# Chester-le-Street (UK Parliament constituency)

Chester-le-Street was a county constituency centred on the town of Chester-le-Street in County Durham. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983.

## History
### Creation

The constituency was created for the 1885 general election by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 as one of eight new single-member divisions of the county of Durham, replacing the two 2-member seats of North Durham and South Durham. The seat covered a large area of north Durham, including areas which are now part of the Borough of Gateshead (Ryton, Blaydon and Whickham) and the City of Sunderland (Washington) in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear.

### Boundaries
#### 1885–1918

* The Sessional Divisions of Chester-le-Street and Gateshead (part); and
* The Municipal Borough of Gateshead
NB included only non-resident freeholders in the parliamentary borough of Gateshead.
See map on Vision of Britain website.

#### 1918–1950

* The Urban District of Chester-le-Street; and
* the Rural District of Chester-le-Street.
The constituency was divided in two, with the areas comprising the urban districts of Ryton, Blaydon and Whickham forming the bulk of the new constituency of Blaydon. Gained Witton Gilbert from the abolished constituency of Mid Durham.

#### 1950–1983

* The Urban Districts of Chester-le-Street and Washington; and
* the Rural District of Chester-le-Street.
Minor changes to reflect changes in local authority boundaries; the urban district of Washington had been created in 1922 from the rural district of Chester-le-Street.

### Abolition

The seat was abolished for the 1983 general election as a result of the periodic review of parliamentary constituencies following the re-organisation of local government under the Local Government Act 1972. On abolition, the area which had comprised the new town of Washington was included in the new constituency of Houghton and Washington; the parishes of Birtley and Lamesley were transferred to Blaydon; and the remainder, comprising about half the electorate, becoming part of the re-established seat of North Durham.

### Political history

Chester-le-Street and its successor constituency (North Durham) have over 100 years of continuous Labour representation.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| | 1885 | James Joicey | Liberal |
| | 1906 | John Taylor | Labour | Resigned October 1919 |
| | 1919 by-election | Jack Lawson | Labour |
| | 1950 | Patrick Bartley | Labour | Died June 1956 |
| | 1956 by-election | Norman Pentland | Labour | Died October 1972 |
| | 1973 by-election | Giles Radice | Labour |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished: see North Durham | constituency abolished: see North Durham |

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

General election 1885: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Joicey | 4,409 | 44.0 | |
| | Independent Liberal | R Lloyd Jones | 3,606 | 36.9 | |
| | Conservative | Walter Ashworth | 2,018 | 20.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 803 | 7.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,033 | 84.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,830 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Joicey | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Joicey | 6,453 | 61.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Unionist | Sir Edward Sullivan, 2nd Baronet | 4,066 | 38.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,387 | 22.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,519 | 79.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,169 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1895: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Joicey | 7,370 | 64.2 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Viscount Morpeth | 4,113 | 35.8 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,257 | 28.4 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,483 | 78.6 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,618 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.9 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Joicey | 5,830 | 52.0 | −12.2 |
| | Conservative | John Nicholson | 5,391 | 48.0 | +12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 439 | 4.0 | −24.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,221 | 68.6 | −10.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,358 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −12.2 | |
General election 1906: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Labour | John Wilkinson Taylor | 8,085 | 45.6 | New |
| | Conservative | Slingsby Duncombe Shafto | 4,985 | 28.1 | −19.9 |
| | Liberal | Alfred Barrett Tebb | 4,660 | 26.3 | −25.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,100 | 17.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,730 | 84.8 | +16.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 20,910 | | |
| | Independent Labour gain from Liberal | Independent Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Wilkinson Taylor | 12,684 | 64.8 | +19.2 |
| | Conservative | Slingsby Duncombe Shafto | 6,891 | 35.2 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,793 | 29.6 | +12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,575 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.0 | |
General election December 1910: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Wilkinson Taylor | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Labour: John Gilliland
General election 1918: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Wilkinson Taylor | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
1919 Chester-le-Street by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 17,838 | 77.1 | N/A |
| | National Democratic | David Gilmour | 5,313 | 22.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,525 | 54.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,151 | 63.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,321 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 20,296 | 68.5 | N/A |
| | Unionist | David Fee Todd | 9,335 | 31.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,961 | 37.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,631 | 76.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 38,672 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
General election 1923: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 20,712 | 74.7 | +6.2 |
| | Unionist | Charles Reginald Schiller Harris | 7,015 | 25.3 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,697 | 49.4 | +12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,727 | 70.1 | −6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 39,532 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.2 | |
General election 1924: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 22,700 | 71.0 | −3.7 |
| | Unionist | Michael Dodds McCarthy | 9,250 | 29.0 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,450 | 42.0 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,950 | 78.7 | +8.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 40,578 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.7 | |
General election 1929: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 26,975 | 69.8 | −1.2 |
| | Unionist | E.G. Payne | 6,334 | 16.4 | −12.6 |
| | Liberal | Joseph William Wright | 5,340 | 13.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,641 | 53.4 | +11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,649 | 78.5 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,243 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 24,373 | 60.62 |
| | Conservative | Ronald Kellett | 15,834 | 39.38 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,539 | 21.24 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,207 | 79.35 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1935: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 29,111 | 70.98 |
| | Conservative | Charles Robert Ingram Besley | 11,901 | 29.02 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,210 | 41.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,012 | 78.24 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Jack Lawson | 33,788 | 76.76 |
| | Conservative | Antony Lambton | 10,228 | 23.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,560 | 53.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,016 | 79.79 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patrick Bartley | 35,348 | 77.30 |
| | Conservative | Harry John Martin Millican | 10,379 | 22.70 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,969 | 54.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,727 | 87.28 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1951: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patrick Bartley | 35,511 | 76.96 |
| | Conservative | Harry John Martin Millican | 10,632 | 23.04 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,879 | 53.92 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,143 | 86.64 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1955: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patrick Bartley | 32,323 | 76.29 |
| | Conservative | David A Wright | 10,047 | 23.71 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,276 | 52.58 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,370 | 79.57 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
1956 Chester-le-Street by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Norman Pentland | 27,912 | 80.8 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | William Rees-Mogg | 6,625 | 19.2 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,287 | 61.6 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,537 | 65.0 | −14.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Norman Pentland | 33,901 | 75.78 |
| | Conservative | William Rees-Mogg | 10,838 | 24.22 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,063 | 51.56 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,739 | 83.03 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Norman Pentland | 32,895 | 75.20 |
| | Conservative | John Gorst | 10,851 | 24.80 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,044 | 50.40 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,746 | 79.43 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1966: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Norman Pentland | 32,467 | 76.96 |
| | Conservative | Charles Maxwell Kirwan Taylor | 9,720 | 23.04 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,747 | 53.92 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,187 | 74.87 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Norman Pentland | 33,694 | 71.60 |
| | Conservative | Dennis Ramshaw | 13,363 | 28.40 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,331 | 43.20 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,057 | 73.67 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
1973 Chester-le-Street by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Giles Radice | 25,874 | 53.06 | −18.54 |
| | Liberal | George Booth Suggett | 18,808 | 38.57 | New |
| | Conservative | Neil Balfour | 4,092 | 8.39 | −20.01 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,066 | 14.49 | −28.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,768 | 71.4 | −2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Giles Radice | 33,534 | 59.21 | +6.15 |
| | Liberal | David James Herd | 14,808 | 26.15 | −12.42 |
| | Conservative | Neil Balfour | 8,291 | 14.64 | +6.25 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,726 | 33.06 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,633 | 83.48 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Giles Radice | 33,511 | 65.69 | +6.48 |
| | Liberal | Douglas McCourt | 9,233 | 18.10 | −8.05 |
| | Conservative | R Ditchburn | 8,268 | 16.21 | +1.57 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,278 | 47.59 | +14.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,012 | 74.63 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1979: Chester-le-Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Giles Radice | 38,672 | 60.40 | −5.29 |
| | Conservative | James Couchman | 16,112 | 25.16 | +8.95 |
| | Liberal | Douglas McCourt | 9,247 | 14.44 | −3.66 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,560 | 35.24 | −12.35 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,031 | 76.76 | +2.13 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |