# Belfast Area C

Area C was one of the eight district electoral areas (DEA) which existed in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1973 to 1985. Located in the south of the city, the district elected six members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Finaghy; Malone; Stranmillis; University; Upper Malone; and Windsor. The DEA largely formed part of the Belfast South constituency.

## History

The area was created for the 1973 local government elections, combining the whole of the former Windsor ward with most of the former Cromac ward, parts of the Saint Anne's ward and parts of the former Lisburn Rural District. It was abolished for the 1985 local government elections. The University ward (which was renamed Botanic in 1985) and Stranmillis wards became part of a new Laganbank DEA, while the remaining four wards joined the Blackstaff ward, formerly part of Area F, in the new Balmoral DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 1981 | David Cook (Alliance) | Muriel Pritchard (Alliance) | Brian Gibson (DUP) | William Stevenson (DUP) | Andrew Cairns (UUP) | Mary Crooks (UUP) |
| 1977 | David Cook (Alliance) | Muriel Pritchard (Alliance) | William Jeffrey (Alliance) | Victor Brennan (UPNI) | Andrew Cairns (UUP) | Mary Crooks (UUP) |
| 1973 | David Cook (Alliance) | Muriel Pritchard (Alliance) | John William Kennedy (UUP) | John Webster (UUP) | F. J. McKibben (UUP) | W. D. Gilmore (UUP) |

## 1981 Election

1977: 3 x Alliance, 2 x UUP, 1 x UPNI
1981: 2 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 2 x DUP
1977-1981 Change: DUP (two seats) gain from Alliance and UPNI
Area C - 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 |
| | Alliance | David Cook* | 15.65% | 2,493 | | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Muriel Pritchard* | 7.27% | 1,158 | 1,217.52 | 1,280.08 | 1,347.72 | 1,362.88 | 2,376.96 | | | |
| | UUP | Andrew Cairns* | 12.13% | 1,933 | 1,937.32 | 1,942.32 | 2,166.88 | 2,187.88 | 2,202.84 | 2,835.84 | | |
| | UUP | Mary Crooks* | 13.18% | 2,099 | 2,104.2 | 2,111.1 | 2,191.6 | 2,216.76 | 2,260.24 | 2,828.24 | | |
| | DUP | Brian Gibson | 9.43% | 1,503 | 1,504.04 | 1,505.12 | 1,529.12 | 1,720.12 | 1,727.12 | 1,805.48 | 2,040.48 | 2,229.48 |
| | DUP | William Stevenson | 7.62% | 1,214 | 1,214.32 | 1,214.32 | 1,222.32 | 1,687.56 | 1,694.8 | 1,753.28 | 1,872.28 | 1,971.28 |
| | SDLP | Ben Caraher | 9.42% | 1,501 | 1,508.6 | 1,792.12 | 1,795.12 | 1,795.12 | 1,828.96 | 1,843.44 | 1,845.44 | 1,850.44 |
| | UUP | John Gilmore | 8.32% | 1,326 | 1,330.72 | 1,336.88 | 1,396.04 | 1,411.12 | 1,421 | | | |
| | Alliance | William Jeffrey* | 5.73% | 913 | 1,021 | 1,108.48 | 1,150.2 | 1,156.44 | | | | |
| | DUP | Thomas McIntyre | 4.58% | 729 | 729.8 | 730.8 | 744.88 | | | | | |
| | Unionist Party NI | Victor Brennan* | 3.34% | 532 | 534.72 | 536.72 | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Gerard Carr | 3.33% | 530 | 532.96 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 28,354 Valid: 15,931 (56.19%) Spoilt: 529 Quota: 2,276 Turnout: 16,460 (58.05%) |||||||||||||

## 1977 Election

1973: 4 x UUP, 2 x Alliance
1977: 3 x Alliance, 2 x UUP, 1 x UPNI
1973-1977 Change: Alliance and UPNI gain from UUP (two seats)
Area C - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 |
| | Alliance | David Cook* | 18.93% | 2,748 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Andrew Cairns | 8.86% | 1,287 | 1,290.6 | 1,293.6 | 1,321.84 | 1,340.84 | 1,346.84 | 1,387.08 | 1,547.8 | 1,579.8 | 1,981.52 | 1,981.52 | 2,330.52 |
| | Alliance | William Jeffrey | 6.14% | 892 | 1,368.64 | 1,368.64 | 1,372.88 | 1,389.88 | 1,514.04 | 1,537.28 | 1,551.48 | 1,554.48 | 1,571.96 | 2,037.16 | 2,076.12 |
| | Alliance | Muriel Pritchard* | 8.78% | 1,274 | 1,394.24 | 1,398.24 | 1,401.24 | 1,435.72 | 1,529.12 | 1,543.12 | 1,554.8 | 1,557.8 | 1,582 | 2,002.28 | 2,047.44 |
| | UUP | Mary Crooks | 7.87% | 1,142 | 1,148.72 | 1,151.72 | 1,180.72 | 1,212.72 | 1,217.2 | 1,307.44 | 1,445.68 | 1,496.68 | 1,824.92 | 1,833.92 | 2,035.64 |
| | Unionist Party NI | Victor Brennan | 9.96% | 1,446 | 1,455.84 | 1,458.84 | 1,479.84 | 1,493.84 | 1,519.56 | 1,568.56 | 1,609.04 | 1,623.04 | 1,702 | 1,727 | 1,928.44 |
| | DUP | Alexander McMeekin | 6.01% | 872 | 872 | 884 | 957 | 976.24 | 978.24 | 990.24 | 1,010.24 | 1,493.24 | 1,523.48 | 1,525.48 | 1,650.72 |
| | Vanguard | Raymond Jordan | 5.37% | 780 | 784.32 | 788.32 | 825.56 | 876.56 | 882.56 | 914.56 | 963.8 | 1,022.8 | 1,068.04 | 1,072.04 | |
| | SDLP | Mary Scott | 6.36% | 923 | 937.4 | 938.4 | 938.4 | 950.4 | 992.4 | 994.4 | 996.4 | 997.4 | 999.4 | | |
| | UUP | John William Kennedy* | 4.34% | 630 | 634.08 | 635.08 | 657.08 | 665.08 | 672.08 | 726.08 | 952.04 | 975.04 | | | |
| | DUP | William Spence | 4.16% | 604 | 604 | 607 | 629 | 667 | 673 | 691 | 697 | | | | |
| | UUP | John Gilmore | 4.26% | 619 | 624.76 | 626.76 | 639.76 | 652.76 | 660.76 | 682.76 | | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | John Webster* | 2.34% | 340 | 340.96 | 343.96 | 349.2 | 369.2 | 371.2 | | | | | | |
| | NI Labour | Ronald Macartney | 2.27% | 330 | 335.76 | 335.76 | 336.76 | 348.76 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | William Weir | 2.16% | 313 | 313.72 | 314.72 | 319.72 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUUP | Reginald Johnston | 1.37% | 199 | 199.96 | 276.96 | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUUP | James Robinson | 0.82% | 119 | 119 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 29,635 Valid: 14,518 (48.99%) Spoilt: 523 Quota: 2,075 Turnout: 15,041 (50.75%) ||||||||||||||||

## 1973 Election

1973: 4 x UUP, 2 x Alliance
Area C - 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 |
| | Alliance | David Cook | 10.60% | 2,241 | 2,254 | 2,327 | 2,360 | 2,584 | 3,027 | | | |
| | UUP | John Webster | 13.11% | 2,770 | 2,771 | 2,771 | 2,946 | 2,952 | 2,985 | 3,023 | | |
| | Alliance | Muriel Pritchard | 5.55% | 1,172 | 1,174 | 1,176 | 1,198 | 1,427 | 1,757 | 2,279 | 3,158 | |
| | UUP | F. J. McGibben | 10.63% | 2,247 | 2,247 | 2,247 | 2,278 | 2,296 | 2,314 | 2,355 | 2,364 | 3,114 |
| | UUP | John William Kennedy | 12.35% | 2,611 | 2,616 | 2,618 | 2,648 | 2,660 | 2,678 | 2,743 | 2,753 | 3,113 |
| | UUP | W. D. Gilmore | 11.93% | 2,522 | 2,525 | 2,528 | 2,616 | 2,626 | 2,645 | 2,726 | 2,741 | 3,003 |
| | United Loyalist | N. McNarry | 8.01% | 1,693 | 1,694 | 1,697 | 1,794 | 1,797 | 1,806 | 1,857 | 1,871 | 1,926 |
| | UUP | N. Preston | 6.64% | 1,404 | 1,404 | 1,404 | 1,420 | 1,424 | 1,432 | 1,453 | 1,464 | |
| | SDLP | Mary Scott | 4.49% | 948 | 949 | 1,149 | 1,160 | 1,177 | 1,197 | 1,413 | | |
| | NI Labour | Brian Garrett | 3.87% | 817 | 957 | 1,029 | 1,077 | 1,103 | 1,146 | | | |
| | Alliance | William Jeffrey | 3.46% | 731 | 737 | 745 | 800 | 948 | | | | |
| | Alliance | W. McDonough | 3.22% | 681 | 683 | 685 | 699 | | | | | |
| | Independent | D. Donaghy | 2.87% | 610 | 614 | 639 | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | P. Callaghan | 2.38% | 503 | 508 | | | | | | | |
| | NI Labour | W. Copley | 0.88% | 186 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 32,071 Valid: 21,136 (65.90%) Spoilt: 210 Quota: 3,020 Turnout: 21,346 (66.56%) |||||||||||||