# Hackney Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Hackney Central was a borough constituency in what was then the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, in London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885 from 1885, and abolished for the 1950 general election. It was recreated for the 1955 general election, and abolished again for the 1983 general election.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The wards of Dalston and De Beauvoir Town, and part of Hackney ward.
1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney wards of Downs, Hackney, and Kingsland, and part of West Hackney ward.
1955–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney wards of Albion, Chatham, Kenninghall, Kingsland, Kingsmead, Leabridge, Pembury, Rushmore, and Town Hall.
1974–1983: The London Borough of Hackney wards of Chatham, Downs, Kingsmead, Leabridge, Rectory, and Wick.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1885–1950

| Election | Election | Name | Party |
| | 1885 | Sir William Guyer Hunter | Conservative |
| | 1892 | Andrew Scoble | Conservative |
| | 1900 | Augustus Allhusen | Conservative |
| | 1906 | Sir Albert Spicer | Liberal |
| | 1918 | William Woolcock | Coalition Liberal |
| | 1922 | Arthur Lever | National Liberal |
| | 1923 | Leonard Franklin | Liberal |
| | 1924 | Robert Gower | Conservative |
| | 1929 | Fred Watkins | Labour |
| | 1931 | John Lockwood | Conservative |
| | 1935 | Fred Watkins | Labour |
| | 1945 | Harry Hynd | Labour |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished |

### MPs 1955–1983

| Election | Election | Name | Party |
| 1955 | 1955 | constituency recreated |
| | 1955 | Herbert Butler | Labour |
| | 1970 | Stanley Clinton-Davis | Labour |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Hunter | 2,941 | 51.7 | |
| | Liberal | John Holms | 2,748 | 48.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 193 | 3.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,689 | 77.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,381 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Hunter | 3,047 | 60.8 | +9.1 |
| | Liberal | Martin Hume | 1,961 | 39.2 | −9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,086 | 21.6 | +18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,008 | 67.8 | −9.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,381 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.1 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Scoble | 3,478 | 52.1 | −8.7 |
| | Liberal | John Fyfe Stewart | 3,193 | 47.9 | +8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 285 | 4.2 | −17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,671 | 74.5 | +6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,951 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.7 | |
General election 1895: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Scoble | 3,278 | 52.5 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal | Charles Russell | 2,966 | 47.5 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 5.0 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,244 | 70.7 | −3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,835 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Augustus Allhusen | 3,747 | 62.6 | +10.1 |
| | Liberal | Israel Hart | 2,243 | 37.4 | −10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,504 | 25.2 | +20.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,990 | 68.9 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,692 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +10.1 | |
General election 1906: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Albert Spicer | 3,998 | 54.2 | +16.8 |
| | Conservative | Augustus Allhusen | 3,382 | 45.8 | −16.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 616 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,380 | 84.1 | +15.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,779 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.8 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Albert Spicer | 4,429 | 53.5 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Felix Cassel | 3,853 | 46.5 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 576 | 7.0 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,282 | 88.6 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -0.7 | |
General election December 1910: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Albert Spicer | 3,954 | 53.3 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | Albert Henry Jessel | 3,464 | 46.7 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 490 | 6.6 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,418 | 79.4 | −9.2 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
General election 1918: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | William Woolcock | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Arthur Lever | 9,795 | 46.4 | New |
| | Liberal | Thomas Wood | 6,825 | 32.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Arthur Lynch | 4,507 | 21.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,970 | 14.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,127 | 60.3 | N/A |
| | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1923: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leonard Franklin | 8,569 | 38.6 | +6.3 |
| | Unionist | Daniel Thomas Keymer | 7,252 | 32.7 | New |
| | Labour | Ernest E. Hunter | 6,354 | 28.7 | +7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,317 | 5.9 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,175 | 62.8 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +10.0 | |
General election 1924: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Robert Gower | 11,414 | 42.7 | +10.0 |
| | Labour | Ernest E. Hunter | 9,684 | 36.3 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal | Leonard Franklin | 5,594 | 21.0 | −17.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,730 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,692 | 74.2 | +11.4 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.8 | |
General election 1929: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Watkins | 12,462 | 37.3 | +1.0 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Bossom | 10,814 | 32.3 | −10.4 |
| | Liberal | Leonard Franklin | 10,186 | 30.4 | +9.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,648 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,462 | 70.0 | −4.2 |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +5.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lockwood | 16,963 | 52.1 | +19.8 |
| | Labour | Fred Watkins | 9,295 | 28.5 | −8.8 |
| | Liberal | Leonard Franklin | 6,316 | 19.4 | −11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,668 | 23.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,574 | 67.8 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +14.3 | |
General election 1935: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Watkins | 15,332 | 51.6 | +23.1 |
| | Conservative | John Lockwood | 14,375 | 48.4 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 957 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,707 | 60.6 | −7.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.4 | |
General Election 1939–40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Labour: Fred Watkins
* Conservative: William Arthur Fearnley-Whittingstall

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry Hynd | 14,810 | 67.2 | +15.6 |
| | Conservative | R.R. Harris | 4,889 | 22.2 | −26.2 |
| | Liberal | Samuel Woolf Magnus | 2,348 | 10.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,921 | 45.0 | +41.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,047 | 65.7 | +5.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +18.9 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1955: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Herbert Butler | 27,012 | 61.74 | |
| | Conservative | James Allason | 15,212 | 34.77 | |
| | Communist | John R Betteridge | 1,530 | 3.50 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,800 | 26.97 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,754 | 66.11 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Herbert Butler | 25,407 | 61.50 |
| | Conservative | John C T Waring | 15,905 | 38.50 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,502 | 23.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,312 | 66.03 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Herbert Butler | 23,110 | 66.32 |
| | Conservative | H Martin L Morton | 11,376 | 33.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,376 | 32.66 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,844 | 57.09 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1966: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Herbert Butler | 21,466 | 63.76 | |
| | Conservative | H Martin L Morton | 7,440 | 22.10 | |
| | Liberal | Cecil V Gittins | 4,762 | 14.14 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,026 | 41.66 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,668 | 57.54 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.5 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stanley Clinton-Davis | 17,380 | 64.4 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth S Lightwood | 9,339 | 34.6 | +12.5 |
| | Independent | Aftab Qureshi | 252 | 0.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,041 | 29.8 | −12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,971 | 50.8 | −6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stanley Clinton-Davis | 18,705 | 61.81 | |
| | Conservative | Kenneth S Lightwood | 6,302 | 20.82 | |
| | Liberal | MG Snow | 5,256 | 17.37 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,403 | 40.99 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,263 | 62.70 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Stanley Clinton-Davis | 17,650 | 68.89 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth S Lightwood | 4,797 | 18.72 |
| | Liberal | MG Snow | 3,174 | 12.39 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,853 | 50.17 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,621 | 52.80 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1979: Hackney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stanley Clinton-Davis | 16,506 | 59.34 | |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Bennett | 7,718 | 27.75 | |
| | Liberal | Elikkos Georghiades | 1,835 | 6.60 | |
| | National Front | Ronald May | 1,418 | 5.10 | New |
| | Workers Revolutionary | Mark Johnson | 340 | 1.22 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,788 | 31.59 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,464 | 59.87 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |