First World War.
  • The local Liberal association selected 41 year-old Aneurin John Glyn Edwards as their candidate. Edwards had traveled the country as a Factory Inspector. He then worked as a Barrister on the North Wales and Chester circuits.[2] He was standing as a Liberal candidate for parliament for the fourth time, having contested; West Bromwich in 1922 and 1923 and Cardiff Central in 1924.

Campaign

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Polling day was set for 23 February 1927, forty-five days after the death of Pielou, allowing for a reasonably lengthy campaign.

Result

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Labour gained the seat from the Unionists;

Stourbridge by-election, 23 February 1927[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfred Wellock 16,561 41.9 +7.1
Unionist Henry Hogbin 13,462 34.0 −5.5
Liberal Aneurin John Glyn Edwards 9,535 24.1 −1.6
Majority 3,099 7.9 N/A
Turnout 39,558
Labour gain from Unionist Swing

Aftermath

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Wellock stood again here at the next General Election and was re-elected. Hogbin did not stand again. Edwards contested Burnley and finished third.

General election, 30 May 1929: Stourbridge[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfred Wellock 21,343 38.4 −3.5
Unionist Stanley Reed 17,675 31.8 −2.2
Liberal Donald Finnemore 16,537 29.8 +5.7
Majority 3,668 6.6 −1.3
Turnout 55,555
Labour hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.
  2. ^ The Times House of Commons, 1929
  3. ^ British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.
  4. ^ British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.