Oldbury and Halesowen (UK Parliament constituency)

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Oldbury and Halesowen
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1950–February 1974
Seatsone
Created fromStourbridge
Replaced byHalesowen & Stourbridge,
Warley West

Oldbury and Halesowen was a parliamentary constituency in the West Midlands, which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.

It was created from the eastern section of the Stourbridge constituency, which was reduced substantially in size, as a result of the recent population growth in both Oldbury and Halesowen.

It was then partly replaced by the new Halesowen and Stourbridge constituency, with the Oldbury area becoming part of Warley West.

Boundaries[edit]

The Boroughs of Halesowen and Oldbury.


Members of Parliament[edit]

Election Member Party
1950 Arthur Moyle Labour
1964 John Horner Labour
1970 John Stokes Conservative
Feb 1974 constituency abolished

Elections[edit]

Elections in the 1950s[edit]

Arthur Moyle had been elected the Member of Parliament for the Stourbridge constituency at the 1945 general election. Since 1946 he had served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Clement Attlee.[1] The turnout in 1950 proved to be the highest over the lifetime of the constituency.

General election 1950: Oldbury and Halesowen [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Moyle 28,379 50.42
Conservative Laurence Cecil Baxter 17,281 30.71
Liberal Ralph Kilner Brown 10,620 18.87
Majority 11,098 19.71
Turnout 56,640 86.28
Labour win (new seat)

The choice for voters in the 1951 election was between Labour or Conservative candidates following the withdrawal and non-replacement of the Liberal candidate. Arthur Moyle predicted the votes from those Liberal voters who cast their ballot would be shared equally between himself and his opponent. Walter Somers, Managing Director of the long established Somers forging firm of Halesowen was an Old Etonian and Oxford University graduate, born in Old Hill.[1] Clement Attlee and Anthony Eden visited Halesowen in the run-up to the election.[3]

General election 1951: Oldbury and Halesowen [4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Moyle 30,610 55.71
Conservative Walter Lionel Osborne Somers 24,338 44.29
Majority 6,272 11.42
Turnout 54,948 83.29
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Oldbury and Halesowen [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Moyle 24,123 46.07
Conservative Peter A Bridger 19,068 36.42
Liberal Derick Mirfin 9,171 17.51 New
Majority 5,055 9.65
Turnout 52,362 78.60
Labour hold Swing

The last Conservative challenger to incumbent Arthur Moyle was John Vernon, a director of Birmingham firm, Ash and Lacy and councillor for the Acocks Green ward.[6]

General election 1959: Oldbury and Halesowen [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Moyle 23,861 42.85
Conservative John Fane Vernon 21,478 38.57
Liberal Derick Mirfin 10,343 18.58
Majority 2,383 4.28
Turnout 55,682 80.83
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s[edit]

The constituency featured in a series of articles on marginal seats in the Birmingham Post ahead of the 1964 general election. The writer exclaimed that although one constituency, as far as its electors were concerned it was two "with little in common except the determination not to be identified with each other". Oldbury is described as quintessential industrial Black Country with its factory chimney stacks, while Halesowen is seen as more of a commuter town with many workers employed at the British Motor Corporation works at Longbridge. Philip Lugg, the Conservative Party candidate commented that 50 per cent of the workforce had connections with the steel industry and highlighted Labour's nationalisation policy. He, as well as the Labour and Liberal candidates saw housing as the main local issue. An unbiased forecast of the election result came from an Oldbury man who said "nobody is really certain who will win. The most you can say is that none of the candidates will lose his deposit".[8]

General election 1964: Oldbury and Halesowen [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Horner 22,099 40.56
Conservative Philip Harrison Lugg 21,182 38.87
Liberal Christopher Frederick Floris 11,210 20.57
Majority 917 1.68
Turnout 54,491 78.85
Labour hold Swing

The 1966 general election saw a straight fight between the Labour and Conservative candidates. John Horner, who won the seat for Labour in 1964 was aged 54. He originated from the East End of London, was previously an officer in the Merchant Navy and had joined the London Fire Brigade. At the age of 27 he became leader of the Fire Brigades Union. Philip Lugg, again standing for the Conservatives, was aged 43, a local man born and educated in West Bromwich, who worked in the family firm of ironmongers. Both candidates tried to win over the swathe of Liberal voters from the general election held two years previously. Horner said the local issues were leasehold reform, rates, local government reform and housing. A prediction published on the eve of the poll showed a close result in favour of Labour.[10]

General election 1966: Oldbury and Halesowen [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Horner 28,490 53.24
Conservative Philip Harrison Lugg 25,020 46.76
Majority 3,470 6.48
Turnout 53,510 76.68
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s[edit]

Voting intentions in the 1970 general election showed a swing towards the Conservatives and a prediction that for the first time in the history of the seat Labour would be defeated. Polling organisation, Marplan predicted a 4.2 per cent swing from Labour to Conservative. In response, John Horner said "our figures show a definite swing to Labour". Conservative challenger, John Stokes was confident the poll confirmed his party's findings that he would win the constituency by between 1,000 and 3,000 votes. Voters interviewed said the rising cost of living, maintaining employment and reducing taxation were the main issues.[12]

General election 1970: Oldbury and Halesowen [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Stokes 29,403 52.60
Labour John Horner 26,499 47.40
Majority 2,904 5.20 N/A
Turnout 55,902 72.09
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Prospects of Mr. Moyle". The Birmingham Mail. No. 26, 702. 18 October 1951. p. 7. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  3. ^ "Mr. Eden: "I have no conjuring trick" - Housewives' cheers". The Birmingham Post. No. 29, 077 (City ed.). 23 October 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  5. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  6. ^ "Candidate for Oldbury". Birmingham Post. No. 30, 888 (County ed.). 24 August 1957. p. 5. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973
  8. ^ Bolter, Harold (5 October 1964). "Oldbury and Halesowen: Green hills, black towns". Birmingham Post. No. 33, 055 (County ed.). p. 10. Retrieved 3 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973
  10. ^ Deacon, Colin (30 March 1966). "Oldbury and Halesowen: Liberal vote a major factor but not vital". Birmingham Post. No. 33, 514 (County ed.). p. 6. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  12. ^ "Marplan: Midland marginal could go to Tories for the first time". Birmingham Post. No. 31, 815 (6 a.m. ed.). 10 June 1970. p. front. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
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