The Thoresby Society

 

FIRST PERSON FROM THE LEEDS AREA TO ATTEND PARLIAMENT
1265 – Abbot Simon of Kirkstall Abbey summoned by Simon de Montfort

FIRST MP ELECTED FOR LEEDS
1654 – Adam Baynes

FIRST MP ELECTED FOR LEEDS FOLLOWING THE REFORM BILL OF 1832
1832 – T. B. Macaulay (Whig/ Liberal) 2,012 and J. Marshall Jr, (Whig / Liberal) 1,984

FIRST CONSERVATIVE / TORY ELECTED FOR LEEDS
1835 – Sir John Beckett registering 1,941 votes. He was the first Tory elected for one of the newly enfranchised boroughs

FIRST LABOUR MP ELECTED FOR LEEDS
1906 – J. O’Grady registering 4,299 votes in Leeds East. He stood as a Labour Representation Committee candidate but the party then changed its name to the Labour Party

FIRST WOMAN TO STAND IN A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION FOR LEEDS
1922 – M. P. Grant (Liberal) 9,554 – Leeds South East

FIRST WOMAN MP ELECTED FOR LEEDS
1945 – A. M. Bacon (Labour) 28,870 – Leeds North East

FIRST WOMAN CONSERVATIVE MP ELECTED FOR LEEDS
2015 – A. Jenkyns – 18,776 – Morley & Outwood

FIRST UNOPPOSED CANDIDATE
1880 – H. J. Gladstone (Liberal)

FIRST BY-ELECTION IN LEEDS
1834 – E. Baines (Whig) 1,951

FIRST TIME THE SECRET BALLOT WAS USED IN LEEDS
1872 – The secret ballot was first used in Leeds following the Ballot Act of that year in the municipal election held on 1 November.
1874 – It was used for the first time in Parliamentary elections.

FIRST WOMAN TO VOTE IN A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN LEEDS
1910 – A Francis Rushworth was registered at an address in the Leeds East constituency. At York Road Council School polling station a Frances Rushworth of that same address claimed it was her name on the register and actually voted.

1918 – Women over 30 were granted the right to vote in Parliamentary elections. In 1929 all women over 21 were given the right

FIRST LABOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO CAMPAIGN IN A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN LEEDS
1892 – J. L. Mahon (Independent Labour Party) stood in the Leeds South by-election. Although supported by Keir Hardie, his nomination paper was signed by non-burgesses and consequently he was disqualified.

1895 July – J. Shaw did stand for Leeds South but was beaten into third place.

FIRST GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE TO STAND IN A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN LEEDS
1987 – C. D. Nash stood in Leeds North East

FIRST UNITED KINGDOM INDEPENDENCE PARTY CANDIDATE TO STAND IN A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN LEEDS
1999 – R. Northgreaves stood in Leeds Central

FIRST USE OF MOTOR CARS IN CAMPAIGNING IN LEEDS
1900 – This was the first significant use of motor cars for campaigning in the city as in many other places

FIRST TIME TELEVISION CAMERAS COVERED A LEEDS ELECTION
1955 – Although the BBC began election broadcast coverage in 1950 it was not until 1955 they covered elections in Leeds

HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1880 – W. E. Gladstone (Liberal) – 24,622 – for Leeds overall
1959 – North West – D. Kaberry (Conservative), 35,210 – for a constituency

LOWEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1835 – Sir. J. Beckett (Tory) – 1,942 – for Leeds overall
1892 – South – J. L. Walton (Gladstonian Liberal) 4,414 - for a constituency

LOWEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A CANDIDATE
1834 – J. Bower (Whig) 24
For elections after 1929 when universal suffrage had been granted
2015 – North West – M. Flanagan (The Above and Beyond) 24

HIGHEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1931 – North – O. Peake (Conservative) 25,537

LOWEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1924 – West – T. W. Stamford (Labour) 3 (three)

LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTES CAST FOR A CANDIDATE
1940 – North East – Professor Henderson (Conservative ) 97.2%.

LONGEST SERVING MP
35 years – D. Healey (Labour): from 1952 for Leeds South East then 1955–1987 for Leeds East

SHORTEST SERVING MP
60 days – R. Hall (Conservative) from 28 March 1857 – 26 May 1857

LARGEST ELECTORATE [ From 1929 when universal suffrage was granted]
2019 – Central – 90,971

SMALLEST ELECTORATE [ From 1929 when universal suffrage was granted]
1945 – Central – 36,899

MOST TOTAL VOTES CAST[ From 1929 when universal suffrage was granted]
2017 – Elmet & Rothwell – 59,542

LEAST TOTAL VOTES CAST [ From 1929 when universal suffrage was granted]
1999 – Central – 13,187

MOST CANDIDATES IN A LEEDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION
8 candidates
2005 – Central
2010 – North West
2015 – North West
2019 – West

HIGHEST TURNOUT[ From 1929 when universal suffrage was granted]
1950 – West – 86.4%

LOWEST TURNOUT [ From 1929 when universal suffrage was granted]
1999 – Central 19.6%

WORST VIOLENCE AT AN ELECTION IN LEEDS
1832 – The so-called Battle of the Standard when Tory supporters displayed a large banner showing children going to Marshall’s Mill in a snowstorm. It precipitated a violent reaction from the Whig supporters in the yard of the Coloured Cloth Hall

WORST DISASTER AT AN ELECTION IN LEEDS
1857 March – A hustings collapsed on Woodhouse Moor as a result of heavy rain and snow. Several people were injured

MOST BIZARRE INCIDENT
1923 July – Probably one of the most bizarre incidents in general elections in the city occurred during the by-election for Leeds Central. A voter became so incensed with the presiding officer he swallowed his ballot paper in protest.