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Greenwich (electoral division)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Greenwich was an electoral division for the purposes of elections to the Greater London Council. The constituency elected three councillors for a three-year term in 1964, 1967 and 1970.

The constituency was revised in 1973 and then elected one councillor for a four-year term in 1973, 1977 and 1981, with the final term extended for an extra year ahead of the abolition of the Greater London Council.

History

[edit]

It was planned to use the same boundaries as the Westminster Parliament constituencies for election of councillors to the Greater London Council (GLC), as had been the practice for elections to the predecessor London County Council, but those that existed in 1965 crossed the Greater London boundary. Until new constituencies could be settled, the 32 London boroughs were used as electoral areas which therefore created a constituency called Greenwich.[1]

The new constituencies were settled following the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and the electoral division was replaced from 1973 by the single-member electoral divisions of Greenwich, Woolwich East and Woolwich West. The new Greenwich electoral division matched the boundaries of the Greenwich parliamentary constituency.[2]

First series

[edit]
Greenwich
Former electoral division
for the Greater London Council
Map
Greenwich electoral division boundaries from 1965 to 1973
DistrictLondon Borough of Greenwich
Population228,030 (1969 estimate)
Electorate
  • 155,361 (1964)
  • 153,327 (1967)
  • 161,288 (1970)
Area11,723.7 acres (47.444 km2)
Former electoral division
Created1965
Abolished1973
Member(s)3
Replaced byGreenwich, Woolwich East and Woolwich West

The Greenwich constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964,[3] 1967[4] and 1970.[5] Three councillors were elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting.[6]

1964 election

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The first election was held on 9 April 1964, a year before the council came into its powers. The electorate was 155,361 and three Labour Party councillors were elected. With 73,727 people voting, the turnout was 47.5%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1964 Greater London Council election: Greenwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julia Ada Johnson 44,714
Labour John William Andrews 44,349
Labour James Young 42,621
Conservative U. V. Lister 25,358
Conservative W. S. Manners 25,104
Conservative L. J. Smith 24,851
Communist E. Halpin 3,786
Independent H. H. Wright 2,016
Turnout
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

1967 election

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The second election was held on 13 April 1967. The electorate was 153,327. One Labour Party and two Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 65,177 people voting, the turnout was 42.5%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1967 Greater London Council election: Greenwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peggy Arline Middleton 30,237
Conservative Sheila Mary Bradley 29,677
Conservative Charles Henry Miles 29,425
Conservative K. J. Johnson 29,295
Labour John William Andrews 29,210
Labour N. J. Smart 28,901
Liberal M. J. Colmer 3,711
Liberal M. P. D. Ellman 3,482
Liberal C. A. R. Rugman 2,973
Communist E. Halpin 2,168
Independent C.H. Waghorn 679
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

1967 by-election

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A by-election was held on 29 June 1967, following the resignation of Sheila Mary Bradley. The electorate was 153,327 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. With 65,177 voting, the turnout was 27.9%

Greenwich by-election, 1967
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John William Andrews 21,089
Conservative E. R. M. Middleton 19,492
Liberal M. J. Colmer 614
Communist E. Halpin 596
Independent William George Boaks 109
Independent C. H. Waghorn 72
Independent H. H. Wright 71
Turnout
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

1970 election

[edit]

The third election was held on 9 April 1970. The electorate was 161,288 and three Labour Party councillors were elected. With 65,065 people voting, the turnout was 40.3%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1970 Greater London Council election: Greenwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peggy Arline Middleton 35,440
Labour John William Andrews 35,438
Labour Mair Eluned Garside 34,503
Conservative D. H. P. Bridgehouse 25,699
Conservative W. Mitchell 25,469
Conservative P. S. A. Polkinhorne 24,809
Liberal M. J. Colmer 1,473
Homes before Roads C. N. Hamilton 1,462
Liberal J. R. Hassall 1,418
Liberal M. A. Harris 1,415
Communist J. Brookshaw 1,287
Homes before Roads D. H. Adams 1,257
Homes before Roads B. Platts 1,128
Union Movement M. P. Winn 1,128
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Second series

[edit]
Greenwich
Former electoral division
for the Greater London Council
Map
Greenwich electoral division boundaries from 1973 to 1986
DistrictGreenwich
Electorate
  • 52,423 (1973)
  • 52,893 (1974)
  • 52,402 (1977)
  • 51,706 (1981)
Area1,420 hectares (14.2 km2)
Former electoral division
Created1973
Abolished1986
Member(s)1
Created fromGreenwich

The Greenwich constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1973,[7] 1977[8] and 1981.[9] One councillor was elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting.[6]

1973 election

[edit]

The fourth election to the GLC (and first using revised boundaries) was held on 12 April 1973. The electorate was 52,423 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 38.9%. The councillor was elected for a three-year term. This was extended for an extra year in 1976 when the electoral cycle was switched to four-yearly.[10]

1973 Greater London Council election: Greenwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peggy Arline Middleton 13,953
Conservative J. A. B. Kind 6,440
Turnout
Labour win (new boundaries)

1974 by-election

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A by-election was held on 24 October 1974, following the death of Peggy Arline Middleton. The electorate was 52,893 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 22.4%.

Greenwich by-election, 1974
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frederick William Styles 7,495
Conservative N. J. Bennett 3,199
Liberal A. J. W. Renouf 852
Fellowship R. S. Mallone 305
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

1977 election

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The fifth election to the GLC (and second using revised boundaries) was held on 5 May 1977. The electorate was 52,402 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 42.0%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.

1977 Greater London Council election: Greenwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frederick William Styles 9,949
Conservative A. R. Milne 9,356
National Front B. Smoker 1,043
Liberal A. J. W. Renouf 865
Fellowship R. S. Mallone 552
National Party D. McCalden 252
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

1981 election

[edit]

The sixth and final election to the GLC (and third using revised boundaries) was held on 7 May 1981. The electorate was 51,706 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 44.0%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term, extended by an extra year by the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984, ahead of the abolition of the council.

1981 Greater London Council election: Greenwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Deirdre Frances Mary Wood 12,857
Conservative Peter J. Bassett 6,571
Liberal A. J. W. Renouf 2,001
Fellowship R. S. Mallone 637
National Front L. Bristo 319
NNF J. R. Dunster 225
Independent P. Hansford-Miller 129
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ British Information Services (1970). British Record: Political and Economic Notes. To date elections, normally fought on traditional party lines, have been based on the London boroughs, each borough returning two or more councillors; after 1973 there will be single member electoral areas based on parliamentary constituencies.
  2. ^ "The Greater London (Electoral Areas) Order 1972" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 20 June 1972. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. ^ "General Election of Greater London Councillors" (PDF). 9 April 1964. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  4. ^ "General Election of Greater London Councillors" (PDF). 13 April 1967. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 9 April 1970. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Greenwich". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 12 April 1973. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 5 May 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 7 May 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  10. ^ "The London Councillors Order 1976" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 17 February 1976. Retrieved 12 October 2023.