1904 East Dorset by-election

UK parliamentary by-election May 2026 1904 East Dorset by-election presidential United Kingdom East Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s 1900 East Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s 1906 16 March 1904 Lyell 85px Liberal Party (UK) 6,104 50.1% Van Raalte 85px Conservative Party (UK) 6,083 49.9% 250px MP Subsequent MP Humphrey Sturt Conservative Party (UK) Charles Henry Lyell Liberal Party (UK) The 1904 East Dorset by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 16 March 1904.Craig F.W.S. 1987 Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987 Chichester Parliamentary Research Services 98 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 Hon. Humphrey Sturt had been Conservative MP for the seat of East Dorset since the 1891 By-Election. His succession to the peerage as Baron Alington came on 17 February 1904. Electoral history The seat had been Conservative since they gained it in 1886. They held the seat at the last election: General election January 1900British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig Conservative Party (UK) Humphrey Sturt 4,776 50.5 N/A Liberal Party (UK) Arthur Acland Allen 4,680 49.5 New 96 1.0 N/A 9,456 81.4 N/A Conservative Party (UK) N/A Candidates The local Conservative Association selected 47-year-old Charles Van Raalte as their candidate to defend the seat. He was Mayor of Poole in 1903.Who Was Who Van Raalte was of Dutch descent and lived locally on Brownsea Island.http://primrose-league.leadhoster.com/brownsea/brownsea.html Primrose League visit to Brownsea Island The Primrose League The local Liberal Association selected 29-year-old Hon. Charles Lyell as their candidate to gain the seat. Lyell was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Forfar and Kincardine Artillery Militia in 1900.Who Was Who Campaign Polling Day was fixed for 16 March 1904, 27 days after the previous MP went to the Lords. Result The Liberals gained the seat from the Conservatives: thumb|120px|Lyell East Dorset by-election, 1904British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig Liberal Party (UK) Charles Henry Lyell 5,929 53.7 +4.2 Conservative Party (UK) Charles E. Van Raalte 5,109 46.3 -4.2 820 7.4 N/A 11,038 87.0 +5.6 Liberal Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) +4.2 Aftermath At the following General Election the result was: General election January 1906British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig Liberal Party (UK) Charles Henry Lyell 6,104 50.1 -3.6 Conservative Party (UK) Charles E. Van Raalte 6,083 49.9 +3.6 21 0.2 -6.2 12,187 89.9 +2.9 Liberal Party (UK) Liberal Party (UK) -3.6 References Category:1904 in England Category:1904 elections in the United Kingdom Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Dorset constituencies Category:20th century in Dorset