Norwich by-election, 1904

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

Vacancy

Sir Harry Bullard had been Conservative MP for the seat of Norwich since the 1895 General Election. He died on 26 December 1903 at the age of 62.

Electoral history

The seat had been Conservative since they gained it in 1895. They held the seats at the last election, unopposed.

Candidates

The local Conservative Association selected 35-year-old Ernest Edward Wild as their candidate to defend the seat. He was born in Norwich and attended Norwich School. He was a Barrister who had been called to Bar at Middle Temple in 1893. He had been Judge of the Norwich Guildhall Court of Record since 1897.^[1]

The local Liberal Association selected 39-year-old Norfolk born solicitor Louis Tillett as their candidate to gain the seat.^[2]

The local Independent Labour Party selected 36-year-old Norfolk born George Roberts as their candidate. He had joined the Independent Labour Party in 1886. He was elected to the Norwich School Board in 1889. He was Secretary of the Typographical Association and President of Norwich Trades Council.^[3]

Campaign

George Roberts election card

Polling Day was fixed for the 15 January 1904, just 20 days after the previous MP died.

Result

The Liberals gained the seat from the Conservatives;

1904 Norwich by-election^[4] Electorate 19,728

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Louis John Tillett	8,576	48.3
	Conservative	Ernest Edward Wild	6,756	38.0
	Ind. Labour Party	George Henry Roberts	2,440	13.7
Turnout				90.1
Majority			1,820	10.3
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

The Spectator magazine, known for its Conservative sympathies felt that "There can be little doubt that the election was fought mainly on the fiscal issue, and the result is all the more encouraging to the opponents of Protectionism in that—to quote from the Times—" both the Liberal and the Labour candidates were free traders, their united votes showing a majority of more than four thousand against the advocate of fiscal reform."^[5]

Aftermath

At the following General Election the Conservatives also lost the other seat, the result was;

George Roberts

General Election January 1906^[6] Electorate 20,390

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	George Henry Roberts	11,059	37.5
	Liberal	Louis John Tillett	10,972	37.2
	Conservative	Ernest Edward Wild	7,460	25.3
Turnout				91.6
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing
Majority			3,599	12.2
	Liberal hold		Swing
Majority			3,512

References

1. ‘WILD, Sir Ernest (Edward)’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007 accessed 6 March 2014
2. Who Was Who
3. Who Was Who
4. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
5. The Spectator 23 JANUARY 1904
6. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig