# Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)

Woolwich West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It centred on Eltham, now in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London.
The constituency was formed for the 1918 general election, when the constituency of Woolwich was divided into Woolwich West and Woolwich East, and abolished in 1983. Although the boundaries changed, Woolwich West in effect became the new Eltham constituency.

## Boundaries

1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Dockyard, Eltham, Herbert, River, St. George's, and St Mary's.
1950–1955: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Avery Hill, Herbert, St George's, Sherard, and Well Hall.
1955–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich wards of Avery Hill, Coldharbour, Eltham Green, Falconwood, Herbert, Horn Park, Middle Park, New Eltham, St George's, Sherard, Shooters Hill, and Well Hall.
1974–1983: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of academy, Coldharbour, Eltham, Horn Park, Middle Park, New Eltham, St George's, Sherard, Shooters Hill, and Well Hall.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Sir Kingsley Wood | Conservative |
| 1943 by-election | Francis Beech | Conservative |
| 1945 | Henry Berry | Labour |
| 1950 | William Steward | Conservative |
| 1959 | Colin Turner | Conservative |
| 1964 | Bill Hamling | Labour |
| 1975 by-election | Peter Bottomley | Conservative |
| 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Bottomley | 21,222 | 47.3 | +8.7 |
| | Labour | Diana Page | 18,613 | 41.5 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal | (Peter) John Churchill | 4,363 | 9.7 | −4.6 |
| | National Front | Malcolm Skeggs | 630 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,609 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,828 | 79.6 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
1975 Woolwich West by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Bottomley | 17,280 | 48.8 | +10.2 |
| | Labour | Joseph Stanyer | 14,898 | 42.1 | −5.0 |
| | Liberal | Sheilagh Hobday | 1,884 | 5.3 | −9.0 |
| | National Front | Ruth Robinson | 856 | 2.4 | New |
| | Fellowship | Ronald Mallone | 218 | 0.6 | New |
| | English National | Frank Hansford-Miller | 140 | 0.4 | New |
| | Conservative, Anti-Common Market | Reginald Simmerson | 104 | 0.3 | New |
| | Independent | Peter Bishop | 41 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,382 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,525 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 19,614 | 47.1 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Peter Bottomley | 16,073 | 38.6 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal | JP Johnson | 5,962 | 14.3 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,541 | 8.5 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,649 | 73.9 | −8.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.6 | |
General election February 1974: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 20,126 | 44.1 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Bottomley | 17,690 | 38.8 | −10.5 |
| | Liberal | JP Johnson | 7,833 | 17.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,436 | 5.3 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,649 | 81.9 | +10.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
General election 1970: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 21,036 | 50.8 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Maurice Patrick Gaffney | 20,418 | 49.3 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 618 | 1.5 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,454 | 71.9 | −9.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.9 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 23,344 | 53.7 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | Maurice Patrick Gaffney | 19,256 | 44.3 | −2.4 |
| | Fellowship | Ronald Mallone | 906 | 2.1 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,088 | 9.4 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,506 | 81.4 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
General election 1964: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 22,420 | 50.8 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Colin Turner | 20,639 | 46.7 | −6.0 |
| | Fellowship | Ronald Mallone | 1,112 | 2.5 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,781 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,171 | 81.3 | −3.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.1 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Colin Turner | 24,373 | 52.7 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 20,678 | 44.7 | −3.3 |
| | Fellowship | Ronald Mallone | 1,189 | 2.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,695 | 8.0 | +4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,240 | 84.8 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election 1955: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Steward | 23,981 | 52.0 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | William Hamling | 22,101 | 48.0 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,880 | 4.0 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,082 | 83.3 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
General election 1951: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Steward | 23,385 | 49.3 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | John Silkin | 22,041 | 46.4 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal | David Phillips | 2,040 | 4.3 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,344 | 2.9 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,466 | 82.1 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 | |
General election 1950: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Steward | 21,257 | 46.6 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Henry Berry | 21,118 | 46.3 | −15.0 |
| | Liberal | WR Roberts | 3,279 | 7.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 139 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,654 | 87.1 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +11.6 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Henry Berry | 23,655 | 61.6 | +20.3 |
| | Conservative | Francis Beech | 14,771 | 38.4 | −20.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,884 | 23.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,426 | 72.3 | −3.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 20.3 | |
1943 Woolwich West by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Beech | 8,204 | 65.2 | +6.5 |
| | Ind. Labour Party | Tom Colyer | 3,419 | 27.2 | New |
| | Independent | J. Ellis | 958 | 7.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,785 | 38.0 | +20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,581 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kingsley Wood | 24,649 | 58.7 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | Arthur George Wansborough | 17,373 | 41.3 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,276 | 17.3 | −11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,022 | 75.8 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.9 | |
General election 1931: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kingsley Wood | 26,441 | 64.6 | +24.6 |
| | Labour Co-op | Joseph Reeves | 14,520 | 35.4 | −8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,921 | 29.1 | +20.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,961 | 77.4 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Kingsley Wood | 17,296 | 45.0 | −12.3 |
| | Labour | William Barefoot | 16,964 | 44.2 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Stanley Phillips | 4,140 | 10.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 332 | 0.8 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,400 | 76.8 | −2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,014 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −6.9 | |
General election 1924: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Kingsley Wood | 16,504 | 57.3 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | William Barefoot | 12,304 | 42.7 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,200 | 14.6 | +10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,808 | 79.7 | +11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,153 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
General election 1923: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Kingsley Wood | 12,380 | 52.2 | −8.0 |
| | Labour | William Barefoot | 11,357 | 47.8 | +8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,023 | 4.4 | −16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,737 | 67.8 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,032 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −8.0 | |
General election 1922: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Kingsley Wood | 14,453 | 60.2 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | J.T. Sheppard | 9,550 | 39.8 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,903 | 20.4 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,003 | 70.1 | +10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 34,242 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −2.6 | |

### Election in the 1910s

General election 1918: Woolwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Kingsley Wood | 12,348 | 60.1 | |
| | Labour | Alexander Gordon Cameron | 7,088 | 34.5 | |
| | Ind. Unionist | W.A. Adam | 1,109 | 5.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,260 | 25.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,545 | 60.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 34,248 | | |
| | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||