1904 Devonport by-election
{{Short description|UK parliamentary by-election}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox election
|election_name=1904 Devonport by-election
|type=presidential
|country=United Kingdom
|previous_election=Devonport (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s
|previous_year=1900
|next_election=Devonport (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s
|next_year=1906
|election_date=20 June 1904
|candidate1=Benn
|image1=85px
|party1=Liberal Party (UK)
|popular_vote1=6,219
|percentage1=54.6%
|candidate2=Jackson
|image2=85px
|party2=Conservative Party (UK)
|popular_vote2=5,179
|percentage2=45.4%
|map_image=
|map_size=250px
|title=MP
|posttitle=Subsequent MP
|before_election=John Lockie
|before_party=Conservative Party (UK)
|after_election=John Benn
|after_party=Liberal Party (UK)
}}
The 1904 Devonport by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 20 June 1904.{{cite book |last=Craig |first=F.W.S. |date=1987 |title=Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987 |location=Chichester |publisher=Parliamentary Research Services |page=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
John Lockie had been Conservative MP for one of the seats of Devonport since the 1902 Devonport by-election. He resigned at the age of 43 and died in January 1906.Who Was Who
Electoral history
The seat had been Conservative since he gained it in the 1902 Devonport by-election. Both Devonport seats had been Liberal from 1892-1902.
{{Election box begin | title=1902 Devonport by-electionBritish parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate =John Lockie
|votes =3,785
|percentage =50.2
|change = +1.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Thomas Brassey
|votes = 3,757
|percentage =49.8
|change = -1.3
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 28
|percentage = 0.4
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 7,542
|percentage = 84.3
|change = -0.8
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
|loser = Liberal Party (UK)
|swing = +1.3
}}
{{Election box end}}
Candidates
File:John Jackson, Vanity Fair, 1909-09-29.jpg
The local Conservative Association selected 53-year-old Sir John Jackson as their candidate to defend the seat. He was a contractor for Public Works. He completed the Admiralty Docks at Keyham, Devonport.Who Was Who
The local Liberal Association selected 54-year-old John Benn as their candidate to gain the seat. Benn was active in the London Dock Strike of 1889, and, as an increasingly prominent London politician, was elected in 1892 as the Liberal Party candidate for St George Division of Tower Hamlets. He was narrowly defeated at the general election in 1895. As a London County Councillor, he helped introduce electric trams to London's streets in 1903. He served as Chairman of the London County Council from 1903-04.Who Was Who
Campaign
Polling Day was fixed for 20 June 1904, just days after the previous MP resigned.
Result
The Liberals re-gained the seat from the Conservatives:
{{Election box begin | title=Devonport by-election, 1904British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate =John Benn
|votes =6,219
|percentage =54.6
|change =+4.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate =John Jackson
|votes = 5,179
|percentage =45.4
|change =-4.8
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 1,040
|percentage = 9.2
|change =N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 11,398
|percentage = 79.3
|change = -5.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner = Liberal Party (UK)
|loser = Conservative Party (UK)
|swing = +4.8
}}
{{Election box end}}
Aftermath
At the following General Election the result was:
{{Election box begin | title=General election January 1906British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Hudson Kearley
|votes = 6,923
|percentage = 29.1
|change = +3.2
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = John Benn
|votes = 6,527
|percentage = 27.5
|change = +2.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = John Jackson
|votes = 5,239
|percentage = 22.0
|change = -2.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = F Holme-Summer
|votes = 5,080
|percentage = 21.4
|change = -2.8
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 1,684
|percentage = 7.1
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Liberal Party (UK)
|swing = +3.0
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 1,447
|percentage = 6.1
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 23,769
|percentage = 81.4
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Liberal Party (UK)
|swing = +2.5
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{By-elections to the 27th UK Parliament}}
Category:1904 elections in the United Kingdom
Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Devon constituencies
Category:Elections in Plymouth, Devon