1904 Norwich by-election

1904 by-election November 2019 1904 Norwich by-election presidential United Kingdom Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s 1900 Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s 1906 15 January 1904 Tillett 65px Liberal Party (UK) 8,576 48.3% Wild 65px Unionist Party (UK) 6,756 38.0% Roberts 65px ILP 2,440 13.7% 250px MP Subsequent MP Sir Harry Bullard Conservative Party (UK) Louis Tillett Liberal Party (UK) The 1904 Norwich by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 15 January 1904.Craig F.W.S. 1987 Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987 Chichester Parliamentary Research Services 98 The constituency returned two Members of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system. Vacancy thumb|left|120px|Bullard Sir Harry Bullard had been Conservative MP for the seat of Norwich since the 1895 general election. He died on 26 December 1903 at the age of 62. Electoral history The seat had been Conservative since they gained it in 1895. They held the seats at the last election, unopposed. Candidates The local Conservative Association selected 35-year-old Ernest Wild as their candidate to defend the seat. He was born in Norwich and attended Norwich School. He was a Barrister who had been called to Bar at Middle Temple in 1893. He had been Judge of the Norwich Guildhall Court of Record since 1897.'WILD, Sir Ernest (Edward)', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007 accessed 6 March 2014 The local Liberal Association selected 39-year-old Norfolk born, Norwich solicitor Louis Tillett as their candidate to gain the seat. The local Independent Labour Party selected 36-year-old Norfolk born George Roberts as their candidate. He had joined the Independent Labour Party in 1886. He was elected to the Norwich School Board in 1889. He was Secretary of the Typographical Association and President of Norwich Trades Council. Campaign thumb|election card Polling Day was fixed for the 15 January 1904, just 20 days after the previous MP died. Result The Liberals gained the seat from the Conservatives; 1904 Norwich by-electionBritish parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig Liberal Party (UK) Louis Tillett 8,576 48.3 New Conservative Party (UK) Ernest Wild 6,756 38.0 N/A Independent Labour Party George Roberts 2,440 13.7 New 1,820 10.3 N/A 1,820 90.1 N/A Liberal Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) The Spectator magazine, known for its Conservative sympathies felt that "There can be little doubt that the election was fought mainly on the fiscal issue, and the result is all the more encouraging to the opponents of Protectionism in that—to quote from the Times—" both the Liberal and the Labour candidates were free traders, their united votes showing a majority of more than four thousand against the advocate of fiscal reform."The Spectator, 23 January 1904 Aftermath At the following General Election the Conservatives also lost the other seat, the result was; General election January 1906 Labour Representation Committee (1900) George Roberts 11,059 37.5 N/A Liberal Party (UK) Louis Tillett 10,972 37.2 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ernest Wild 7,460 25.3 N/A Labour Representation Committee (1900) Conservative Party (UK) 3,599 12.2 N/A Liberal Party (UK) 3,512 11.9 N/A 29,491 91.6 N/A References Category:1904 in England Category:1904 elections in the United Kingdom Category:Elections in Norwich Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Norfolk constituencies Category:20th century in Norfolk