# 1961 Edinburgh Corporation election

Elections to Edinburgh Corporation were held on 2 May 1961, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. Of the councils 69 seats, 23 were up for election. However, only 16 seats were contested, as councillors were returned unopposed in seven wards.
Only one seat changed hands; Corstorphine ward was gained by the Liberal Party from the Progressive Party.
After the election Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 38 Progressives, 28 Labour councillors, 2 Liberal, and 1 Protestant Action. The Progressives retained overall control of the council.
Turnout in the 14 contested wards was 76,953 or 33.7%.

## Aggregate results

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1961 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Progressives | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 58.3 | 43.6 | 33,496 |
| Labour | 10 | 0 | 0 | | 39.1 | 36.1 | 27,757 |
| Liberal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.3 | 19.6 | 15,083 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.6 | 496 |

## Ward Results

Broughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Calton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | D. A. P. Buchanan | 2,041 | |
| | Labour | J. S. Cook | 1,929 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.77 |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Central Leith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Barbara Woodburn | 2,574 | |
| | Progressives | J. Tait | 932 | |
| | Communist | T. C. Taylor | 106 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1642 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.97 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Colinton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Catherine Filsell | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Corstorphine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | D. C. Davies | 3,406 | |
| | Progressives | M. A. Murray | 2,493 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 915 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.89 |
| | Liberal gain from Progressives | Liberal gain from Progressives | Liberal gain from Progressives | Liberal gain from Progressives |
Craigentinny :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Marion R. Alexander | 3,112 | |
| | Progressives | A. W. Hunt | 2,288 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 824 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.84 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Craigmillar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Kane | 2,025 | |
| | Communist | J. A. Young | 205 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,820 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 22.54 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
George Square :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | J. Slack | 1,350 | |
| | Liberal | V. S. MacKinnon | 1,270 | |
| | Labour | G. Drummond | 731 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 80 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.95 |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Gorgie-Dalry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D. M. Swanson | 2,655 | |
| | Progressives | W. E. Bruges | 1,591 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,064 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.20 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Holyrood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Labour | P. Rogan | 2,194 | |
| Communist | J. Ashton | 185 | |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Liberton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | P. Wilson | 4,180 | 53.0 |
| | Progressives | N. Fairbairn | 3,699 | 46.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 481 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,879 | 40.63 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Merchiston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Maurice Heggle | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Morningside :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Progressives | Elizabeth M. Mein | 3,165 | |
| Liberal | Bethia L. Howden | 1,718 | |
| Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Murrayfield-Cramond :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | J. W. McKay | 2,808 | 55.0 |
| | Liberal | J. S. Fowlie | 2,295 | 45.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 513 | 10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,103 | 34.48 |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Newington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | G. Hodderwick | 3,186 | |
| | Liberal | W. G. Henderson | 2,817 | |
| | Labour | Frieda White | 1,098 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 369 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.27 |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Pilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Magnus Williamson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Portobello :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | A. D. Jameson | 2,988 | |
| | Labour | R. G. Blanche | 1,550 | |
| | Liberal | J. M. Farquhar | 1,534 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,438 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.41 |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Sighthill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Isabella Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
South Leith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Anne K. Simpson | 3,695 | |
| | Progressives | E. W. Hall | 2,909 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 786 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 28.84 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
St. Andrews :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Craig Richards | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
St. Bernard's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | J. Millar | 3,005 | |
| | Liberal | A. Gordon | 2,043 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 962 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 28.55 |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
St. Giles :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Henderson | 2,014 | |
| | Progressives | I. H. McKee | 1,041 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 973 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 23.23 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
West Leith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Margaret Ross | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |