1931 Manchester City Council election

1931 Manchester City Council election
35 of 144 seats on Manchester City Council; 73 seats needed for a majority
	Map of results of 1931 election
Leader of the Council before election; ; No overall control	Leader of the Council after election ; ; No overall control

Elections to Manchester City Council were held on Monday, 2 November 1931. One third of the councillors seats were up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a three-year term of office. The council remained under no overall control.^[1]^[2]

Election result

Party	Votes		Seats			Full Council
Conservative Party	63,284 (50.0%)	7.9	21 (60.0%)	21 / 35	9	71 (49.3%)	71 / 144
Labour Party	48,549 (38.4%)	4.0	7 (20.0%)	7 / 35	7	43 (29.9%)	43 / 144
Liberal Party	12,384 (9.8%)	9.8	7 (20.0%)	7 / 35		28 (19.4%)	28 / 144
Independent	0 (0.0%)	2.3	0 (0.0%)	0 / 35	1	2 (1.4%)	2 / 144
Independent Labour	1,662 (1.3%)	N/A	0 (0.0%)	0 / 35	1	0 (0.0%)	0 / 144
Residents	368 (0.3%)	0.2	0 (0.0%)	0 / 35		0 (0.0%)	0 / 144
Communist	261 (0.2%)	0.1	0 (0.0%)	0 / 35		0 (0.0%)	0 / 144

Full council

↓
43	28	2	71

Aldermen

↓
5	9	1	21

Councillors

↓
38	19	1	50

Ward results

All Saints'

All Saints'
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. McMahon	2,502	68.3	+12.0
	Labour	A. Trench	1,160	31.7	+5.4
Majority			1,342	36.6	+6.6
Turnout			3,662	41.3
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Ardwick

Ardwick
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	G. Grocock	3,399	62.0	−0.6
	Labour	W. Onions	2,080	38.0	+0.6
Majority			1,319	24.0	−1.2
Turnout			5,479	50.8
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Beswick

Beswick
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. Thorneycroft*	3,902	52.3	N/A
	Conservative	W. Shaw	3,559	47.7	N/A
Majority			343	4.6	N/A
Turnout			7,461	59.6
	Labour hold		Swing

Blackley

Blackley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	H. Lee	3,600	74.4	N/A
	Labour	W. Collingson	1,241	25.6	−6.7
Majority			2,359	48.8
Turnout			4,841	48.2
	Liberal hold		Swing

Bradford

Bradford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	F. J. Riley	3,596	59.0	+11.6
	Labour	R. McKeon	2,503	41.0	−11.6
Majority			1,093	18.0
Turnout			6,099	53.3
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Cheetham

Cheetham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. C. Kidd*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Chorlton-cum-Hardy

Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Somerville*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Elliott*	1,027	50.2	N/A
	Liberal	P. Smith	1,020	49.8	+22.4
Majority			7	0.4
Turnout			2,047	47.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Collyhurst

Collyhurst
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	L. E. Wilson	3,043	51.2	+1.5
	Labour	R. Malcolm*	2,792	47.0	−3.3
	Communist	S. Nuttall	103	1.8	N/A
Majority			251	4.2
Turnout			5,938	59.7
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Crumpsall

Crumpsall
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Reid	2,187	51.2	0
	Liberal	G. H. Harrison	2,082	48.8	+3.9
Majority			105	2.4	−3.9
Turnout			4,269	54.6
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Didsbury

Didsbury
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	S. P. Dawson*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Exchange

Exchange
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	G. L. Hardcastle*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Gorton North

Gorton North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. F. Regan*	3,623	56.4	−13.8
	Conservative	H. S. Birch	2,797	43.6	N/A
Majority			826	12.8	−27.6
Turnout			6,420	59.1
	Labour hold		Swing

Gorton South

Gorton South
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Lee*	3,683	51.9	−1.3
	Conservative	E. Appleton	3,410	48.1	+1.3
Majority			273	3.8	−2.6
Turnout			7,093	56.4
	Labour hold		Swing

Harpurhey

Harpurhey
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	F. Sutton	3,696	64.4	+9.5
	Labour	E. Barnacott	2,042	35.6	−9.5
Majority			1,654	28.8	+19.0
Turnout			5,738	56.1
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Levenshulme

Levenshulme
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	C. R. de la Wyche*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Longsight

Longsight
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Cundiff*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Medlock Street

Medlock Street
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P. T. Barnes	3,008	63.5	+18.9
	Labour	F. Edwards*	1,729	36.5	−18.9
Majority			1,279	27.0
Turnout			4,737	37.6
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Miles Platting

Miles Platting
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Vickers	3,422	53.1	+7.1
	Labour	W. Lewis	3,023	46.9	−7.1
Majority			399	6.2
Turnout			6,445	59.5
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Moss Side East

Moss Side East
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. Strange	2,734	92.6	+40.3
	Residents	A. R. Edwards	218	7.4	+7.0
Majority			2,516	85.2	+63.5
Turnout			2,952	33.9
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

Moss Side West

Moss Side West
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R. Pepperdine*	3,427	83.6	+36.8
	Labour	A. Eyres	632	15.4	−0.6
Majority			2,795	68.2	+54.5
Turnout			4,059	20.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

Moston

Moston
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. R. Mellor*	3,075	51.6	+18.2
	Conservative	J. S. O'Byrne	2,887	48.4	−6.2
Majority			188	3.2
Turnout			5,962	51.2
	Labour hold		Swing

New Cross

New Cross
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	S. Fitton*	3,750	51.5	+7.1
	Labour	L. M. Lever	3,528	48.5	−7.1
Majority			222	3.0
Turnout			7,278	67.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

Newton Heath

Newton Heath
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. F. Robinson*	3,293	61.6	+5.8
	Labour	J. Gorman	2,049	38.4	−5.8
Majority			1,244	23.2	+11.6
Turnout			5,342	52.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Openshaw

Openshaw
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Toole*	3,119	54.2	−12.4
	Conservative	J. Campbell	2,479	43.1	N/A
	Communist	A. Jackson	158	2.7	+0.6
Majority			640	11.1	−24.2
Turnout			5,756	56.8
	Labour hold		Swing

Oxford

Oxford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	R. Noton Barclay*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Rusholme

Rusholme
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	F. A. Jackson*	3,119	95.4	+50.9
	Residents	A. M. Edwards	150	4.6	+2.9
Majority			2,969	90.8
Turnout			3,269	31.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

St. Ann's

St. Ann's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Green*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

St. Clement's

St. Clement's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. D. Judson*	1,057	58.0	+26.9
	Labour	A. Lees	765	42.0	+16.3
Majority			292	16.0
Turnout			1,822	55.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

St. George's

St. George's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	A. Todd	2,446	44.9	N/A
	Independent Labour	E. Hope*	1,662	30.5	N/A
	Labour	L. Corcoran	1,341	24.6	−16.0
Majority			784	14.4
Turnout			5,449	43.2
	Liberal gain from Independent Labour		Swing

St. John's

St. John's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	F. E. Tylecote*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

St. Luke's

St. Luke's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T. R. Ackroyd*	3,236	78.4	N/A
	Labour	E. Davies	892	21.6	−14.7
Majority			2,344	56.8
Turnout			4,128	20.2
	Liberal hold		Swing

St. Mark's

St. Mark's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G. Hall*	3,177	50.6	−7.1
	Conservative	G. Moores	3,102	49.4	+7.1
Majority			75	1.2	−14.2
Turnout			6,279	58.3
	Labour hold		Swing

St. Michael's

St. Michael's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Cathcart*	2,238	55.6	N/A
	Conservative	T. Smith	1,790	44.4	N/A
Majority			448	11.2	N/A
Turnout			4,028	58.3
	Labour hold		Swing

Withington

Withington
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	T. H. Davis*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Aldermanic election

Aldermanic election, 2 March 1932

Caused by the death on 12 February 1932 of Alderman James Bowes (Liberal, elected as an alderman by the council on 28 October 1903).^[3]^[4]

In his place, Councillor Joseph Crookes Grime (Conservative, Exchange, elected 7 July 1927, previously 1911-26)^[5] was elected as an alderman by the council on 2 March 1932.^[6]

Party		Alderman	Ward	Term expires
	Conservative	Joseph Crookes Grime	Miles Platting	1937

By-elections between 1931 and 1932

Exchange, 10 November 1931

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Colonel George Westcott (Conservative, Exchange, elected 1 November 1911)^[7] on 29 October 1931,^[8] following the death on 16 October 1931 of Alderman John James Kendall (Liberal, elected as an alderman by the council on 24 June 1927).^[9]^[10]

Exchange
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C. F. Terry*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

St. Clement's, 24 November 1931

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor H. D. Judson (Conservative, St. Clements's, elected 2 November 1925, previously 1911-24)^[11] on 29 October 1931,^[12] following the death on 8 October 1931 of Alderman James Johnson (Conservative, elected as an alderman by the council on 1 August 1923).^[13]^[14]

St. Clement's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P. C. Parker	761	37.3	−20.7
	Liberal	J. E. Fitzsimons	693	34.0	N/A
	Labour	A. Lees	584	28.7	−13.3
Majority			68	3.3	−12.7
Turnout			2,038	61.7	+6.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

^[15]

Moss Side West, 19 January 1932

Caused by the resignation of Councillor Benjamin Vivante (Conservative, Moss Side West, elected 1 November 1930)^[16] on 6 January 1932.^[17]

Moss Side West
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D. Gosling	1,772	55.0	−28.6
	Labour	A. Eyres	859	26.7	+11.3
	English League for the Taxation of Land Values	A. H. Weller	574	17.7	N/A
	Residents	A. R. Edwards	18	0.6	N/A
Majority			913	28.3	−39.9
Turnout			3,223	16.6	−4.4
	Conservative hold		Swing

^[18]

Harpurhey, 2 February 1932

Caused by the death of Councillor Fraser Sutton (Conservative, Moss Side West, elected 2 November 1931)^[19] on 12 January 1932.^[20]

Harpurhey
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Shields	2,592	60.2	−4.2
	Labour	E. Barnacott	1,714	39.8	+4.2
Majority			878	20.4	−8.4
Turnout			4,306	42.1	−14.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

^[21]

Blackley, 1 March 1932

Caused by the death of Councillor James Edward Littler (Conservative, Blackley, elected 1 November 1921)^[22] on 11 February 1932.^[23]

Blackley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Makinson	1,834	71.1	N/A
	Labour	W. Collingson	745	28.9	+3.3
Majority			1,089	42.2
Turnout			2,579	25.7	−22.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

^[24]

Cheetham, 15 March 1932

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor H. D. Judson (Conservative, St. Clements's, elected 2 November 1925, previously 1911-24)^[25] on 29 October 1931,^[26] following the death on 8 October 1931 of Alderman James Johnson (Conservative, elected as an alderman by the council on 1 August 1923).^[27]^[28]

Cheetham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. Lomax	1,460	62.4	N/A
	Labour	M. Tyler	879	37.6	N/A
Majority			581	24.8	N/A
Turnout			2,339
	Conservative hold		Swing

^[29]

References

^ THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1931, p.12
^ LABOUR'S AUTOMATIC DEFEAT, Manchester Evening News, November 3, 1931, p.5
^ DEATH OF ALDERMAN BOWES, Manchester Guardian, February 13, 1932, p.5
^ CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Council, October 28, 1903, p.2
^ MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, July 8, 1927, p.13
^ 10s HOUSES AT WYTHENSHAWE, Manchester Guardian, March 3, 1932, p.11
^ MANCHESTER ELECTIONS, Manchester Courier, November 2, 1911, p.10
^ MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, October 30, 1931, p.3
^ NEW ALDERMEN WANTED, Manchester Evening News, October 17, 1931, p.5
^ NEW CITY ALDERMEN, Manchester Guardian, June 25, 1927, p.15
^ MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1925, p.6
^ MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, October 30, 1931, p.3
^ OBITUARY, Manchester Guardian, October 9, 1931, p.5
^ FREE TRADE IN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS, Manchester Guardian, August 2, 1923, p.9
^ MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, November 25, 1931, p.11
^ THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1930, p.12
^ CITY BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, January 8, 1932, p.11
^ MOSS SIDE WEST WARD BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, January 20, 1932, p.11
^ THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1931, p.12
^ DEATH OF MANCHESTER CITY COUNCILLOR, Manchester Guardian, January 13, 1932, p.8
^ MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, February 3, 1932, p.14
^ MANCHESTER, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1921, p.7
^ COUNCILLOR DEAD, Manchester Evening News, February 11, 1932, p.7
^ , Manchester Guardian, March 2, 1932, p.11
^ MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1925, p.6
^ MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, October 30, 1931, p.3
^ OBITUARY, Manchester Guardian, October 9, 1931, p.5
^ FREE TRADE IN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS, Manchester Guardian, August 2, 1923, p.9
^ MANCHESTER MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, March 16, 1932, p.4

[1] THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1931, p.12

[2] LABOUR'S AUTOMATIC DEFEAT, Manchester Evening News, November 3, 1931, p.5

[3] DEATH OF ALDERMAN BOWES, Manchester Guardian, February 13, 1932, p.5

[4] CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Council, October 28, 1903, p.2

[5] MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, July 8, 1927, p.13

[6] 10s HOUSES AT WYTHENSHAWE, Manchester Guardian, March 3, 1932, p.11

[7] MANCHESTER ELECTIONS, Manchester Courier, November 2, 1911, p.10

[8] MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, October 30, 1931, p.3

[9] NEW ALDERMEN WANTED, Manchester Evening News, October 17, 1931, p.5

[10] NEW CITY ALDERMEN, Manchester Guardian, June 25, 1927, p.15

[11] MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1925, p.6

[12] MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, October 30, 1931, p.3

[13] OBITUARY, Manchester Guardian, October 9, 1931, p.5

[14] FREE TRADE IN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS, Manchester Guardian, August 2, 1923, p.9

[15] MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, November 25, 1931, p.11

[16] THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1930, p.12

[17] CITY BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, January 8, 1932, p.11

[18] MOSS SIDE WEST WARD BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, January 20, 1932, p.11

[19] THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1931, p.12

[20] DEATH OF MANCHESTER CITY COUNCILLOR, Manchester Guardian, January 13, 1932, p.8

[21] MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, February 3, 1932, p.14

[22] MANCHESTER, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1921, p.7

[23] COUNCILLOR DEAD, Manchester Evening News, February 11, 1932, p.7

[24] , Manchester Guardian, March 2, 1932, p.11

[25] MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1925, p.6

[26] MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, October 30, 1931, p.3

[27] OBITUARY, Manchester Guardian, October 9, 1931, p.5

[28] FREE TRADE IN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS, Manchester Guardian, August 2, 1923, p.9

[29] MANCHESTER MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION, Manchester Guardian, March 16, 1932, p.4

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