# 1949 Leeds City Council election

The 1949 Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 12 May 1949, with one third of the seats to be elected.
Witnessing a slight swing away from them of 0.5%, the Conservatives won a narrow majority of the seats contested. With the seats last fought in Labour's landslide of 1945, all but four of the Conservative seats were gains. Totalling ten, the Conservatives safely gained Blenheim, Cross Gates & Temple Newsam and Upper Armley; less so in Beeston and Bramley, and very closely in Harehills, Kirkstall, Mill Hill & South and Farnley & Wortley (the latter being won by nine votes). The Conservatives also gained an extra alderman off the back of the gains, reducing Labour's hold to a slender majority of eight. Turnout returned to 46.4% after the spike recorded the previous election.

## Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1949 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 14 | 10 | 0 | +10 | 53.8 | 52.5 | 89,802 | -1.0 |
| Labour | 12 | 0 | 10 | -10 | 46.1 | 42.8 | 73,164 | +0.0 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4.1 | 7,021 | +1.1 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 908 | -0.2 |
The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | Previous council | New council | New council |
| Party | Party | Cllr | Ald | Cllr | Ald |
| | Labour | 52 | 15 | 42 | 14 |
| | Conservatives | 26 | 11 | 36 | 12 |
| Total | Total | 78 | 26 | 78 | 26 |
| Total | Total | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 26 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 30 | 30 | 8 | 8 |

## Ward results

Armley & Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Underwood | 3,272 | 63.9 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | G. Atkinson | 1,848 | 36.1 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,424 | 27.8 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,120 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.3 | |
Beeston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ms. Collins | 4,239 | 48.8 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | W. Webster | 3,458 | 40.8 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal | G. Whittaker | 908 | 10.4 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 691 | 7.9 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,695 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -0.8 | |
Blenheim :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Clarke | 3,580 | 60.7 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Albert Smith | 2,322 | 39.3 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,258 | 21.3 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,902 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -0.4 | |
Bramley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Baker | 4,495 | 47.4 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | E. Kavanagh | 4,077 | 43.0 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal | F. Benfield | 913 | 9.6 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 418 | 4.4 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,485 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.1 | |
Burmantofts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Jackson | 2,722 | 70.3 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | J. Steer | 1,151 | 29.7 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,571 | 40.6 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,873 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Spence | 1,747 | 53.0 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | P. Stead | 1,552 | 47.0 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 195 | 5.9 | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,299 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.2 | |
Cross Gates & Temple Newsam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Till | 6,992 | 59.4 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | P. Holmes | 4,783 | 40.6 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,209 | 18.8 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,775 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +1.9 | |
East Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Naylor | 2,651 | 74.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | G. Fagan | 898 | 25.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,753 | 49.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,549 | | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Far Headingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. Carter | 7,770 | 77.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour | A. Malcolm | 1,367 | 13.5 | −5.5 |
| | Liberal | B. Graham | 959 | 9.5 | +9.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,403 | 63.4 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,096 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
Farnley & Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Horner | 4,518 | 50.0 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Leonard Wilkinson | 4,509 | 50.0 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.1 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,027 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.3 | |
Harehills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. Crotty | 4,512 | 50.5 | −0.7 |
| | Labour | Ms. Jolly | 4,416 | 49.5 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 1.1 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,928 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -0.7 | |
Holbeck North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ms. Whitehead | 1,101 | 76.9 | +17.0 |
| | Conservative | P. Glew | 330 | 23.1 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 53.9 | +20.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,431 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.0 | |
Holbeck South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Smith | 2,719 | 56.6 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | H. Drake | 1,660 | 34.5 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal | George Petch | 427 | 8.9 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,059 | 22.0 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,806 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.0 | |
Hunslet Carr & Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Brown | 5,309 | 63.3 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | H. Grafton | 2,367 | 28.2 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal | A. Burrell | 712 | 8.5 | +8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,942 | 35.1 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,388 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.7 | |
Hyde Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Hutchinson | 4,795 | 70.0 | −2.5 |
| | Labour | D. Matthews | 1,425 | 20.8 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal | G. Foster | 628 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,370 | 49.2 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,848 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.1 | |
Kirkstall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Turnbull | 4,174 | 45.2 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | K. Muir | 4,018 | 43.5 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Lawrence Braithwaite Childe | 820 | 8.9 | +2.5 |
| | Communist | R. Huffingley | 220 | 2.4 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 156 | 1.7 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,235 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -3.7 | |
Mill Hill & South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Hey | 1,409 | 50.9 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | Ms. Gertrude Bray | 1,359 | 49.1 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 50 | 1.8 | −3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,768 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -1.6 | |
North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Wooler-Loy | 7,957 | 76.0 | −4.5 |
| | Labour | N. Davy | 1,451 | 13.9 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal | Wilfred Ernest Hopper | 1,062 | 10.1 | +10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,506 | 62.1 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,470 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
Osmondthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Matthews | 3,959 | 63.5 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | T. Nipe | 2,274 | 36.5 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,685 | 27.0 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,233 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
Potternewton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Driver | 3,997 | 63.3 | +5.8 |
| | Labour | L. Walsh | 1,876 | 29.7 | −3.1 |
| | Communist | B. Ramelson | 445 | 7.0 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,121 | 33.6 | +8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,318 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.4 | |
Richmond Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. King | 2,026 | 68.5 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | W. Walford | 933 | 31.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,093 | 36.9 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,959 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
Roundhay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Tetley | 8,944 | 78.5 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | H. Kinder | 2,444 | 21.5 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,500 | 57.1 | +3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,388 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
Upper Armley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Glover | 3,887 | 57.2 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | E. Blackburn | 2,913 | 42.8 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 974 | 14.3 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,800 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.1 | |
West Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Watson | 2,848 | 53.5 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Farrell | 1,644 | 30.9 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal | H. Kirkley | 592 | 11.1 | −3.0 |
| | Communist | F. Warburton | 243 | 4.6 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,204 | 22.6 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,327 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.3 | |
Westfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Stubbs | 1,478 | 54.9 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Ms. Gledhill | 1,213 | 45.1 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 265 | 9.8 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,691 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
Woodhouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ms. Clayden | 2,824 | 51.5 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | G. Taylor | 2,663 | 48.5 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 2.9 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,487 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 | |