Tonbridge by-election, 1937

The Tonbridge by-election of 1937 was held on 23 March 1937. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, Herbert Henry Spender-Clay. It was won by the Conservative candidate Adrian William Maxwell Baillie.[1]

Candidates

Adrian Baillie had previously been the Unionist MP for the normally Labour seat of Linlithgowshire from 1931 to 1935.

The Liberal challenger was 59 year-old[2] Borlase Matthews. He was Liberal candidate at Henley for the 1931 General Election, the Henley by-election, 1932 and at Ashford for the 1935 General Election.[3] He was an engineer but left engineering to take up farming. He was a Member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society. He was a Member of the Electricity Commissioners Rural Electrification Conference. He was Chairman of the Rural Reconstruction Association. He was also an author of several books and papers on farming.[4]

Result

Tonbridge by-election, 1937[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Adrian William Maxwell Baillie 18,802 56.9
Labour H Smith 8,147 24.7
Liberal Richard Borlase Matthews 6,073 18.4
Majority
Turnout 58.2
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. http://www.leighrayment.com/commons.htm
  2. Who's who in Engineering, 1921
  3. The Times House of Commons, 1935
  4. The Times House of Commons, 1931
  5. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig


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