# Liverpool Exchange (UK Parliament constituency)

Liverpool Exchange was a borough constituency within the city of Liverpool in England, centred on Liverpool Exchange railway station. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.
The constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. It was abolished for the February 1974 election, when it was merged with Liverpool Scotland to form Liverpool Scotland Exchange.

## Boundaries

The constituency covered the centre of the city of Liverpool, bordering on the River Mersey. It included the commercial area of the city, as well as poorer housing. It originally consisted of the wards of Vauxhall, St Ann Street, Lime Street, Exchange, and St Paul's.

### 1885–1918

The Exchange Ward, with a significant Conservative business vote, was combined with the St Anne's and Vauxhall wards (which were more Liberal and contained a substantial Irish vote).
The Scotland division, to the north of this seat, was more heavily Irish and returned an Irish Nationalist MP. Exchange was a Liberal/Conservative and Allies marginal constituency and its elections were influenced by what guidance the electors were given by Nationalist leaders.

### 1918–1950

In this period the seat was defined as comprising the Abercromby, Castle Street, Exchange, Great George, St Anne's, St Peter's, and Vauxhall wards.
In this era the area was represented by Conservative Members of Parliament, until the Labour Party captured the seat in 1945.

### 1950–1955

Brunswick, and Granby wards were added to those previously in the seat.

### 1955–1974

The constituency comprised Abercromby, Central, Granby, Low Hill, and St James wards.
In the redistribution which took effect in 1974, this seat disappeared. However the successor constituency was named Liverpool Scotland Exchange, combining as it did the central and northern riverside parts of the city.

## Members of Parliament

| Year | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Laurence Baily | Conservative |
| 1886 | David Duncan | Liberal |
| 1887 | Ralph Neville | Liberal |
| 1895 | John Bigham | Liberal Unionist |
| 1897 | Charles McArthur | Liberal Unionist |
| 1906 | Richard Cherry | Liberal |
| 1910 | Max Muspratt | Liberal |
| 1910 | Leslie Scott | Conservative |
| 1929 | Sir James Reynolds | Conservative |
| 1933 | John Shute | Conservative |
| 1945 | Bessie Braddock | Labour |
| 1970 | Robert Parry | Labour |
| 1974 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

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

General election 1885: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Laurence Richardson Baily | 2,964 | 50.2 | |
| | Liberal | William O'Shea | 2,909 | 49.2 | |
| | Independent Liberal | Thomas English Stephens | 36 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 1.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,909 | 72.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,171 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
* O'Shea had originally announced his intention to stand as an Irish Nationalist candidate. When he later secured the support of the Liberal Party, Stephens retired in favour of him.
General election 1886: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Duncan | 2,920 | 51.5 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Laurence Richardson Baily | 2,750 | 48.5 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,670 | 69.4 | −2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,171 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.0 | |
Duncan's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 26 Jan 1887: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ralph Neville | 3,217 | 50.1 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal Unionist | George Goschen | 3,210 | 49.9 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 0.2 | −2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,427 | 81.2 | +11.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,911 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.4 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ralph Neville | 2,721 | 50.6 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Bigham | 2,655 | 49.4 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 1.2 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,376 | 71.5 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,518 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.9 | |
General election 1895: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Bigham | 2,884 | 52.3 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal | William Bowring | 2,630 | 47.7 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,514 | 78.1 | +6.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,063 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.9 | |
Bigham is appointed a judge on the Queen's Bench division of the High Court of Justice, and resigned.
1897 Liverpool Exchange by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Charles McArthur | 2,711 | 50.5 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal | Russell Rea | 2,657 | 49.5 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 54 | 1.0 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,368 | 76.0 | −2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,060 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | −1.8 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Charles McArthur | 2,811 | 65.0 | +12.7 |
| | Liberal | Frederick Verney | 1,514 | 35.0 | ―12.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,297 | 30.0 | +25.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,325 | 64.4 | ―13.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,718 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +12.7 | |
General election 1906: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Cherry | 2,291 | 51.4 | +16.4 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Charles McArthur | 2,170 | 48.6 | −16.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 121 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,461 | 75.7 | +11.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,891 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +16.4 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Max Muspratt | 2,392 | 51.7 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Leslie Scott | 2,231 | 48.3 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 3.4 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,623 | 82.5 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election December 1910: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Leslie Scott | 2,330 | 51.6 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal | Max Muspratt | 2,187 | 48.4 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 143 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,517 | 80.6 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.3 | |
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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: Leslie Scott
* Liberal:
General election 1918: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Leslie Scott | 10,286 | 55.6 | +4.0 |
| | Irish Nationalist | Austin Harford | 8,225 | 44.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,061 | 11.2 | +8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,511 | 52.0 | ―28.6 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

1922 Liverpool Exchange by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Leslie Scott | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1922: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Leslie Scott | 15,650 | 55.4 | N/A |
| | Irish Nationalist | Joseph Devlin | 12,614 | 44.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,036 | 10.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,264 | 74.8 | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1923: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Leslie Scott | 10,551 | 50.5 | ―4.9 |
| | Irish Nationalist | William Grogan | 10,322 | 49.5 | +4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | 1.0 | ―9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,873 | 51.9 | ―22.9 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | ―4.9 | |
General election 1924: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Leslie Scott | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1929: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Reynolds | 17,179 | 50.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | William Albert Robinson | 16,970 | 49.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 209 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,149 | 65.9 | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Reynolds | 24,038 | 68.8 | +18.5 |
| | Labour | Tom McLean | 10,894 | 31.2 | ―18.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,144 | 37.6 | +37.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,902 | 69.0 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +18.5 | |
By-election 1933: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Shute | 15,198 | 55.0 | ―13.8 |
| | Labour | Sydney Silverman | 12,412 | 45.0 | +13.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,786 | 10.0 | ―26.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,610 | 55.2 | ―13.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | ―13.8 | |
General election 1935: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Shute | 17,439 | 57.2 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | S. Mahon | 13,027 | 42.8 | ―2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,412 | 14.4 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,466 | 65.7 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General Election 1939–40 Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: John Shute
* Labour:

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 8,494 | 52.0 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | John Shute | 7,829 | 48.0 | ―9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 665 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,323 | 60.9 | ―4.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.2 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 19,492 | 57.3 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | John Reynolds | 14,150 | 41.6 | ―6.4 |
| | Independent Labour | A.G. Cleather | 381 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,342 | 15.7 | +11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,023 | 72.8 | +11.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.9 | |
General election 1951: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 19,887 | 60.4 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | John O. Tiernan | 13,052 | 39.6 | ―2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,835 | 20.8 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,939 | 69.2 | ―3.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 19,457 | 56.1 | ―4.3 |
| | Conservative | Anne Elizabeth Papworth | 12,271 | 35.4 | ―4.2 |
| | Independent Labour | Lawrence Murphy | 2,928 | 8.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,186 | 20.7 | ―0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,656 | 62.5 | ―6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | ±0.0 | |
General election 1959: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 18,916 | 61.3 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Tom Beattie-Edwards | 11,945 | 38.7 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,971 | 22.6 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,861 | 60.5 | ―2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.0 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 16,985 | 70.1 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | Vincent Burke | 7,239 | 29.9 | ―8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,746 | 40.2 | +17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,224 | 54.4 | ―6.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.8 | |
General election 1966: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bessie Braddock | 15,089 | 73.7 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | Barry Vincent Groombridge | 5,372 | 26.3 | ―3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,717 | 47.4 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,461 | 50.7 | ―3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.6 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Liverpool Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Parry | 12,995 | 70.6 | ―3.1 |
| | Conservative | Anthony G. Phillips | 4,638 | 25.2 | ―1.1 |
| | Communist | Roger O'Hara | 775 | 4.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,357 | 45.4 | ―2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,408 | 53.4 | +2.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | ―1.0 | |