1920 Louth by-election

UK parliamentary by-election April 2026 April 2026 1920 Louth by-election United Kingdom by-election Popular Louth, Lincolnshire (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1910s 1918 1920 06 03 yes (Polling)1920 06 16 yes (Declaration) 1921 Louth by-election 1921 by-election 27,279 63.1% File:Thomas Wintringham.jpg Thomas Wintringham Liberal Party (UK) 9,859 57.3% 11.8% Unionist Party (UK) Christopher Hatton Turnor Unionist Party (UK) Coalition 7,354 42.7% 11.8% MP Langton Brackenbury Unionist Party (UK) Subsequent MP Thomas Wintringham Liberal Party (UK) The 1920 Louth by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Louth in Lincolnshire. Voting was held on 3 June 1920. The by-election took place five days after the Louth Flood of 29 May 1920 had claimed 23 lives. Background The seat had become vacant on the death on 28 April of the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Langton Brackenbury. He had represented the constituency since the 1918 general election, and previously been Louth's MP from January 1910 to December 1910. Electoral history The constituency was created in 1885. The Liberals had won the seat six times and the Unionists three times. It was a marginal seat in 1910 but in 1918 the Liberal MP, Timothy Davies surprisingly did not receive endorsement from the Coalition Government, which instead was given to his Unionist opponent. The result at that General Election was: 1918 general election: LouthBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig Unionist Party (UK) Langton Brackenbury 9,055 54.5 Liberal Party (UK) Timothy Davies 7,559 45.5 1,496 9.0 16,614 60.3 27,572 Unionist Party (UK) Candidates Unionist On 5 May, the Unionists selected 47-year-old Christopher Hatton Turnor as their candidate to defend the seat. He was an author,http://trove.nla.gov.au/people/1059952?l-death=1940&q&l-birth=1873&c=people Trove – Turnor, Christopher Hatton (1873–1940) Trove.nla.gov.au 1 January 2012 architect, and social reformer. He was known for having designed the Watts Gallery,https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/restoration/2006/se_watts_gallery_01.shtml https://web.archive.org/web/20060823195707/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/restoration/2006/se_watts_gallery_01.shtml dead 23 August 2006 History – SECOND PLACE IN THE RESTORATION VILLAGE 2006 FINAL: Watts Gallery, Compton, Surrey BBC 1 January 2012http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/watts-gallery/history/the-building The Building of the Gallery Watts Gallery 23 February 1903 1 January 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120415002602/http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/watts-gallery/history/the-building 15 April 2012 Surrey and the Stoneham War Shrine, Hampshire.http://www.northstoneham.org.uk/warshrine/history/kitturnor.html Christopher Hatton Turnor – History – Stoneham War Shrine Northstoneham.org.uk 1 January 2012Willis Fleming Historical Trust http://www.northstoneham.org.uk/warshrine/news/2010/02/design-sketch-by-christopher-hatton-turnor.html News – Design sketch by Christopher Hatton Turnor Northstoneham.org.uk 1 February 2010 1 January 2012 Turnor was also a member of the National Democratic and Labour Party, who endorsed his candidacy.Craig F. W. S. Minor Parties in British By-elections, 1885–1974 1975 Macmillan Press London 53–54 Turnor was educated at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and at Christ Church, Oxford. He initially trained as an architect under Edwin Lutyens and Robert Weir Schultz. In addition to his architectural work, Turnor became a campaigner for agricultural reform. He co-founded the Central Landowners' Association. Liberal On 4 May, the Liberals selected 52-year-old nonconformist Thomas Wintringham as their candidate to regain the seat. He was a local man from Little Grimsby and was standing for parliament for the first time. Labour The Labour Party had not contested the seat before and again did not put forward a candidate. Campaign The writ for the by-election was moved on 13 May 1920. Polling day was set for 3 June 1920, 36 days after the death of the former MP. On 25 May 1920 nominations closed to confirm that the election would be a two-way contest. Turnor immediately received the official endorsement of the coalition government and a letter of support from Prime Minister David Lloyd George and the Unionist Leader Bonar Law."A Straight Fight At Louth." Times [London, England] 28 May 1920: 7. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 August 2014. Given the nature of the constituency, agricultural issues played a prominent part in the campaign and were a subject on which Turnor, the Unionist candidate, felt comfortable given his background. Wintringham, the Liberal candidate, was known to be a strong supporter of the temperance movement. The issue of how to resolve problems in Ireland was high on the agenda of the politicians in London. The Liberals argued for the implementation of the Irish Home Rule Bill that had been passed in 1914. On 29 May, five days before polling day, flooding caused much damage and claimed 23 lives. This event substantially restricted campaigning in the final week. Both campaigns agreed to cancel all planned meetings."£14,500 For Louth." Times [London, England] 3 June 1920: 16. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 August 2014. Many photographs were taken of the flood aftermath, largely because the press were already in the town for the by-election. The Liberal campaign seemed to have gone down particularly well in the more rural areas and among women voters."Few Voters At Louth." Times [London, England] 4 June 1920: 18. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 August 2014. Result The Unionist press were confidently predicting a Unionist victory. There was also talk of a very low turnout due to the recent flooding making it difficult for voters to get to the polls."Few Voters At Louth." Times [London, England] 4 June 1920: 18. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 August 2014. Despite this difficulty, the turnout was actually higher than it had been at the previous general election. The Liberal candidate Thomas Wintringham, won the by-election, gaining the seat from the Unionists on a large 11.8% swing; thumb|150px|Tom Wintringham Louth by-election, 1920British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig Liberal Party (UK) Thomas Wintringham 9,859 57.3 +11.8 Unionist Party (UK) Christopher Hatton Turnor 7,354 42.7 −11.8 2,505 14.6 N/A 17,213 63.1 +2.8 27,279 –293 Liberal Party (UK) Unionist Party (UK) +11.8 This was the Liberal Party's fourth gain of the parliament in just 18 months, equaling the number of gains made by the Labour Party. The by-election was clear evidence that the Liberals could be restored to their pre-1918 position in agricultural constituencies where Labour candidates were unlikely to feature. Aftermath Thomas Wintringham died in office the following year, triggering another by-election which was won by his wife Margaret. See also United Kingdom by-election records Louth constituency 1921 Louth by-election 1969 Louth by-election List of United Kingdom by-elections (1918–1931) References Category:History of Lincolnshire Category:1920 in England Category:1920 elections in the United Kingdom Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Lincolnshire constituencies Category:June 1920 in the United Kingdom