# Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)

Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. The constituency was abolished by the Boundary Commission in 1997, when most of its former territory became part of the Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

## History

The constituency of Dulwich was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, as one of nine covering the enlarged parliamentary former borough of Lambeth. Lambeth councillors had been overwhelmingly progressive Liberals though this part of the seat did have Conservative parish/urban district councillors before 1885. Dulwich was one of three seats in the new parliamentary borough of Camberwell.
As a suburban London constituency, Dulwich tended to favour the Conservatives, and returned a Conservative member in each election between 1885 and 1945, when it fell to the Labour party. After that it became a marginal seat, with Labour winning slightly more times than the Conservatives. In 1892 the Liberal candidate estimated that it had around 4,000 working class voters out of around 10,500 and observed that although it had a reputation as a 'villa constituency' there were many voters in the many less impressive houses.
The constituency shared boundaries with the Dulwich electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981. Gerald Bowden held the seat from 1977 to 1981.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The wards of Camberwell and Dulwich, and the hamlet of Penge.
1918–1950: The Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell wards of Alleyn, College, Hamlet, Ruskin, and St John's. Penge was transferred to the new Bromley constituency.
1950–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell wards of Alleyn, College, Hamlet, Lyndhurst, Nunhead, Ruskin, Rye, Rye Lane, and St John's.
1974–1997: The London Borough of Southwark wards of Alleyn, Bellenden, College, Lyndhurst, Ruskin, Rye, The Lane, and Waverley.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | John Morgan Howard | Conservative |
| 1887 by-election | Sir John Blundell Maple | Conservative |
| 1903 by-election | Frederick Rutherfoord Harris | Conservative |
| 1906 by-election | Bonar Law | Conservative |
| 1910 | Sir Frederick Hall | Conservative |
| 1932 by-election | Sir Bracewell Smith | Conservative |
| 1945 | Wilfrid Vernon | Labour |
| 1951 | Robert Jenkins | Conservative |
| 1964 | Samuel Silkin | Labour |
| 1983 | Gerald Bowden | Conservative |
| 1992 | Tessa Jowell | Labour |
| 1997 | constituency abolished: see Dulwich & West Norwood | constituency abolished: see Dulwich & West Norwood |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tessa Jowell | 17,714 | 47.3 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Bowden | 15,658 | 41.8 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex Goldie | 4,078 | 10.9 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,056 | 5.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,450 | 67.9 | −1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,141 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.0 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Bowden | 16,563 | 42.4 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Kate Hoey | 16,383 | 42.0 | +6.3 |
| | SDP | Andrew Harris | 5,664 | 14.5 | −7.5 |
| | Green | Alex Goldie | 432 | 1.1 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 180 | 0.5 | –4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,042 | 69.3 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,355 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –2.2 | |
General election 1983: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Bowden | 15,424 | 40.5 | −2.8 |
| | Labour | Kate Hoey | 13,565 | 35.7 | −6.6 |
| | SDP | Dick Taverne | 8,376 | 22.0 | +10.9 |
| | National Front | Raymond Barker | 338 | 0.9 | −1.2 |
| | Ecology | R Baker | 237 | 0.6 | −0.5 |
| | Loony Society | Richard Vero | 99 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,859 | 4.9 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,039 | 67.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,596 | | |
| | Conservative notional hold | Conservative notional hold | Conservative notional hold | Conservative notional hold | Conservative notional hold |

### Elections in the 1970s

1979 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 17,821 | 43.4 |
| | Labour | 17,371 | 42.3 |
| | Liberal | 4,588 | 11.2 |
| | Others | 1,323 | 3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 41,103 | |
| Electorate | Electorate | |
General election 1979: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Silkin | 18,557 | 43.0 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Eric Morley | 18,435 | 42.7 | +10.2 |
| | Liberal | William H Pearson | 4,759 | 11.0 | −6.9 |
| | National Front | David Thompson | 920 | 2.1 | New |
| | Ecology | David Smart | 468 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 122 | 0.3 | −16.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,139 | 70.4 | +5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,259 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | –8.3 | |
General election October 1974: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Silkin | 21,790 | 49.5 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Eric Morley | 14,331 | 32.6 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal | William Pearson | 7,866 | 17.9 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,459 | 17.0 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,987 | 65.1 | –8.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,542 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.1 | |
General election February 1974: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Silkin | 22,530 | 45.5 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Keith Raffan | 17,189 | 34.7 | −10.4 |
| | Liberal | William Pearson | 9,851 | 19.9 | +12.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,341 | 10.8 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,570 | 73.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,059 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
General election 1970: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Silkin | 20,145 | 47.2 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 19,250 | 45.1 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal | Alfred Noel H. Blackburn | 3,301 | 7.7 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 895 | 2.1 | −11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,696 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Silkin | 24,469 | 51.95 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative | Martin Stevens | 18,173 | 38.58 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal | Michael Ridd | 4,458 | 9.46 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,296 | 13.37 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,100 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Silkin | 22,320 | 46.86 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Martin Stevens | 19,415 | 40.76 | −6.3 |
| | Liberal | Fred G Redman | 5,627 | 11.81 | +1.78 |
| | Christian Socialist | Frederick Palmer | 264 | 0.56 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,905 | 6.10 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,626 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 24,991 | 47.10 | −1.32 |
| | Labour | A Leslie Hill | 22,740 | 42.86 | −2.02 |
| | Liberal | W John Searle | 5,324 | 10.03 | +3.34 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,251 | 4.24 | +0.70 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,055 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 25,333 | 48.42 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 23,482 | 44.88 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal | David Phillips | 3,501 | 6.69 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,851 | 3.54 | +2.30 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,316 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 26,579 | 47.66 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 25,888 | 46.42 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal | Paul Baker | 3,302 | 5.92 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 691 | 1.24 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,769 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 25,511 | 46.70 | +3.21 |
| | Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 24,186 | 44.28 | +1.69 |
| | Liberal | Paul Baker | 4,929 | 9.02 | −4.90 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,325 | 2.42 | +1.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,626 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 10,266 | 43.49 | |
| | Conservative | Bracewell Smith | 10,055 | 42.59 | |
| | Liberal | John Peter James Ellis | 3,287 | 13.92 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 211 | 0.90 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,608 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

The candidates selected for the aborted 1939–1940 general election were;
* Conservative: Bracewell Smith
* Liberal: C. R. Cooke-Taylor
* Labour: Wilfrid Vernon
General election 1935: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Bracewell Smith | 16,870 | 60.78 |
| | Labour | James Vinor Delahaye | 7,142 | 25.73 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,743 | 13.49 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,728 | 35.05 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,755 | 65.76 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
1932 Dulwich by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bracewell Smith | 12,342 | 61.0 | −10.6 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,998 | 19.7 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | Helen Bentwich | 3,905 | 19.3 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,344 | 41.3 | −14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,245 | 43.0 | −27.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick Hall | 21,752 | 71.6 | +22.8 |
| | Labour | F. Hughes | 4,747 | 15.6 | −14.7 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,924 | 12.9 | −8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,005 | 56.0 | +37.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,423 | 70.7 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +18.7 | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Frederick Hall | 15,009 | 48.8 | −9.7 |
| | Labour | C. A. Smith | 9,309 | 30.3 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 6,442 | 20.9 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,700 | 18.5 | −13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,760 | 72.1 | −6.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,638 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −6.8 | |
General election 29 October 1924: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Frederick Hall | 15,611 | 58.5 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | C. A. Smith | 7,068 | 26.5 | New |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 4,017 | 15.0 | −31.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,543 | 32.0 | +25.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,696 | 78.9 | +17.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 33,833 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +18.4 | |
General election 6 December 1923: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Frederick Hall | 10,855 | 53.4 | −14.2 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 9,488 | 46.6 | +14.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,367 | 6.8 | −28.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,343 | 61.3 | −2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 33,185 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −14.2 | |
General election 15 November 1922: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Frederick Hall | 14,046 | 67.6 | −11.3 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 6,733 | 32.4 | +11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,313 | 35.2 | −22.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,779 | 64.0 | +13.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,486 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −11.3 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 14 December 1918: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Frederick Hall | 12,039 | 78.9 | +20.2 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,219 | 21.1 | −20.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,820 | 57.8 | +40.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,258 | 50.2 | −30.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 30,377 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +20.2 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
General election December 1910: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick Hall | 7,796 | 58.7 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal | Evan Spicer | 5,495 | 41.3 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,301 | 17.4 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,291 | 80.7 | −7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,478 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
General election January 1910: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bonar Law | 8,472 | 58.3 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal | Evan Cotton | 6,054 | 41.7 | −6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,418 | 16.6 | +13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,526 | 88.2 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,478 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.9 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

By-election, 1906: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bonar Law | 6,709 | 55.3 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | David Williamson | 5,430 | 44.7 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,279 | 10.6 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,139 | 79.4 | −5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,286 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
General election 1906: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick Rutherfoord Harris | 6,639 | 51.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | David Williamson | 6,282 | 48.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 357 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,921 | 84.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,286 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
1903 Dulwich by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick Rutherfoord Harris | 5,819 | 57.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Charles Masterman | 4,382 | 43.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,437 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,201 | 75.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,515 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1900: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Blundell Maple | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

1895 general election: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Blundell Maple | 5,258 | 70.7 | +7.8 |
| | Liberal | Charles Clarke | 2,176 | 29.3 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,082 | 41.4 | +15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,434 | 62.2 | −12.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,960 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.8 | |
1892 general election: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Blundell Maple | 5,318 | 62.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Arthur Clayden | 3,138 | 37.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,180 | 25.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,456 | 75.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,277 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

By-election, 1 Dec 1887: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Blundell Maple | 4,021 | 60.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | James Henderson | 2,609 | 39.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,412 | 21.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,630 | 83.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,972 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
1886 general election: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Morgan Howard | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1885 general election: Dulwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Morgan Howard | 4,406 | 61.9 | |
| | Liberal | George Collins | 2,712 | 38.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,694 | 23.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,118 | 79.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,963 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |