Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)

Woolwich West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It centred on Eltham, now in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London.

Woolwich West
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyGreater London
1918–1983
Number of membersOne
Replaced byEltham
Created fromWoolwich
Woolwich West in the County of London 1918-50
Woolwich West in the County of London 1950-55

The constituency was formed for the 1918 general election, when the constituency of Woolwich was divided into Woolwich West and Woolwich East, and abolished in 1983. Although the boundaries changed, Woolwich West in effect became the new Eltham constituency.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Dockyard, Eltham, Herbert, River, St. George's, and St Mary's.

1950–1955: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Avery Hill, Herbert, St George's, Sherard, and Well Hall.

1955–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Avery Hill, Coldharbour, Eltham Green, Falconwood, Herbert, Horn Park, Middle Park, New Eltham, St George's, Sherard, Shooters Hill, and Well Hall.

1974–1983: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Academy, Coldharbour, Eltham, Horn Park, Middle Park, New Eltham, St George's, Sherard, Shooters Hill, and Well Hall.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMemberParty
1918Sir Kingsley WoodConservative
1943 by-electionFrancis BeechConservative
1945Henry BerryLabour
1950William StewardConservative
1959Colin TurnerConservative
1964Bill HamlingLabour
1975 by-electionPeter BottomleyConservative
1983 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bottomley 21,222 47.3 +8.7
Labour D Page 18,613 41.5 -5.6
Liberal J Churchill 4,363 9.7 -4.6
National Front M Skeggs 630 1.4 N/A
Majority 2,609 5.8 N/A
Turnout 44,828 79.6 +5.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +0.5
1975 Woolwich West by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bottomley 17,280 48.8 +10.2
Labour Joseph Stanyer 14,898 42.1 -5.0
Liberal Sheilagh Hobday 1,884 5.3 -9.0
National Front Ruth Robinson 856 2.4 New
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 218 0.6 New
English National Frank Hansford-Miller 140 0.4 New
C'tive, Anti-Common Market Reginald Simmerson 104 0.3 New
Independent Peter Bishop 41 0.1 New
Majority 2,382 6.7 N/A
Turnout 35,525
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election October 1974: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 19,614 47.1 +3.0
Conservative Peter Bottomley 16,073 38.6 -0.2
Liberal JP Johnson 5,962 14.3 -2.9
Majority 3,541 8.5 +3.2
Turnout 41,649 73.9 -8.0
Labour hold Swing +1.6
General election February 1974: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 20,126 44.1 -6.7
Conservative Peter Bottomley 17,690 38.8 -10.5
Liberal JP Johnson 7,833 17.2 New
Majority 2,436 5.3 +3.8
Turnout 45,649 81.9 +10.0
Labour hold Swing +1.9
General election 1970: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 21,036 50.8 -2.9
Conservative Maurice Patrick Gaffney 20,418 49.3 +5.0
Majority 618 1.5 -7.9
Turnout 41,454 71.9 -9.5
Labour hold Swing -3.9

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 23,344 53.7 +2.9
Conservative Maurice Patrick Gaffney 19,256 44.3 -2.4
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 906 2.1 -0.4
Majority 4,088 9.4 +5.4
Turnout 43,506 81.4 +0.1
Labour hold Swing +2.6
General election 1964: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Hamling 22,420 50.8 +6.1
Conservative Colin Turner 20,639 46.7 -6.0
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 1,112 2.5 -0.1
Majority 1,781 4.0 N/A
Turnout 44,171 81.3 -3.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.1

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Turner 24,373 52.7 +0.7
Labour William Hamling 20,678 44.7 -3.3
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 1,189 2.6 New
Majority 3,695 8.0 +4.0
Turnout 46,240 84.8 +1.5
Conservative hold Swing +2.0
General election 1955: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Steward 23,981 52.0 +2.7
Labour William Hamling 22,101 48.0 +1.6
Majority 1,880 4.0 +1.1
Turnout 46,082 83.3 +1.2
Conservative hold Swing +0.5
General election 1951: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Steward 23,385 49.3 +2.7
Labour John Silkin 22,041 46.4 +0.1
Liberal David Phillips 2,040 4.3 -2.9
Majority 1,344 2.9 +2.6
Turnout 47,466 82.1 -5.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.3
General election 1950: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Steward 21,257 46.6 +8.2
Labour Henry Berry 21,118 46.3 -15.0
Liberal WR Roberts 3,279 7.2 New
Majority 139 0.3 N/A
Turnout 45,654 87.1 +14.8
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +11.6

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Henry Berry 23,655 61.6 +20.3
Conservative Francis Beech 14,771 38.4 -20.3
Majority 8,884 23.2 N/A
Turnout 38,426 72.3 -3.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 20.3
1943 Woolwich West by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Beech 8,204 65.2 +6.5
Ind. Labour Party Tom Colyer 3,419 27.2 New
Independent J. Ellis 958 7.6 New
Majority 4,785 38.0 +20.7
Turnout 12,581
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kingsley Wood 24,649 58.7 -5.9
Labour Arthur George Wansborough 17,373 41.3 +5.9
Majority 7,276 17.3 -11.8
Turnout 42,022 75.8 -1.6
Conservative hold Swing -5.9
General election 1931: Woolwich West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kingsley Wood 26,441 64.6 +24.6
Labour Co-op Joseph Reeves 14,520 35.4 -8.8
Majority 11,921 29.1 +20.3
Turnout 40,961 77.4 +0.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Woolwich West [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Kingsley Wood 17,296 45.0 −12.3
Labour William Barefoot 16,964 44.2 +1.5
Liberal Arthur Stanley Phillips 4,140 10.8 New
Majority 332 0.8 −13.8
Turnout 38,400 76.8 −2.9
Registered electors 50,014
Unionist hold Swing −6.9
General election 1924: Woolwich West [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Kingsley Wood 16,504 57.3 +5.1
Labour William Barefoot 12,304 42.7 −5.1
Majority 4,200 14.6 +10.2
Turnout 28,808 79.7 +11.9
Registered electors 36,153
Unionist hold Swing +5.1
General election 1923: Woolwich West [4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Kingsley Wood 12,380 52.2 −8.0
Labour William Barefoot 11,357 47.8 +8.0
Majority 1,023 4.4 −16.0
Turnout 23,737 67.8 −2.3
Registered electors 35,032
Unionist hold Swing −8.0
General election 1922: Woolwich West [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Kingsley Wood 14,453 60.2 +0.1
Labour J.T. Sheppard 9,550 39.8 +5.3
Majority 4,903 20.4 −5.2
Turnout 24,003 70.1 +10.1
Registered electors 34,242
Unionist hold Swing −2.6

Election in the 1910s
General election 1918: Woolwich West [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Kingsley Wood 12,348 60.1
Labour Alexander Gordon Cameron 7,088 34.5
Independent Unionist W.A. Adam 1,109 5.4
Majority 5,260 25.6
Turnout 20,545 60.0
Registered electors 34,248
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

References
  1. Whitaker's Almanack (1945), p.306
  2. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  3. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  4. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  5. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  6. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Spen Valley		 Constituency represented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
1940–1943		 Succeeded by
Combined Scottish Universities
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