Elections to the Corporation of the City of Glasgow were held on Tuesday 3 November 1896, alongside municipal elections across Scotland, and the wider British local elections.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/1896_Glasgow_Corporation_election_%28most_voted_party_by_electoral_area%29.svg/300px-1896_Glasgow_Corporation_election_%28most_voted_party_by_electoral_area%29.svg.png)
The usual process was for one third of the councillors to be re-elected annually, however Glasgow had seen boundary extensions and had transformed from a Town Council to a City Corporation, and as such the election saw all 75 councillors from all 25 wards (3 councillors per ward) seeking re-election simultaneously. This was the first time since 3 November 1846 that all of Glasgow's councillors had been up for re-election simultaneously. The 1846 re-election had occurred as a result of the towns of Calton, Anderston, and the Gorbals being subsumed into Glasgow.[1]
The election saw a group of social and civic reformers known as the Progressive Union emerge as the largest group on the council. The Progressive's had been inspired by the London-based Progressive Party, although Glasgow's Progressive platform had a more evangelical religious focus, combined with a belief in temperance, observance of the sabbath, and good municipal governance.[2][3][4]
Contests took place in 23 of the cities 25 wards, with only the wards of Kingston and Sandyford going uncontested. Overall 114 candidates contested the 75 seats.[1] The election saw an unusually heavy turnout, with female voters in particular voting in unprecedented numbers. This was credited to the efforts and influence of the new Progressive Union grouping.[4]
The election was also the first to be contested by the Workers Municipal Elections Committee, which had been set up in June 1896 and comprised the Irish National League, the Independent Labour Party, and the Co-operative movement. This grouping was brought together under the leadership of John Ferguson (elected for Calton ward), a prominent Irish Home Rule activist with close contacts to both the Labour movement and radical politics.[5]
Aggregate results
editParty | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive Union | |||||||||
Unionist | |||||||||
Ind. Labour Party | 3 |
Wards
editAnderston
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint-ticket | William Bilsland (incumbent) | 2191 | |||
Joint-ticket | Hugh Wallace (incumbent) | 1708 | |||
'People's candidate | Cpt. John Walker | 1463 | |||
'Popular' candidate | Robert Somerville Brown | 1380 | |||
'Workers' candidate | Francis J. Doran | 1059 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Blackfriars
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Re-elect Joint-ticket | Alexander Osborne (incumbent)c | 1793 | |||
Re-elect Joint-ticket | Adam M. Dunlop | 1752 | |||
Re-elect Joint-ticket | William Fife (incumbent) | 1563 | |||
Ratepayers | James Quigley | 974 | |||
'One of yourselves' | Marr Grieve | 908 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Blythswood
editBroomielaw
editCalton
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ind. Nationalist | Councillor John Ferguson (incumbent) | 2,717 | 21.94 | ||
ex-Baillie James McLennan | 2,216 | 17.90 | |||
Ind. Labour Party | Boyd S. Brown | 1,940 | 15.67 | ||
Socialist[6] | W. G. Hunter | 1834 | 14.81 | ||
Robert Harvie | 1283 | 10.36 | |||
John S. Lawson | 1026 | 8.29 | |||
Thomas McDougall | 809 | 6.53 | |||
Robert Burns | 557 | 4.50 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout | ~4127 | ~64.48 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing |
Cowcaddens
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Simon Dallas | 2775 | |||
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Treasurer James Gray (incumbent) | 2491 | |||
Progressive | Dr John Carswell | 2428 | |||
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | ex-Bailie Robert Graham (incumbent) | 1855 | |||
Irish Nationalist / Trade Unionist / Social Reformer | Joseph F. McGroary | 1383 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Cowlairs
editDarlmarnock
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | James Willock (incumbent) | 3,284 | |||
Ind. Labour Party | John Cronin | 2,397 | |||
Independent | John Pollock McPhun (incumbent) | 2,131 | |||
Progressive | William George Hunter | 1834 | |||
Progressive | J.M. Macmannus | 1824 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout | |||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Progressive gain from Independent |
Dennistoun
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ind. Temperance | Thomas M. Cunningham | 1987 | |||
Temperance Joint-Ticket | Hugh Brechin (incumbent) | 1933 | |||
Temperance Joint-Ticket | James M. Jack (incumbent) | 1719 | |||
Temperance Joint-Ticket | James McLachlan | 1520 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Exchange
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robert Murdoch (incumbent) | 886 | ||||
Thomas Watson (incumbent) | 849 | ||||
James R. Paton (incumbent) | 812 | ||||
Hugh Caldwell | 503 | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Gorbals
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
W. Fleming Anderson (incumbent) | 2,950 | ||||
James R. Sandilands | 2,716 | ||||
William Stevenson (incumbent) | 2,275 | ||||
Henry Vallance | 1821 | ||||
Thomas Neilson | 1153 | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Govanhill
editHutchesontown
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
David Richmond (incumbent) | 2,658 | ||||
P. G. Stewart (incumbent) | 2,652 | ||||
Progressive | John Battersby (incumbent) | 2,605 | |||
D. J. M. Quin | 1389 | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Kelvinside
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Bailie James Dick (incumbent) | 1198 | |||
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Bailie Robert M. Mitchell (incumbent) | 1113 | |||
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Bailie James M. J. Thomson (incumbent) | 1085 | |||
Progressive | William Martin | 756 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Kingston
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shearer (ex-Baillie) | Uncontested | ||||
Primrose (ex-Baillie) | Uncontested | ||||
Paton (ex-Baillie) | Uncontested | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Langside
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Baillie William Maclay (incumbent) | 1649 | |||
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Councillor Alexander Sinclair (incumbent) | 1605 | |||
Re-elect Joint-Ticket | Councillor John L. Oatts (incumbent) | 1296 | |||
Independent | James Hunter (Ex-Provost) | 1111 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Maryhill
editMile-end
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Mitchell (incumbent) | 2,170 | ||||
Ind. Labour Party | James Shaw Maxwell | 2,040 | |||
James Hamilton (incumbent) | 1,760 | ||||
Daniel M. Scott | 1619 | ||||
Alexander R. McGregor | 1579 | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Park
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint-ticket | Joseph Currie Robertson | 1861 | |||
Joint-ticket | Alexander Brown | 1840 | |||
Joint-ticket | Robert Paterson | 1819 | |||
Archibald C. Holms (incumbent) | 1457 | ||||
John Harrison | 1289 | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Pollokshields
editSandyford
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baillie Alexander (incumbent) | Uncontested | ||||
McFarlane (ex-Baillie) | Uncontested | ||||
Preceptor James Hunter Dickson | Uncontested | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Springburn
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint-ticket | Dr William Dougan | 2000 | |||
Joint-ticket | George B. Main (incumbent) | 1974 | |||
Joint-ticket | William Cochrane | 1613 | |||
Vetoist & Trade Unionist | Patrick O'Hare | 1457 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Townhead
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Progressive | Norman MacLeod Thomsonα | 2846 | |||
Progressive | William Finlay (incumbent)α | 2011 | |||
Progressive | David Morris (incumbent)α | 1965 | |||
Workers candidate | William Forsythb | 1793 | |||
Progressive | Michael Joseph Connellα | 1313 | |||
Workers candidate | George Pringleb | 1273 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Whitevale
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | James H. Martin (incumbent) | 2,460 | |||
Unionist | David Willox | 1,774 | |||
Progressive | John Dunn (incumbent) | 1,646 | |||
Ind. Labour Party | Hugh Murphy | 1515 | |||
Progressive | Hugh Blair | 1247 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Woodside
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Re-elect Joint-ticket | Bailie Samuel Chisholm (incumbent) | 3137 | |||
Re-elect Joint-ticket | Bailie Winston Pettigrew (incumbent) | 3024 | |||
Re-elect Joint-ticket | Councillor D. M. Stevenson (incumbent) | 2893 | |||
Labour Co-op | Peter Glasse | 1478 | |||
'Popular Candidates' | Dr. Archibald Gunn | 1318 | |||
'Popular Candidates' | Alexander McLaughlan | 1120 | |||
'Popular Candidates' | Charles Tosh Grant | 1075 | |||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Notes
edit- ^α Thomson, Finlay, Morris, and Connell all ran as 'Progressive' candidates, however Finlay, Morris, and Connell ran on a joint-ticket claiming to be 'popular Progressive' candidates, who the electors knew due to their past service. Thomson ran a separate campaign claiming to be 'The Progressive candidate,' focusing on the issue of temperance.[1]
- ^b Forsyth and Pringle ran as 'Workers' candidates, with a developed policy platform. This platform prioritised the establishment of a judicial rent commission to fix fair rents, and for the taxation of land values.[1]
- ^c Whilst running on a 're-elect' basis, Osborne is cited elsewhere as a member of the Glasgow Conservative party.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Glasgow Municipal Elections". The Glasgow Herald. 4 November 1896. p. 8.
- ^ THE EVOLUTION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF GLASGOW
- ^ p.471
- ^ a b c d e The Scotsman - Wednesday 04 November 1896 pg.8
- ^ Fraser, W. Hamish (1995). Glasgow: 1830 to 1912. Glasgow: Manchester University Press. p. 471. ISBN 0719036925.
- ^ Davies, Andrew (2013). City of Gangs: Glasgow and the Rise of the British Gangster. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-1444739787.
- ^ "The Glasgow Story," Alexander Osborne: Mitchell Library, The Bailie