1908 Chelmsford by-election

1908 UK parliamentary by-election December 2023 September 2013 The 1908 Chelmsford by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 1 December 1908.Craig F.W.S. 1987 Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987 Chichester Parliamentary Research Services 102 The constituency returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system. Vacancy Sir Carne Rasch had been Conservative MP for the seat of Chelmsford since the 1900 general election. His resignation came at the age of 61. Electoral history The seat had been Conservative since its creation in 1885. They held the seat at the last election, with a vastly reduced majority; General election January 1906British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 Electorate 11,767 Conservative Party (UK) Carne Rasch 4,915 52.4 -20.5 Liberal Party (UK) A.H. Dence 4,461 47.6 +20.5 454 4.8 -41.0 9,376 79.7 +13.7 Conservative Party (UK) +20.5 Candidates The Conservatives selected 48-year-old E. G. Pretyman as their candidate. He had been MP for Woodbridge in Suffolk until his defeat to the Liberals in 1906. He was Civil Lord of the Admiralty from 1900–1903 and Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty from 1903–1906. The local Liberal Association re-selected A.H. Dence to attack the seat. Dence had been defeated at Chelmsford by Sir Carne Rasch in January 1906. His slogan: 'Don't be rash, Vote for Dence' was countered by the successful Conservative's 'Don't be dense, Vote for Rasch.'A Liberal Chronicle: Journals and Papers of J.A. Pease Campaign Polling Day was fixed for 1 December 1908. The Liberal government had introduced the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1907 which sought to limit the degree to which fixtures and improvements remained the property of landlords, and to increase the number of small farmers. This new measure was expected to have a strong appeal to voters in rural constituencies like Chelmsford.By-Elections in British Politics, 1832-1914 The Conservative campaign was assisted by the presence of immigrant Presbyterian farmers from Ayrshire, and some prominent Quaker Conservatives. The contest was embittered, leading to a full day's work for magistrates dealing with summonses.A Liberal Chronicle: Journals and Papers of J.A. Pease Result Pretyman increased the Conservative share of the poll by over ten per cent; Chelmsford by-election, 1908British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 Electorate 12,539 Conservative Party (UK) E. G. Pretyman 6,152 63.2 +10.8 Liberal Party (UK) A.H. Dence 3,587 36.8 -10.8 2,565 26.4 +21.6 9,739 77.7 -2.0 Conservative Party (UK) +10.8 Aftermath Pretyman was re-elected at the next General Election and Dence did not stand again. General election January 1910British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 Electorate 13,314 Conservative Party (UK) E. G. Pretyman 6,816 61.5 -1.7 Liberal Party (UK) T.Cuthbertson 4,271 38.5 +1.7 2,545 23.0 -3.4 11,087 83.3 +5.6 Conservative Party (UK) -1.7 References Chelmsford by-election Chelmsford by-election Chelmsford by-election Category:Politics of the City of Chelmsford Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Essex constituencies Category:1900s in Essex