1910 East Dorset by-election

The East Dorset by-election was a Parliamentary by-election. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

1910 East Dorset by-election

30 June 1910

Candidate Henry Guest Nicholson Party Liberal Conservative Popular vote 6,967 6,375 Percentage 52.2 47.8

MP before election Freddie Guest Liberal Subsequent MP Freddie Guest Liberal

Vacancy

Thirty-five-year-old Frederick Guest had been Liberal MP for the seat of East Dorset since the January 1910 general election. In May 1910, his own election result was declared void, and he was unseated because of election irregularities by his constituency agent. This meant a by-election would take place and without Guest as a candidate.

Electoral history

The seat had been Liberal since they gained it in the 1904 East Dorset by-election. They narrowly held the seat at the last election, with a slightly increased majority;

Freddie Guest

General election January 1910[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Frederick Guest	6,957	51.6	+1.5
	Conservative	John Sanctuary Nicholson	6,531	48.4	-1.5
Majority			426	3.2	+3.0
Turnout				91.2	+1.3
	Liberal hold		Swing	+1.5

Candidates

The local Liberal Association selected 36-year-old Henry Guest, the older brother of Frederick Guest, to defend the seat. Like his brother, he had a military background, but unlike his brother, he had not before stood for parliament.[2] The Conservatives retained John Sanctuary Nicholson as their candidate.

Campaign

Polling Day was fixed for 30 June 1910.

Result

In a remarkably high turnout, almost as high as the last General Election, the Liberals held the seat and managed a slightly increased majority;

Henry Guest

East Dorset by-election, 1910[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Henry Guest	6,967	52.2	+0.6
	Conservative	John Sanctuary Nicholson	6,375	47.8	-0.6
Majority			592	4.4	+1.2
Turnout				90.2	-1.0
	Liberal hold		Swing	+0.6

Aftermath

Henry Guest did not defend the seat at the December 1910 general election and was instead elected for Pembroke and Haverfordwest. This allowed Frederick Guest to return first as Liberal candidate and then as the MP again;

General election December 1910[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Frederick Guest	6,819	52.1	-0.1
	Conservative	Maurice George Carr Glyn	6,266	47.9	+0.1
Majority			553	4.2	-0.2
Turnout				88.4	-1.8
	Liberal hold		Swing

References

1. Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.
2. Who's Who: www.ukwhoswho.com
3. Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.
4. Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.