Lewisham West (UK Parliament constituency)

Lewisham West was a borough constituency in south-east London represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election from 1918, until it was abolished for the 2010 general election.

Lewisham West
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Lewisham West in Greater London for the 2005 general election
CountyGreater London
1918–2010
Number of membersOne
Replaced byLewisham West and Penge
Created fromLewisham

History
Lewisham West in London 1918-50
Lewisham West in London 1950-74

From 1966 until 1992, Lewisham West was a classic bellwether seat, being won by whichever party won the General Election (with the exception of 1979). However, long-term demographic trends have since turned the seat away from being a Labour-Conservative marginal into a safe Labour seat. Partly this has occurred because of a strong increase in the number of ethnic minority residents. At the same time, the communities of Catford, Sydenham and Forest Hill have become much less leafy and suburban over the past 30 years. The large council estate of Bellingham has always been a Labour stronghold, and the other areas of the seat can also now be regarded as quite safe for Labour, whereas in the past they were not.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham wards of Brockley, Forest Hill, and Sydenham, and parts of the wards of Catford and Lewisham Village.

1950–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham wards of Brockley, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Sydenham East, and Sydenham West.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Bellingham, Culverley, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Rushey Green, Sydenham East, and Sydenham West.

1983–2010: The London Borough of Lewisham wards of Bellingham, Catford, Forest Hill, Horniman, Perry Hill, Rushey Green, St Andrew, Sydenham East, and Sydenham West.

Lewisham West constituency covered the south-western part of the London Borough of Lewisham, being largely based on the communities of Catford, Sydenham, Forest Hill and Bellingham.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in South London, the Boundary Commission for England created a new constituency of Lewisham West and Penge, using electoral wards from Bromley and Lewisham.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMemberParty
1918 Edward Feetham Coates Coalition Conservative
1921 by-election Philip Dawson Conservative
1938 by-election Henry Brooke Conservative
1945 Arthur Skeffington Labour
1950 Henry Price Conservative
1964 Patrick McNair-Wilson Conservative
1966 James Dickens Labour
1970 John Gummer Conservative
Feb 1974 Christopher Price Labour
1983 John Maples Conservative
1992 Jim Dowd Labour
2010 constituency abolished: see Lewisham West and Penge

Elections

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Lewisham West[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 16,611 52.0 −9.1
Liberal Democrats Alex Feakes 6,679 20.9 +7.4
Conservative Evett McAnuff 6,396 20.0 −2.4
Green Nick Long 1,464 4.6 New
UKIP Jens Winton 773 2.4 +0.8
Majority 9,932 31.1 -7.6
Turnout 31,923 54.7 +2.6
Labour hold Swing −8.2
General election 2001: Lewisham West[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 18,816 61.1 -0.9
Conservative Gary Johnson 6,896 22.4 -1.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Thomas 4,146 13.5 +3.7
UKIP Frederick Pearson 485 1.6 New
Independent Nick Long 472 1.5 New
Majority 11,920 38.7 +0.6
Turnout 30,815 52.1 -12.0
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Lewisham West[3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 23,273 62.0 +15.0
Conservative Clare Whelan 8,956 23.8 −19.0
Liberal Democrats Kathy McGrath 3,672 9.8 −0.1
Referendum Anthony Leese 1,098 2.9 New
Socialist Labour Nick Long 398 1.1 New
Liberal Elizabeth Oram 167 0.5 New
Majority 14,317 38.1 +33.9
Turnout 37,564 64.0 −9.0
Labour hold Swing +17.0
General election 1992: Lewisham West[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Patrick Dowd 20,378 47.0 +9.1
Conservative John Cradock Maples 18,569 42.8 −3.4
Liberal Democrats Mrs E Neale 4,295 9.9 −6.0
Anti-Federalist League P Coulam 125 0.3 New
Majority 1,809 4.2 N/A
Turnout 43,367 73.0 +0.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Lewisham West[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Cradock Maples 20,995 46.2 +2.2
Labour James Patrick Dowd 17,223 37.9 -0.5
Liberal Sarah Caroline Titley 7,247 15.9 -0.9
Majority 3,772 8.3 +2.7
Turnout 45,465 72.2 +1.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Lewisham West[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Cradock Maples 19,521 44.02
Labour Christopher Price 17,015 38.37
Liberal H. Mooney 7,470 16.85
BNP R. F. Hoy 336 0.76 New
Majority 2,506 5.65 N/A
Turnout 44,342 70.34
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christopher Price 20,932 46.45
Conservative N. P. Kemp 19,882 44.12
Liberal G. A. Payne 3,350 7.43
National Front P. Williams 901 2.00
Majority 1,050 2.33
Turnout 45,065 76.01
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christopher Price 21,102 48.24
Conservative M. Marshall 15,573 35.60
Liberal J.D. Eagle 5,952 13.61
National Front P. Williams 1,114 2.55
Majority 5,529 12.64
Turnout 43,741 70.06
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christopher Price 21,118 43.27 -5.7
Conservative John Selwyn Gummer 18,716 38.35 -12.7
Liberal J.D. Eagle 7,974 16.34 New
National Front P. Williams 1,000 2.05 New
Majority 2,402 4.92 N/A
Turnout 48,808 78.89
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +3.4
General election 1970: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Selwyn Gummer 19,676 50.98
Labour James McCulloch York Dickens 18,916 49.02
Majority 760 1.96 N/A
Turnout 38,592 68.06
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McCulloch York Dickens 21,018 52.54
Conservative Patrick Michael Ernest David McNair-Wilson 18,984 47.46
Majority 2,034 5.08 N/A
Turnout 40,002 75.68
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1964: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Michael Ernest David McNair-Wilson 18,167 44.78
Labour Joan Lestor 17,281 42.59
Liberal Alan B Mountain 5,123 12.63
Majority 886 2.19
Turnout 40,571 74.82
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 22,466 51.74
Labour Richard C Edmonds 16,233 37.39
Liberal Trevor Arthur Smith 4,721 10.87 New
Majority 6,233 14.35
Turnout 38,689 80.30
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 24,066 54.94
Labour Tom Sargant 19,741 45.06
Majority 4,325 9.88
Turnout 43,807 79.57
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 25,449 52.73
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 22,813 47.27
Majority 2,636 5.46
Turnout 48,262 85.85
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Alfred Price 23,628 49.23
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 21,433 44.65
Liberal Alfred Edward G Pritchard 2,939 6.12 New
Majority 2,195 4.58 N/A
Turnout 45,061 85.70
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 20,008 53.35
Conservative Henry Brooke 17,492 46.65
Majority 2,516 6.70 N/A
Turnout 37,500 73.65
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s
1938 Lewisham West by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Brooke 22,587 57.1 -7.6
Labour Arthur Massey Skeffington 16,939 42.9 +7.6
Majority 5,648 14.2 -15.2
Turnout 39,526 58.0 -5.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Philip Dawson 27,173 64.7 -12.8
Labour Robert Michael Maitland Stewart 14,803 35.3 +12.8
Majority 12,370 29.4 -25.6
Turnout 41,976 63.9 -5.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Philip Dawson 34,289 77.5 -28.4
Labour Robert Michael Maitland Stewart 9,956 22.5 -3.4
Majority 24,333 55.0 +31.8
Turnout 44,245 69.2 -0.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 20,830 49.1 −10.2
Labour Catherine Mary Wadham 10,958 25.9 +5.5
Liberal Arthur Reginald Newsom Roberts 10,590 25.0 +4.7
Majority 9,872 23.2 −15.7
Turnout 42,378 69.3 −6.2
Registered electors 61,191
Unionist hold Swing −7.9
General election 1924: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 19,723 59.3 +8.4
Labour Barbara Drake 6,781 20.4 New
Liberal Barrett Lennard Albemarle O'Malley 6,756 20.3 −28.8
Majority 12,942 38.9 +37.1
Turnout 33,260 75.5 +18.5
Registered electors 44,078
Unionist hold Swing +18.6
General election 1923: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 12,448 50.9 −14.8
Liberal Barrett Lennard Albemarle O'Malley 12,009 49.1 +14.8
Majority 439 1.8 −29.6
Turnout 24,457 57.0 −1.1
Registered electors 42,940
Unionist hold Swing −14.8
General election 1922: Lewisham West [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 16,216 65.7 N/A
Liberal Barrett Lennard Albemarle O'Malley 8,469 34.3 N/A
Majority 7,747 31.4 N/A
Turnout 24,685 58.1 N/A
Registered electors 42,455
Unionist hold Swing N/A
1921 Lewisham West by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Dawson 9,427 39.0 N/A
Anti-Waste League Walter George Windham 8,580 35.4 New
Liberal Frank Raffety 6,211 25.6 New
Majority 847 3.6 N/A
Turnout 24,218 59.2 N/A
Registered electors 40,919
Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Lewisham West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Sir Edward Feetham Coates Unopposed
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

Notes and references
  1. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  3. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  4. "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 7 Jan 2011.
  5. C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.111 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  6. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 Dec 2010.
  8. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949

Sources

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