1911 Barnstaple by-election

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

1911 Barnstaple by-election
6 May 1911
 
Candidate Baring Parker
Party Liberal Liberal Unionist
Popular vote 6,239 5,751
Percentage 52.0 48.0
MP before election

Ernest Soares
Liberal

 Subsequent MP

Tudor Rees
Liberal

Previous result
Ernest Soares
General election December 1910
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ernest Soares 6,047 54.0
Liberal Unionist Charles Sandbach Parker 5,155 46.0
Majority 892 8.0
Turnout 11,202 85.3
Liberal hold Swing

Candidates

The Liberal candidate was Sir Godfrey Baring, a 40-year-old Eton educated former Liberal MP from the Isle of Wight. He had sat for the Isle of Wight from 1906 until his defeat in January 1910. At the December 1910 general election he had contested Devonport . He was the chairman of the Isle of Wight County Council.

The Unionist candidate was Charles Sandbach Parker, an Ayrshire-based 47-year-old Chairman and Managing Director of Demerara Co. who had been educated at Eton and Oxford. He had contested Barnstaple at the December 1910 general election.

Result
Godfrey Baring
Barnstaple by-election, 1911
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Godfrey Baring 6,239 52.0 -2.0
Liberal Unionist Charles Sandbach Parker 5,751 48.0 +2.0
Majority 488 4.0 -4.0
Turnout 11,990 88.2 +2.9
Liberal hold Swing -2.0

Aftermath

Baring chose not to defend his seat and instead sought re-election for his old Isle of Wight seat.

General election 14 December 1918:
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Tudor Rees 11,281 51.4 -0.6
Unionist Charles Sandbach Parker 10,679 48.6 +0.6
Majority 602 2.8 -1.2
Turnout 21,960 69.1 -19.1
Liberal hold Swing -0.6

References
    • Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.
    • Who's Who: www.ukwhoswho.com
    • Debrett's House of Commons 1916
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