Merthyr (UK Parliament constituency)

Merthyr was a borough constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Merthyr
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
19181950
Seatsone
Created fromMerthyr Tydfil
Replaced byMerthyr Tydfil

The constituency was created for the 1918 general election, and abolished for the 1950 general election, when it was largely replaced by the new constituency of Merthyr Tydfil.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member Party
1918 Sir Edgar Rees Jones Coalition Liberal
1922 R. C. Wallhead Labour
1931 ILP
1933 Labour
1934 by-election S. O. Davies Labour
1950 constituency abolished: see Merthyr Tydfil

Election results

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Elections in the 1910s

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General election 1918: Merthyr[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Edgar Rees Jones 14,127 52.7
Labour James Winstone 12,682 47.3
Majority 1,445 5.4 '
Turnout 26,809 76.5
Registered electors 35,049
Liberal win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1922: Merthyr [1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. C. Wallhead 17,516 53.0 +5.7
Independent and Anti-Socialist Richard Mathias[note 1] 15,552 47.0 New
Majority 1,964 6.0 N/A
Turnout 33,068 90.6 +14.1
Registered electors 36,514
Labour gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1923: Merthyr [2][1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. C. Wallhead 19,511 60.1 +7.1
Liberal David Rowland Thomas 7,403 22.8 New
Unionist Arthur Fox-Davies 5,548 17.1 New
Majority 12,108 37.3 +31.3
Turnout 32,462 86.8 −3.8
Registered electors 37,413
Labour hold Swing N/A
General election 1924: Merthyr[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. C. Wallhead 19,882 59.8 −0.3
Unionist Arthur Fox-Davies 13,383 40.2 +23.1
Majority 6,499 19.6 −17.7
Turnout 33,265 86.9 +0.1
Registered electors 38,276
Labour hold Swing -11.7
General election 1929: Merthyr [1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. C. Wallhead 22,701 59.6 −0.2
Liberal James Jenkins 8,696 22.8 New
Unionist Francis Bradley-Birt 6,712 17.6 −22.6
Majority 14,005 36.8 +17.2
Turnout 38,109 85.8 −1.1
Registered electors 44,408
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1931: Merthyr [3][1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind. Labour Party R. C. Wallhead 24,623 69.4 +9.8
New Party Sellick Davies 10,834 30.6 New
Majority 13,789 38.8 N/A
Turnout 35,547 80.8 −5.0
Registered electors 43,908
Ind. Labour Party gain from Labour Swing N/A
1934 Merthyr by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. O. Davies 18,645 51.8 New
Liberal Victor Evans 10,376 28.9 New
Ind. Labour Party Campbell Stephen 3,508 9.8 −59.6
Communist Wal Hannington 3,409 9.5 New
Majority 8,269 22.9 N/A
Turnout 35,938 81.1 +0.3
Registered electors 44,286
Labour gain from Ind. Labour Party Swing
General election 1935: Merthyr[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. O. Davies 20,530 68.0 N/A
Ind. Labour Party Claude Stanfield 9,640 32.0 −37.4
Majority 10,890 36.0 N/A
Turnout 30,170 68.8 −12.0
Registered electors 43,842
Labour gain from Ind. Labour Party Swing N/A

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Merthyr[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. O. Davies 24,879 81.4 +13.4
Independent Labour Samuel Jennings 5,693 18.6 New
Majority 19,186 62.8 +36.8
Turnout 30,572 68.6 −0.2
Registered electors 44,540
Labour hold Swing N/A

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Nominee of the local National Liberal association and supported by the Merthyr Conservative association

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, F.W.S., ed. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949. Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. p. 538. ISBN 0-900178-01-9.
  2. ^ Etholiadau'r ganrif 1885-1997, Beti Jones
  3. ^ "Merthyr Tydfil: Political Parties". A Vision of Britain Through Time.