1913 Londonderry City by-election

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

Vacancy

The sitting Unionist MP, the James Hamilton succeeded his father on his death as the Duke of Abercorn, so vacated his seat in the House of Commons to take up his seat in the House of Lords. He had been MP here since 1900.

Previous result
General election December 1910 Electorate 5,068
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Hamilton 2,415 51.1
Irish Parliamentary Shane Leslie 2,310 48.9
Majority 4,725 1.2
Turnout 4,725
Unionist hold Swing

Candidates

The Unionist candidate was 50-year-old Antrim born, London based soldier, Hercules Pakenham.

The Catholic clergy, whose authority on the choice of nationalist candidate was total, surprisingly selected Liberal David Hogg, a 73-year-old local shirt manufacturer and a Protestant.[1]

Campaign

The date of poll was set at 30 January, just 27 days after the death of the old Duke. This left little time for campaigning. Hogg's election address said he was a Liberal and a supporter of the government's Home Rule Bill; he did not canvass during the election.[2]

Result
Londonderry City by-election, 1913 Electorate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Cleghorn Hogg 2,699 50.5 New
Irish Unionist Hercules Pakenham 2,642 49.5 -1.6
Majority 57 1.0 N/A
Turnout 5,341
Liberal gain from Irish Unionist Swing N/A

Aftermath

Hogg died in August 1914 causing another by-election at which the Liberal, Sir James Brown Dougherty was returned unopposed.

References
  1. Siege city: the story of Derry and Londonderry by Brian Lacy
  2. "GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND BILL". millbanksystems.com.
  • 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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