Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)

Woolwich West
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County Greater London
19181983
Number of members One
Replaced by Eltham
Created from Woolwich
Woolwich West in the County of London 1918-50
Woolwich West in the County of London 1950-55

Woolwich West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It centred on Eltham, now in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London.

The constituency was formed for the 1918 general election, when the constituency of Woolwich was divided into Woolwich West and Woolwich East, and abolished in 1983. Although the boundaries changed, Woolwich West in effect became the new Eltham constituency.

Boundaries

1918-1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Dockyard, Eltham, Herbert, River, St. George's, and St Mary's.

1950-1955: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Avery Hill, Herbert, St George's, Sherard, and Well Hall.

1955-1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Avery Hill, Coldharbour, Eltham Green, Falconwood, Herbert, Horn Park, Middle Park, New Eltham, St George's, Sherard, Shooters Hill, and Well Hall.

1974-1983: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Academy, Coldharbour, Eltham, Horn Park, Middle Park, New Eltham, St George's, Sherard, Shooters Hill, and Well Hall.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1918 Sir Kingsley Wood Conservative
1943 by-election Francis Beech Conservative
1945 Henry Berry Labour
1950 William Steward Conservative
1959 Colin Turner Conservative
1964 Bill Hamling Labour
1975 by-election Peter Bottomley Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1970s

1979 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter James Bottomley 21,222 47.3 -1.5
Labour D Page 18,613 41.5 -0.6
Liberal J Churchill 4,363 9.7 +4.4
National Front M Skeggs 630 1.4 -1.0
Majority 2,609 5.8 -2.7
Turnout 79.6 +5.7
Conservative hold Swing -0.5
Woolwich West by-election, 1975
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter James Bottomley 17,280 48.8 +10.2
Labour Joseph Stanyer 14,898 42.1 -5.0
Liberal Mrs Sheilagh Hobday 1,884 5.3 -9.0
National Front Mrs Ruth Robinson 856 2.4 N/A
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 218 0.6 N/A
English National Frank Hansford-Miller 140 0.4 N/A
C'tive, Anti-Common Market Reginald Simmerson 104 0.3 N/A
Independent Peter Bishop 41 0.1 N/A
Majority 2,382 6.7
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
1974 (Oct) General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 19,614 47.1 +3.0
Conservative Peter James Bottomley 16,073 38.6 -0.2
Liberal JP Johnson 5,962 14.3 -2.9
Majority 3,541 8.5 +3.2
Turnout 73.9 -8.0
Labour hold Swing +1.6
1974 (Feb) General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 20,126 44.1 -6.7
Conservative Peter James Bottomley 17,690 38.8 -10.5
Liberal JP Johnson 7,833 17.2 +17.2
Majority 2,436 5.3 +3.8
Turnout 81.9 +10.0
Labour hold Swing +1.9
1970 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 21,036 50.8 -2.9
Conservative Maurice Patrick Gaffney 20,418 49.3 +5.0
Majority 618 1.5 -7.9
Turnout 71.9 -9.5
Labour hold Swing -3.9

Elections in the 1960s

1966 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 23,344 53.7 +2.9
Conservative Maurice Patrick Gaffney 19,256 44.3 -2.4
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 906 2.1 -0.4
Majority 4,088 9.4 +5.4
Turnout 81.4 +0.1
Labour hold Swing 2.6
1964 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 22,420 50.8 +6.1
Conservative Colin William Carstairs Turner 20,639 46.7 -6.0
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 1,112 2.5 -0.1
Majority 1,781 4.0
Turnout 81.3 -3.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 6.1

Elections in the 1950s

1959 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin William Carstairs Turner 24,373 52.7 +0.7
Labour William Hamling 20,678 44.7 -3.3
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 1,189 2.6 +2.6
Majority 3,695 8.0 +3.9
Turnout 84.8 +1.5
Conservative hold Swing 2.0
1955 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Arthur Steward 23,981 52.0 +2.7
Labour William Hamling 22,101 48.0 +1.6
Majority 1,880 4.1 +1.3
Turnout 83.3 +1.2
Conservative hold Swing 0.5
1951 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Arthur Steward 23,385 49.3 +2.7
Labour John Ernest Silkin 22,041 46.4 +0.1
Liberal David Phillips 2,040 4.3 -2.9
Majority 1,344 2.8 +2.5
Turnout 82.1 -5.0
Conservative hold Swing 1.3
1950 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Arthur Steward 21,257 46.6 +8.2
Labour Henry Berry 21,118 46.3 -15.0
Liberal WR Roberts 3,279 7.2 +7.2
Majority 139 0.3
Turnout 87.1 +14.8
Conservative gain from Labour Swing 11.6

Elections in the 1940s

1945 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Henry Berry 23,655 61.6 +20.3
Conservative Francis Beech 14,771 38.4 -20.3
Majority 8,884 23.1
Turnout 72.3 -3.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 20.3
Woolwich West by-election, 1943[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Beech 8,204 65.2 +6.9
Ind. Labour Party Tom Colyer 3,419 27.2 N/A
Independent J. Ellis 958 7.6 N/A
Majority 4,785 38.0 +20.7
Turnout 12,581
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s

1935 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Howard Kingsley Wood 24,649 58.7 -5.9
Labour Arthur George Wansborough 17,373 41.3 +5.9
Majority 7,276 17.3 -11.8
Turnout 75.8 -1.6
Conservative hold Swing -5.9
1931 General Election: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Howard Kingsley Wood 26,441 64.6
Labour Co-op Joseph Reeves 14,520 35.4
Majority 11,921 29.1
Turnout 77.4
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Woolwich West [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir Howard Kingsley Wood 17,296 45.1
Labour William Barefoot 16,964 44.2
Liberal Arthur Stanley Phillips 4,140 10.7
Majority 332 0.9
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1923: Woolwich West [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir Howard Kingsley Wood 12,380 52.2 -8.0
Labour William Barefoot 11,357 47.8 +8.0
Majority 1,023 4.4
Turnout 67.8 -2.3
Unionist hold Swing -8.0

References

  1. Whitaker's Almanack (1945), p.306
  2. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  3. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Spen Valley
Constituency represented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
1940–1943
Succeeded by
Combined Scottish Universities
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