# Belfast Area F

Area F was one of the eight district electoral areas (DEA) which existed in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1973 to 1985. Containing the inner parts of west and south Belfast, the district elected six members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Clonard; Cromac; Donegall; Falls; Grosvenor; and Saint George's wards. Most of the DEA formed part of the Belfast West constituency, with a small part in Belfast South.

## History

The area was created for the 1973 local government elections. It contained the whole of the former Saint George's ward, centred on the Sandy Row area. It also contained smaller sections of the former Cromac, Falls, Saint Anne's and Smithfield wards. It was abolished for the 1985 local government elections. The depopulated Falls and Grosvenor wards were merged to form a single Falls ward, which, together with Clonard, formed part of the new Lower Falls DEA. The Donegall ward, which was renamed Blackstaff in 1985, became part of the Balmoral DEA. The Cromac and Saint George's wards were merged to form the Shaftsbury ward, which became part of the new Laganbank DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 1984 by-election | William Dickson (DUP) | Eric Smyth (DUP) | James Stewart (UUP) | Will Glendinning (Alliance) | Owen Allen (SDLP) | Sean McKnight (Sinn Féin) |
| 1981 | William Dickson (DUP) | Eric Smyth (DUP) | James Stewart (UUP) | Will Glendinning (Alliance) | Owen Allen (SDLP) | Sean Flynn (IRSP) |
| 1977 | William Dickson (DUP) | Harry Fletcher (UUP) | James Stewart (UUP) | Will Glendinning (Alliance) | Owen Allen (SDLP) | Jim Sullivan (Republican Clubs) |
| 1973 | William Spence (DUP) | Harry Fletcher (UUP) | James Stewart (UUP) | Thomas Murphy (UUP) | Paddy Devlin (SDLP) | Jim Sullivan (Republican Clubs) |

## 1984 by-election

The by-election was held after Flynn, the IRSP councillor, was disqualified for non-attendance. It was the second seat on Belfast City Council that Sinn Féin won, following a by-election win in Area D in June 1983.
Area F by-election, 28 March 1984 :
| Party | Candidate | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 |
| Sinn Féin | Sean McKnight | 2981 | 3027 | 3216 | 3216 | 3624 |
| DUP | Clarke Gibson | 1843 | 1846 | 1849 | 3098 | 3559 |
| UUP | H. Fletcher | 1608 | 1609 | 1610 | | |
| Alliance | Pip Glendinning | 1079 | 1246 | 1883 | 2060 | |
| SDLP | Sean Mullan | 1040 | 1153 | | | |
| Workers' Party | Gerry McCann | 691 | | | | |

## 1981 Election

1977: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Alliance
1981: 2 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x IRSP, 1 x Alliance
1977-1981 Change: DUP and IRSP gain from UUP and Republican Clubs
Area F - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| | DUP | William Dickson* | 17.80% | 1,913 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Irish Republican Socialist | Sean Flynn | 15.25% | 1,639 | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Owen Allen* | 8.36% | 898 | 898.4 | 923.88 | 938.01 | 1,045.03 | 1,242.88 | 1,244.88 | 1,784.88 | | |
| | Alliance | Will Glendinning* | 7.85% | 844 | 852 | 865 | 1,036.69 | 1,060.21 | 1,102.06 | 1,176.59 | 1,350.01 | 1,498.97 | 1,603.97 |
| | DUP | Eric Smyth | 8.60% | 924 | 1,203.2 | 1,203.98 | 1,204.44 | 1,207.57 | 1,211.97 | 1,304.57 | 1,308.57 | 1,317.39 | 1,512.99 |
| | UUP | James Stewart* | 6.69% | 719 | 742.6 | 742.86 | 742.86 | 742.86 | 753.99 | 969.39 | 969.59 | 970.57 | 1,460.35 |
| | Republican Clubs | Jim Sullivan* | 9.32% | 1,002 | 1,002 | 1,013.7 | 1,024.96 | 1,048.74 | 1,093.43 | 1,095.43 | 1,147.29 | 1,232.55 | 1,235.53 |
| | UUP | Linda Cust | 5.94% | 638 | 663.2 | 663.33 | 667.33 | 667.33 | 674.93 | 920.13 | 921.13 | 925.05 | |
| | SDLP | Maurice Fitzmaurice | 6.69% | 719 | 719.4 | 737.21 | 739.6 | 764.29 | 868.06 | 869.06 | | | |
| | UUP | Harry Fletcher* | 5.78% | 621 | 651 | 651.13 | 652.33 | 652.33 | 661.73 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Mary Smyth | 3.62% | 389 | 395.2 | 406.64 | 410.16 | 458.8 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Thomas Lappin | 2.11% | 227 | 227 | 243.64 | 245.9 | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Paul Maguire | 2.00% | 215 | 215.4 | 219.56 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 18,575 Valid: 10,748 (57.86%) Spoilt: 680 Quota: 1,536 Turnout: 11,428 (61.52%) ||||||||||||||

## 1977 Election

1973: 3 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
1977: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Alliance
1973-1977 Change: Alliance gain from UUP
Area F - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | SDLP | Owen Allen | 18.81% | 1,886 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | James Stewart* | 16.76% | 1,681 | | | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Jim Sullivan* | 10.96% | 1,099 | 1,113.16 | 1,113.31 | 1,131.55 | 1,433.35 | | | | |
| | UUP | Harry Fletcher* | 10.78% | 1,081 | 1,082.92 | 1,185.22 | 1,193.67 | 1,194.67 | 1,504.97 | | | |
| | DUP | William Dickson | 9.46% | 949 | 958.36 | 975.01 | 981.61 | 982.61 | 1,009.76 | 1,474.76 | | |
| | Alliance | Will Glendinning | 10.74% | 1,077 | 1,142.04 | 1,152.09 | 1,173.96 | 1,188.27 | 1,211.97 | 1,221.92 | 1,287.92 | 1,316.92 |
| | SDLP | Thomas Lappin | 8.97% | 899 | 1,232.84 | 1,233.29 | 1,247.49 | 1,265.24 | 1,267.48 | 1,270.38 | 1,273.38 | 1,277.38 |
| | DUP | John Parkes | 5.24% | 525 | 525.72 | 534.27 | 538.57 | 538.57 | 575.67 | | | |
| | UUP | Thomas Murphy* | 3.68% | 369 | 369.48 | 470.88 | 480.88 | 480,88 | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Sean O'Hare | 3.45% | 346 | 355.12 | 355.87 | 369.11 | | | | | |
| | Communist | James Stewart | 1.15% | 115 | 117.4 | 119.2 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,177 Valid: 10,027 (47.35%) Spoilt: 1,013 Quota: 1,433 Turnout: 11,040 (52.13%) |||||||||||||

## 1973 Election

1973: 3 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
Area F - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| | UUP | Harry Fletcher | 21.82% | 3,441 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | James Stewart | 21.06% | 3,320 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Thomas Murphy | 6.34% | 1,000 | 2,049.24 | 2,971.48 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Paddy Devlin | 14.22% | 2,242 | 2,242 | 2,242.64 | 2,242.96 | 2,259.96 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Jim Sullivan | 4.66% | 735 | 735.34 | 735.66 | 735.98 | 740.98 | 752.98 | 753.98 | 753.98 | 756.98 | 758.98 | 772.98 | 1,072.98 | 1,072.98 | 1,461.98 | 1,691.64 | 2,419.62 |
| | DUP | William Spence | 7.55% | 1,190 | 1,286.9 | 1,389.3 | 1,768.5 | 1,771.46 | 1,776.1 | 1,779.1 | 1,796.54 | 1,796.54 | 1,797.86 | 1,808.06 | 1,859.24 | 1,860.56 | 1,861.56 | 1,935.46 | 1,939.46 |
| | SDLP | Owen Allen | 3.01% | 475 | 475.34 | 475.98 | 476.3 | 482.62 | 493.62 | 524.62 | 533.42 | 536.36 | 704.56 | 720.05 | 804.39 | 877.39 | 896.71 | 1,228.12 | 1,282.44 |
| | Republican Clubs | Sean O'Hare | 4.44% | 700 | 700.68 | 701.64 | 701.64 | 705.64 | 720.64 | 744.64 | 747.64 | 748.13 | 751.62 | 751.62 | 769.94 | 850.92 | 1,089.92 | 1,111.24 | |
| | Alliance | Mary Smyth | 2.35% | 370 | 376.12 | 382.2 | 413.88 | 416.22 | 431.9 | 423.24 | 448.44 | 448.44 | 475.44 | 693.79 | 859.69 | 872.69 | 876.69 | | |
| | Republican Clubs | A. Dornan | 3.55% | 560 | 560 | 560.32 | 560.32 | 562.32 | 546.32 | 595.32 | 595.32 | 595.32 | 595.64 | 597.64 | 606.64 | 681.64 | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Sean Flynn | 3.41% | 538 | 538.34 | 538.66 | 538.98 | 539.98 | 543.98 | 556.98 | 558.98 | 559.96 | 573.96 | 576.96 | 581.96 | | | | |
| | NI Labour | T. Magee | 1.47% | 232 | 538.34 | 538.66 | 538.98 | 539.98 | 543.98 | 556.98 | 558.98 | 559.96 | 573.96 | 576.96 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | P. Woods | 1.46% | 230 | 231.02 | 234.22 | 249.58 | 260.58 | 258.9 | 258.9 | 270.82 | 272.29 | 285.29 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Desmond Gillespie | 1.46% | 230 | 231.02 | 231.02 | 231.98 | 234.98 | 237.98 | 257.98 | 265.3 | 265.79 | | | | | | | |
| | NI Labour | W. Ritchie | 1.05% | 165 | 170.44 | 180.36 | 213.32 | 213.66 | 229.98 | 232.98 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Republican Labour | W. J. Clarke | 0.82% | 129 | 129.34 | 129.34 | 129.66 | 179.66 | 186.66 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Communist | Betty Sinclair | 0.70% | 110 | 110.68 | 111.96 | 113.88 | 115.22 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Republican Labour | Margaret McKenna | 0.46% | 72 | 72 | 72.64 | 73.28 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Republican Labour | J. Marron | 0.18% | 29 | 31.72 | 33.64 | 33.96 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 27,067 Valid: 15,768 (58.26%) Spoilt: 622 Quota: 2,253 Turnout: 16,390 (60.55%) ||||||||||||||||||||