Belfast Dock (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Belfast Dock was a borough constituency comprising part of northern Belfast. It was created in 1929 when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland.

Belfast Dock was created by the division of Belfast East into four new constituencies. It survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament, until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/hnihoc.htm The Northern Ireland House of Commons, 1921-1972], Northern Ireland Elections

The boundaries were the same as the former Dock ward. This meant that the boundary ran from Carlisle Circus, along Clifton Street, up North Queen Street, along Great George's Street, along the Belfast Lough, along Brougham Street and Duncairn Gardens and from the top of Duncairn Gardens, along the Antrim Road to Carlisle Circus. Consequently, the constituency was almost identical to the current New Lodge ward.

The constituency is now part of Belfast North.

The constituency was one of the most marginal in the Northern Ireland Parliament changing hands at every election until 1965. In every election from 1933 to 1965 the incumbent member lost his seat.

{{Politics of Northern Ireland 1921-72}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 22 May 1929: Belfast Dock[http://www.election.demon.co.uk/stormont/belfast.html Northern Ireland Parliamentary Elections Results: Boroughs: Belfast]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Charles Blakiston-Houston

|votes = 4,035

|percentage = 46.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|candidate = Dawson Gordon

|votes = 3,003

|percentage = 34.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent Unionist

|candidate = James Woods Gyle

|votes = 1,619

|percentage = 18.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,032

|percentage = 11.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 8,657

|percentage = 73.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 30 November 1933: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|candidate = Harry Midgley

|votes = 4,893

|percentage = 57.0

|change = +22.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Charles Blakiston-Houston

|votes = 3,685

|percentage = 43.0

|change = -3.6

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,208

|percentage = 14.0

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 8,578

|percentage = 77.5

|change = +3.8

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|loser = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 9 February 1938: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = George Anthony Clark

|votes = 3,578

|percentage = 42.6

|change = -0.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)

|candidate = James Collins

|votes = 2,891

|percentage = 34.5

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|candidate = Harry Midgley

|votes = 1,943

|percentage = 22.9

|change = -34.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 687

|percentage = 8.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 8,412

|percentage = 82.5

|change = +5.0

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|loser = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 14 June 1945: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|candidate = Hugh Downey

|votes = 3,985

|percentage = 57.7

|change = +34.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = George Anthony Clark

|votes = 2,924

|percentage = 42.3

|change = -0.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,061

|percentage = 15.4

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 6,909

|percentage = 78.5

|change = -4.0

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|loser = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 10 February 1949: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Thomas Loftus Cole

|votes = 3,674

|percentage = 52.0

|change = +9.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|candidate = Hugh Downey

|votes = 3,390

|percentage = 48.0

|change = -9.7

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 284

|percentage = 4.0

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 7,064

|percentage = 79.8

|change = +1.3

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|loser = Northern Ireland Labour Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 22 October 1953: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Irish Labour Party

|candidate = Murtagh Morgan

|votes = 3,537

|percentage = 51.3

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Thomas Loftus Cole

|votes = 3,358

|percentage = 48.7

|change = -3.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 179

|percentage = 2.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 6,895

|percentage = 75.9

|change = -3.9

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Irish Labour Party

|loser = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 20 March 1958: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = William Oliver

|votes = 3,156

|percentage = 52.1

|change = +3.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Irish Labour Party

|candidate = Gerry Fitt

|votes = 2,900

|percentage = 47.9

|change = -3.4

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 256

|percentage = 4.2

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 6,056

|percentage = 73.9

|change = -2.0

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|loser = Irish Labour Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 31 May 1962: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Irish Labour Party

|candidate = Gerry Fitt

|votes = 3,288

|percentage = 54.2

|change = +6.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = William Oliver

|votes = 2,781

|percentage = 45.8

|change = -6.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 507

|percentage = 8.4

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 6,069

|percentage = 77.9

|change = +4.0

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Irish Labour Party

|loser = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 25 November 1965: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Labour Party

|candidate = Gerry Fitt

|votes = 3,326

|percentage = 62.3

|change = +8.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = William Oliver

|votes = 2,016

|percentage = 37.7

|change = -8.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,310

|percentage = 24.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 5,342

|percentage = 70.3

|change = -7.6

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Republican Labour Party

|loser = Irish Labour Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 24 February 1969: Belfast Dock}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Labour Party

|candidate = Gerry Fitt

|votes = 3,274

|percentage = 62.8

|change = +0.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Harold E. Smith

|votes = 1,936

|percentage = 37.2

|change = -0.5

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,338

|percentage = 25.6

|change = +1.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 5,210

|percentage = 72.2

|change = +1.9

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Republican Labour Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Parliament of Northern Ireland}}

{{County Antrim constituencies}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Northern Ireland Parliament constituencies established in 1929

Dock

Category:Northern Ireland Parliament constituencies disestablished in 1973