# 1961 Manchester City Council election

Elections to Manchester City Council were held on Thursday, 11 May 1961. One third of the councillors seats were up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a three-year term of office. The Labour Party retained overall control of the council.

## Election result

| Party | Votes | Votes | Seats | Seats | Seats | Full Council | Full Council |
| Labour Party | 69,696 (44.0%) | 4.9 | 22 (57.9%) | 22 / 38 | 3 | 79 (52.0%) | 79 / 152 |
| Conservative Party | 65,425 (41.3%) | 2.6 | 15 (39.5%) | 15 / 38 | 2 | 69 (45.4%) | 69 / 152 |
| Liberal Party | 21,575 (13.6%) | 2.1 | 1 (2.6%) | 1 / 38 | 1 | 4 (2.6%) | 4 / 152 |
| Ratepayers | 3,892 (2.5%) | 2.4 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 38 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 152 |
| Communist | 743 (0.5%) | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 38 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 152 |
| Union Movement | 178 (0.1%) | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 38 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 152 |

### Full council

| 79 | 4 | 69 |

## Ward results
### Alexandra Park

Alexandra Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | L. Bailey* | 2,841 | 54.2 | −8.4 |
| | Liberal | A. Alexander | 1,834 | 35.0 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | G. Hayward | 570 | 10.8 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,007 | 19.2 | −15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,245 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### All Saints'

All Saints' :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Thomas* | 1,511 | 71.5 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | R. W. Phillips | 603 | 28.5 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 908 | 43.0 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,114 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Ardwick

Ardwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Parkinson* | 1,625 | 72.2 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | W. N. Fleetwood | 625 | 27.8 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,000 | 44.4 | +18.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,250 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Baguley

Baguley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Jenkins* | 3,452 | 53.2 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | J. Crowe | 3,036 | 46.8 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 416 | 6.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,488 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Barlow Moor

Barlow Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | J. Cunningham | 1,607 | 42.5 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | J. P. Cox* | 1,604 | 42.4 | −12.8 |
| | Labour | P. Potts | 567 | 15.1 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 0.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,778 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Benchill

Benchill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. L. Cooke | 2,813 | 49.5 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | H. Lloyd* | 2,747 | 48.4 | +0.6 |
| | Communist | M. Taylor | 118 | 2.1 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 1.1 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,678 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Beswick

Beswick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Dean* | 2,567 | 76.7 | +12.1 |
| | Conservative | K. A. Edis | 780 | 23.3 | −12.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,787 | 53.4 | +28.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,347 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blackley

Blackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Burrows* | 2,912 | 47.9 | −6.3 |
| | Labour | S. N. M. Moxley | 1,834 | 30.2 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal | W. Wren | 1,327 | 21.9 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,078 | 17.7 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,073 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bradford

Bradford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Lomas* | 2,754 | 74.2 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | L. N. Mallinson | 959 | 25.8 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,795 | 48.4 | +13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,713 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Burnage

Burnage :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Lord* | 2,409 | 46.7 | −5.1 |
| | Liberal | W. Thorpe | 1,486 | 28.8 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | H. Conway | 1,267 | 24.5 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 923 | 17.9 | −5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,162 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Cheetham

Cheetham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Goldstone* | 1,700 | 52.0 | +11.1 |
| | Liberal | M. Needoff | 1,571 | 48.0 | −11.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 129 | 4.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,271 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chorlton-cum-Hardy

Chorlton-cum-Hardy :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Whittaker* | 2,626 | 48.1 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal | M. Cheers | 1,267 | 23.2 | N/A |
| | Ratepayers | T. A. Harper | 893 | 16.3 | −18.1 |
| | Labour | H. P. D. Paget | 677 | 12.4 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,359 | 24.9 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,463 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. S. Langton* | 1,618 | 80.1 | +11.2 |
| | Conservative | K. Sharman | 277 | 13.7 | −7.8 |
| | Communist | K. Bloch | 124 | 6.2 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,341 | 66.4 | +19.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,019 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Crumpsall

Crumpsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. J. Balcombe* | 3,874 | 47.2 | +18.3 |
| | Conservative | F. R. Butler | 3,262 | 39.7 | −12.1 |
| | Liberal | A. F. Sullivan | 1,078 | 13.1 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 611 | 7.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,213 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Didsbury

Didsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Crawford* | 3,281 | 59.8 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal | H. Golding | 1,695 | 30.9 | −11.3 |
| | Labour | A. Haslam | 513 | 9.3 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,586 | 28.9 | +20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,489 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Gorton North

Gorton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Leech* | 3,359 | 69.0 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Whitwell | 1,512 | 31.0 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,847 | 38.0 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,871 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Gorton South

Gorton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. J. Batson* | 2,062 | 58.3 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | C. M. Clarke | 1,476 | 41.7 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 586 | 16.6 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,538 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Harpurhey

Harpurhey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Waddicor | 2,233 | 54.8 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Chatterton | 1,842 | 45.2 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 391 | 9.6 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,075 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Hugh Oldham

Hugh Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Langan* | 1,553 | 71.1 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | P. Murphy | 479 | 21.9 | −1.5 |
| | Communist | E. Cohen | 151 | 7.0 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,074 | 49.2 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,183 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Levenshulme

Levenshulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Bowes* | 2,095 | 37.3 | −3.0 |
| | Ratepayers | J. A. Gannon | 1,632 | 29.1 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | A. Hardisty | 1,017 | 18.1 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal | J. Berisford | 867 | 15.5 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 | 8.2 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,611 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Lightbowne

Lightbowne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. Franklin* | 2,859 | 41.5 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | J. S. Cumpstay | 2,718 | 39.4 | −7.6 |
| | Liberal | E. Platt | 1,320 | 19.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 141 | 2.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,897 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Longsight

Longsight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. G. Hopkins* | 2,099 | 52.6 | +12.4 |
| | Labour | B. Lawson | 1,078 | 27.0 | +2.1 |
| | Ratepayers | W. F. Wilding | 683 | 17.1 | −17.8 |
| | Communist | H. Johnson | 129 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,021 | 25.6 | +20.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,989 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Miles Platting

Miles Platting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. P. Hughes* | 1,552 | 60.3 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | J. D. Cheetham | 1,022 | 39.7 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 530 | 20.6 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,574 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Moss Side East

Moss Side East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Whitby | 1,799 | 55.0 | +15.8 |
| | Labour | E. C. Bedgood* | 1,470 | 45.0 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 329 | 10.0 | +8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,269 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Moss Side West

Moss Side West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Buckley* | 1,983 | 49.0 | −6.3 |
| | Labour | J. S. Goldstone | 1,381 | 34.1 | +7.9 |
| | Ratepayers | G. J. Playford | 505 | 12.5 | −3.4 |
| | Union Movement | G. A. Webb | 178 | 4.4 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 602 | 14.9 | −14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,047 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Moston

Moston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. C. Lamb* | 3,390 | 46.1 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative | P. Collins | 2,748 | 37.4 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal | J. Bulmer | 1,221 | 16.5 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 642 | 8.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,359 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### New Cross

New Cross :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Blackwell* | 1,238 | 73.2 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | F. Hargreaves | 454 | 26.8 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 784 | 46.4 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,692 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Newton Heath

Newton Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Logan* | 2,160 | 55.5 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | R. Thorpe | 1,642 | 42.2 | −4.1 |
| | Communist | J. A. Day | 92 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 518 | 13.3 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,894 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Northenden

Northenden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Leigh | 2,982 | 38.0 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | J. Davis* | 2,711 | 34.5 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal | R. H. Hargreaves | 2,160 | 27.5 | +7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 271 | 3.5 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,853 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Old Moat

Old Moat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. P. Humphris* | 1,485 | 43.4 | −8.6 |
| | Liberal | T. Kay | 1,289 | 37.7 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | F. W. Blaine | 645 | 18.9 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 5.7 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,419 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Openshaw

Openshaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Thomas* | 2,817 | 66.9 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | B. Moore | 1,262 | 30.0 | −3.2 |
| | Communist | H. Holland | 129 | 3.1 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,555 | 36.9 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,208 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Rusholme

Rusholme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Stockdale* | 2,084 | 56.5 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal | F. N. Wedlock | 834 | 22.6 | +13.4 |
| | Labour | D. A. Warby | 772 | 20.9 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,250 | 33.9 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,690 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### St. George's

St. George's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Mellor* | 1,749 | 69.4 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | S. Alexander | 771 | 30.6 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 978 | 38.8 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,520 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St. Luke's

St. Luke's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Rimmer* | 1,733 | 53.9 | +11.8 |
| | Conservative | M. J. Holberry | 1,305 | 40.6 | −3.3 |
| | Ratepayers | N. Robinson | 179 | 5.6 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 428 | 13.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,217 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St. Mark's

St. Mark's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Shaw* | 2,206 | 64.2 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | E. Geddes | 1,230 | 35.8 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 976 | 28.4 | −1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,436 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St. Peter's

St. Peter's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | N. G. Westbrook* | 1,004 | 61.1 | −9.6 |
| | Labour | J. Barnett | 638 | 38.9 | +9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 366 | 22.2 | −19.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,642 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Withington

Withington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. McGrath* | 2,211 | 46.9 | −8.5 |
| | Liberal | J. S. Alldridge | 2,019 | 42.9 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | B. Atkinson | 481 | 10.2 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 192 | 4.0 | −15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,711 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Smith* | 3,316 | 73.1 | +17.3 |
| | Conservative | A. Thurston | 1,221 | 26.9 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,095 | 46.2 | +14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,537 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |