Hanley (UK Parliament constituency)

The constituency was created for the 1885 general election. Before this, since 1832 a parliamentary borough of Stoke-upon-Trent had existed, covering almost the whole of what is now the Stoke-on-Trent conurbation and electing two MPs. In 1885, this was split into two constituencies electing a single member each, Stoke-upon-Trent in the south and Hanley in the north. Hanley became a parliamentary borough in its own right, and shortly afterwards also became a county borough.

The Hanley constituency in the 1885 to 1918 period included Burslem, as well as Hanley itself, and was one of the most populous urban constituencies in the country, with more than 100,000 inhabitants by the time of the First World War. Its main economic base was pottery, though both towns included substantial numbers of coal miners as well as pottery workers. Predominantly working class, it could be normally be considered a safe Liberal seat; however, the Conservatives managed a narrow victory as part of their national landslide in 1900, perhaps helped by lack of enthusiasm among the potters for the Liberal candidate, Enoch Edwards, who was one of the leaders of the miners' union. Edwards convincingly recaptured the seat in 1906, and with the rest of his union joined the Labour Party in 1909. At the by-election after his death, however, the Liberals regained the seat, with the Labour candidate a poor third.

By the time of the general election of 1918, the county borough of Hanley had been absorbed into an enlarged county borough of Stoke-on-Trent, and in the boundary changes implemented in that year the same process took place at parliamentary level. The new parliamentary borough of Stoke-on-Trent was accorded three seats in place of the two which the area had had since 1885, and was divided into three single-member constituencies, of which Stoke-on-Trent, Hanley was one. The new division was smaller than the old constituency, Burslem now having a seat of its own, and quickly became a safe Labour seat, though the Conservatives won it in their landslide year of 1931.

Hanley was abolished for the 1950 general election, being largely replaced by the new Stoke-on-Trent Central constituency.

1885–1918: The municipal boroughs of Hanley and Burslem, and so much of the parliamentary borough of Stoke-upon-Trent as lay to the north of Hanley, and was not included in the local government district of Tunstall.{{cite book |author= |title=The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/publicgeneralac01walegoog/page/n113/mode/2up |location=London |publisher=Eyre and Spottiswoode |pages=111–198 |date=1885 |chapter=Chap. 23. Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885 }}

1918-1950: The County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent wards numbers nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen.{{cite book |last=Fraser |first=Hugh |author-link=Hugh Fraser (British judge) |date=1918 |title=The Representation of the People Act, 1918: with explanatory notes |url=https://archive.org/details/representationof00frasrich |location=London |publisher=Sweet and Maxwell}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1885: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Woodall

|votes = 6,136

|percentage = 69.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Francis Vers Wright{{cite news|title=The General Election|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18851124/004/0002|access-date=28 November 2017|work=The Morning Post|date=24 Nov 1885|page=2|via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

|votes = 2,739

|percentage = 30.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 3,397

|percentage = 38.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 8,875

|percentage = 80.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 10,970

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1886: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Woodall

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1892: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Woodall

|votes = 5,825

|percentage = 59.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Heath

|votes = 3,993

|percentage = 40.7

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,832

|percentage = 18.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 9,818

|percentage = 77.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 12,742

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1895: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Woodall

|votes = 5,653

|percentage = 51.3

|change = −8.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Heath

|votes = 5,367

|percentage = 48.7

|change = +8.0

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 286

|percentage = 2.6

|change = −16.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 11,020

|percentage = 85.4

|change = +8.3

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 12,897

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = −8.0

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1900: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Heath

|votes = 6,586

|percentage = 52.6

|change = +3.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal-Labour (UK)

|candidate = Enoch Edwards

|votes = 5,944

|percentage = 47.4

|change = −3.9

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 642

|percentage = 5.2

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 12,530

|percentage = 78.4

|change = −7.0

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 15,983

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = +3.9

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1906: Hanley{{cite book|editor1-last=Craig|editor1-first=FWS|title=British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918|date=1974|publisher=Macmillan Press|location=London|isbn=9781349022984}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal-Labour (UK)

|candidate = Enoch Edwards

|votes = 9,183

|percentage = 68.2

|change = +20.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Heath

|votes = 4,287

|percentage = 31.8

|change = −20.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 4,896

|percentage = 36.4

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 13,470

|percentage = 83.4

|change = +5.0

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 16,156

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Liberal-Labour (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +20.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

File:Enoch Edwards.jpg

{{Election box begin | title=General election January 1910: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Enoch Edwards

|votes = 9,199

|percentage =63.9

|change =-4.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate =George Herman Rittner

|votes =5,202

|percentage =36.1

|change =+4.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 3,997

|percentage =27.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 14,401

|percentage =87.1

|change =+3.7

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = Liberal-Labour (UK)

|swing =-4.3

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election December 1910: Hanley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Enoch Edwards

|votes = 8,343

|percentage =64.2

|change =+0.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate =George Herman Rittner

|votes =4,658

|percentage =35.8

|change =-0.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes =3,685

|percentage =28.4

|change =+0.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 13,001

|percentage =78.6

|change =-8.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =+0.3

}}

{{Election box end}}

File:RL_Outhwaite.jpg

{{Election box begin | title=1912 Hanley by-election

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = R. L. Outhwaite

|votes = 6,647

|percentage = 46.4

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = George Herman Rittner

|votes = 5,993

|percentage = 41.8

|change = +6.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Samuel Finney

|votes = 1,694

|percentage = 11.8

|change = -52.4

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 654

|percentage = 4.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 14,334

|percentage = 85.1

|change = +6.5

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|loser = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the autumn of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.

• Liberal Party: R. L. Outhwaite
• Labour Party: Myles Parker
• Unionist Party: George Herman Rittner

{{Election box begin | title=General election 14 December 1918: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig (Glasgow: Political Reference Publications, 1969)

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link coalition 1918|

|party = National Democratic and Labour Party

|candidate =James Seddon

|votes =8,032

|percentage =40.4

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate =Myles Parker

|votes =7,697

|percentage =38.7

|change = -35.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent Liberal

|candidate =R. L. Outhwaite

|votes =2,703

|percentage =13.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Leonard Lumsden Grimwade

|votes = 1,459

|percentage =7.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes =335

|percentage =1.7

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 19,891

|percentage =58.9

|change =-19.7

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = National Democratic and Labour Party

|loser = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end 1918}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1922: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Myles Parker

|votes = 10,742

|percentage = 48.8

|change = +10.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)

|candidate = James Seddon

|votes = 6,312

|percentage = 28.7

|change = -11.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = John Howard Whitehouse

|votes = 4,942

|percentage = 22.5

|change = +15.2

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 4,430

|percentage = 20.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 21,996

|percentage = 67.4

|change = +8.5

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = National Democratic and Labour Party

|swing = +10.9

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1923: Hanley British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Myles Parker

|votes = 11,508

|percentage = 53.3

|change = +4.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (UK)

|candidate = James Seddon

|votes = 5,817

|percentage = 26.9

|change = -1.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate =Ada Rowley Moody

|votes = 4,268

|percentage = 19.8

|change = -2.7

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,691

|percentage = 26.4

|change = +6.3

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 21,593

|percentage = 63.7

|change = -3.7

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = +3.1

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1924: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Samuel Clowes

|votes = 13,527

|percentage = 53.0

|change = -0.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (UK)

|candidate = Frank Collis

|votes = 11,976

|percentage = 47.0

|change = +20.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,554

|percentage = 6.0

|change = -20.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 25,503

|percentage = 73.5

|change = +9.8

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = -10.2

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=1928 Hanley by-electionBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Hollins

|votes = 15,136

|percentage = 60.2

|change = +7.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (UK)

|candidate = Alfred Denville

|votes = 6,604

|percentage = 26.3

|change = -20.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Walter Meakin

|votes = 3,390

|percentage = 13.5

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,532

|percentage = 33.9

|change = +27.9

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 25,130

|percentage = 69.9

|change = -3.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = +14.0

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1929: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Hollins

|votes = 20,785

|percentage = 62.1

|change = +1.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (UK)

|candidate = Eric Errington

|votes = 9,022

|percentage = 26.9

|change = +0.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Charles White

|votes = 3,696

|percentage = 11.0

|change = -2.5

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 11,763

|percentage = 35.2

|change = +1.3

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 33,503

|percentage = 72.5

|change = +2.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing = +0.6

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1931: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Harold Hales

|votes = 18,262

|percentage = 53.01

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Hollins

|votes = 15,245

|percentage = 44.25

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate

|party = Commonwealth Land Party

|candidate = J. W. Graham Peace

|votes = 946

|percentage = 2.75

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 3,017

|percentage = 8.76

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 34,453

|percentage = 72.64

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1935: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Arthur Hollins

|votes = 17,211

|percentage = 52.01

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Harold Hales

|votes = 15,880

|percentage = 47.99

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,331

|percentage = 4.02

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 33,091

|percentage = 69.79

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

General Election 1939–40

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

• Labour: Barnett StrossReport of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
• Liberal National: Frederick L Boult

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1945: HanleyBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Barnett Stross

|votes = 21,915

|percentage = 68.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = JPAL Doran

|votes = 10,313

|percentage = 32.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 11,602

|percentage = 36.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 32,228

|percentage = 73.64

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Labour Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)
• Michael Kinnear, The British Voter (London: BH Batsford, Ltd, 1968)
• Henry Pelling, Social Geography of British Elections 1885-1910 (London: Macmillan, 1967)
• Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol II (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991)
• {{Rayment-hc|h|1|date=March 2012}}

{{Stoke-on-Trent}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanley (Uk Parliament Constituency)}}

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Stoke-on-Trent (historic)

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1885

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1950