North Dorset by-election, 1905

The North Dorset by-election was a Parliamentary by-election. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Vacancy

John Kenelm Digby Wingfield-Digby had been Conservative MP for the seat of North Dorset since the 1892 General Election. He died on 25 December 1904 at the age of 46.^[1]

Electoral history

The seat had been Conservative since they gained it in 1892. They easily held the seat at the last election, with an increased majority;

General Election January 1900[2] Electorate 8,318
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Kenelm Digby Wingfield-Digby	3,705	53.9
	Liberal	Hon. George Arthur Maurice Hamilton-Gordon	3,165	46.1
Majority			540	7.8
Turnout				82.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Candidates

The Conservatives selected 26-year-old Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker to defend the seat.^[3]

The local Liberal Association selected 37-year-old Arthur Walters Wills as their candidate. He took honours in law in 1890. As a Barrister-at-law, he was called to Bar in 1894 and joined the Western Circuit. He was standing for parliament for the first time.^[4]

Campaign

Polling Day was fixed for 26 January 1905, 32 days after the death of the previous MP.

Result

The Liberals gained the seat from the Conservatives;

North Dorset by-election, 1905[5] Electorate 8,338
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Arthur Walters Wills	4,239	56.0	+9.9
	Conservative	Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker	3,330	44.0	-9.9
Majority				12.0	19.8
Turnout				90.8
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+9.9

Aftermath

At the following General Election the result was;

General Election January 1906[6] Electorate 8,490
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Arthur Walters Wills	4,153	54.2
	Conservative	Sir Randolf Littlehales Baker	3,508	45.8
Majority				8.4	-3.6
Turnout				90.2	-0.6
	Liberal hold		Swing

References

1. Who Was Who
2. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
3. Who Was Who
4. Who Was Who
5. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
6. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig