# 1897 Belfast Corporation election

An election to Belfast Corporation took place on Thursday 25 November 1897 as part of that year's local elections.
This was the first election for Belfast Corporation since 1887. Since that election the Belfast Corporation Act 1896 had increased the borough from 6,800 to 16,500 acres, and the electorate from 39,603 to 47,294. The need to delineate new ward boundaries meant that elections could not be completed in 1896, resulting in them being delayed until 1897.

## Results by party

Belfast Corporation election, 1897 :
| Party | Seats |
| Belfast Conservative Association | 33 |
| Catholic Association | 8 |
| Independent | 8 |
| Belfast LRC | 6 |
| Liberal Unionist | 5 |
| Joint Committee of the INL & INF | 0 |

## Ward Results
### Court

Court Ward Electorate: 2,882 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Belfast LRC | Alex Taylor | 1,028 | |
| | | Tougher | 977 | |
| | | Young* | 666 | |
| | | Dr Stewart | 644 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,986 | 68.91 |
| | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from |

### Duncairn

Duncairn Ward - 3 seats Electorate: 3,527 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Belfast LRC | Alexander Bowman | 1,249 | |
| | Irish Conservative | Dr Timothy White | 1,196 | |
| | Independent | Robert Wilson (incumbent) | 1,010 | |
| | Irish Conservative | John Thompson | 839 | |
| | Irish Conservative | James McCammond | 767 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from |

### Falls
#### Alderman

Falls Ward (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | | McCormick | 1,280 | 60.15 |
| | | James McCann | 848 | 39.85 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,128 | |

#### Councillors

Falls Ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Catholic Association | McDonnell | 1,300 |
| | Catholic Association | P. J. McGee | 1,272 |
| | Catholic Association | Cook | 1,236 |
| | INL & INF | Fegan | 764 |
| | INL & INF | Rooney | 744 |
| | INL & INF | Connolly | 702 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |

### Pottinger

Pottinger Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Belfast LRC | Murray Davis | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from |

### Shankhill

Shankill Ward (3 councillors) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Belfast LRC | Robert Gageby | 1,836 | |
| | | Johnston | 1,326 | |
| | | Workman | 1,281 | |
| | | Gault | 760 | |
| | | Bell | 583 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from |

### Smithfield

Smithfield Ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Catholic Association | O'Connell | 1184 | {{{change}}} |
| | Catholic Association | McEntee | 1158 | {{{change}}} |
| | Catholic Association | McLorinan | 1080 | {{{change}}} |
| | INL & INF | Aicken | 823 | {{{change}}} |
| | INL & INF | McGuigan | 795 | {{{change}}} |
| | INL & INF | Riordan | 731 | {{{change}}} |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |

### St. George's & Dock

St. George's and Dock Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Belfast LRC | William Liddell | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from |

### Victoria

Victoria Ward Electorate: 2,714 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Belfast LRC | Edward McInness | 781 | |
| | Irish Conservative | John McCormick* | 735 | |
| | Irish Conservative | Millar | 723 | |
| | Irish Conservative | Dr Cathcart | 671 | |
| | | William Hill | 316 | |
| | | Dunwoody | 66 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,933 | |
| | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from | Belfast LRC gain from |