Ross (UK Parliament constituency)

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For the 1708–1832 constituency in Scotland, see Ross-shire (UK Parliament constituency). For the 1801–1885 constituency in Ireland, see New Ross (UK Parliament constituency).
Ross
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyHerefordshire
Major settlementsRoss-on-Wye
1885–1918
Number of membersOne
Replaced byHereford
Created fromHerefordshire

Ross, or the Southern division of Herefordshire was a county constituency centred on the town of Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

The constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when the three-seat Herefordshire constituency was replaced by two single-member county divisions: the Leominster (or Northern) division, and the Ross (or Southern) division.

Ross was abolished for the 1918 general election.

Boundaries[]

The Sessional Divisions of Dore, Harewood's Ends, Hereford, Ledbury and Ross and the Municipal Borough of Hereford.[1]

Members of Parliament[]

Election Member[2][3] Party
1885 Michael Biddulph Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1900 Percy Clive Liberal Unionist
1906 Alan Coulston Gardner Liberal
1908 by-election Percy Clive Liberal Unionist
1912 Unionist
May 1918 by-election Charles Pulley Unionist
Dec. 1918 constituency abolished

Elections[]

Decades:

Elections in the 1880s[]

General election 1885: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Michael Biddulph 4,415 54.8
Conservative Joseph Bailey 3,643 45.2
Majority 772 9.6
Turnout 8,058 79.2
Registered electors 10,179
Liberal win (new seat)
General election 1886: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Michael Biddulph 3,968 70.4 +25.2
Liberal Thomas Duckham 1,670 29.6 -25.2
Majority 2,298 40.8 N/A
Turnout 5,638 55.4 -23.8
Registered electors 10,179
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +25.2

Elections in the 1890s[]

General election 1892: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Michael Biddulph 4,326 52.8 -17.6
Liberal Joseph Pulley 3,869 47.2 +17.6
Majority 457 5.6 -35.2
Turnout 8,195 74.7 +19.3
Registered electors 10,968
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +17.6
General election 1895: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Michael Biddulph 4,573 61.8 +9.0
Liberal Arthur Withy 2,828 38.2 -9.0
Majority 1,745 23.6 +18.0
Turnout 7,401 65.8 -8.9
Registered electors 11,249
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +9.0

Elections in the 1900s[]

General election 1900: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Clive Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
Alan Gardner.jpg
General election 1906: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Coulston Gardner 4,497 51.8 New
Liberal Unionist Percy Clive 4,185 48.2 N/A
Majority 312 3.6 N/A
Turnout 8,682 83.5 N/A
Registered electors 10,394
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing N/A
1908 Ross by-election[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Clive 4,947 55.7 +7.5
Liberal Frederick Whitley-Thomson 3,928 44.3 -7.5
Majority 1,019 11.4 N/A
Turnout 8,875 84.6 +1.1
Registered electors 10,486
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +7.5

Elections in the 1910s[]

Webb
General election January 1910: Ross[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Clive 5,073 52.0 +3.8
Liberal Henry Webb 4,678 48.0 -3.8
Majority 395 4.0 N/A
Turnout 9,751 89.1 +5.6
Registered electors 10,946
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing -3.7
General election December 1910: Ross[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Percy Clive 4,748 50.6 -1.4
Liberal Henry Webb 4,627 49.4 +1.4
Majority 121 1.2 -2.8
Turnout 9,375 85.6 -3.5
Registered electors 10,946
Liberal Unionist hold Swing -1.4

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

1918 Ross by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Pulley 3,260 64.6 +14.0
NFU T. Percy Preece 1,784 35.4 New
Majority 1,476 29.2 +28.0
Turnout 5,044 44.2 -41.4
Unionist hold

References[]

  1. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  3. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 294. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  5. ^ a b British parliamentary election results 1885-1918
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