# 1974 Southwark London Borough Council election

Elections to Southwark Council were held in May 1974. The whole council was up for election. Turnout was 24.2%.
This was the last local election to feature aldermen as well as councillors. Labour got all ten aldermen as well as 56 elected councillors.

## Election result

Southwark Local Election Result 1974 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 66 | 0 | 2 | 2 | | 65.28 | 31,604 | 9.34 |
| Conservative | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | | 21.87 | 10,586 | 1.99 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 10.10 | 4,890 | New |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.97 | 472 | 0.34 |
| Ind. Ratepayers | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.90 | 434 | New |
| National Front | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.61 | 294 | 0.4 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.28 | 135 | New |

## Ward results
### Abbey

Abbey (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Dower* | 1,455 | 85.6 | 0.2 |
| | Labour | C.J. Coveney* | 1,451 | 85.4 | 0.6 |
| | Conservative | C.M. Wilson | 118 | 6.9 | 4.0 |
| | Liberal | G.B. Lee | 92 | 5.4 | New |
| | Liberal | T.J. Perrin | 86 | 5.1 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,700 | 26.4 | −8.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Alleyn

Alleyn (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mrs A.S. Ward* | 1,042 | 50.3 | 10.8 |
| | Labour | E.A. Davies | 1,037 | 50.0 | 13.3 |
| | Liberal | C.M. Hall | 490 | 23.6 | New |
| | Liberal | J.F. Hayes | 462 | 22.3 | New |
| | Conservative | D.M. Lang | 452 | 21.8 | 13.2 |
| | Conservative | Miss S.E. Norman | 449 | 21.7 | 12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,073 | 33.4 | −3.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bellenden

Bellenden (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F.E. Lee* | 1,381 | 50.4 | 9.8 |
| | Labour | Mrs F.E. Sampson | 1,378 | 50.3 | 10.2 |
| | Labour | Mrs J. Lee | 1,369 | 50.0 | 8.4 |
| | Conservative | B.C. Leach | 756 | 27.6 | 7.1 |
| | Conservative | R.P. Primmer | 741 | 27.1 | 6.2 |
| | Conservative | G. Scott | 685 | 25.0 | 8.3 |
| | Liberal | Mrs J.C. Haken | 498 | 18.2 | New |
| | Liberal | A.J. Baker | 468 | 17.1 | New |
| | Communist | E.L. Hodson | 119 | 4.3 | 0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,739 | 29.4 | −4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bricklayers

Bricklayers (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L.A.J. Henley* | 934 | 83.5 | 21.3 |
| | Labour | Mrs F. Whitnall* | 900 | 80.5 | 20.6 |
| | Conservative | C.C. Hayward | 150 | 13.4 | 12.6 |
| | Conservative | F.H. Morgan | 144 | 12.9 | 13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,118 | 21.9 | −6.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Browning

Browning (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J.S. Lees* | 1,134 | 60.2 | 21.3 |
| | Labour | P.E. McSorley | 1,101 | 58.5 | 24.7 |
| | Labour | Rev J.W. Watson* | 1,090 | 57.9 | 24.0 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | L.G. Howe | 445 | 23.6 | New |
| | Independent Ratepayers | T.W. Elliott | 434 | 23.0 | New |
| | Independent Ratepayers | W.C. Burnett | 423 | 22.5 | New |
| | Conservative | D. Walker | 231 | 12.3 | 0.2 |
| | Conservative | K. Walmsley | 201 | 10.7 | 0.3 |
| | Liberal | Mrs A.L. Pelling | 101 | 5.4 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,883 | 27.8 | +0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Brunswick

Brunswick (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Miss A.G. Liddle* | 1,421 | 72.0 | 10.2 |
| | Labour | E.W.T. Pruce* | 1,394 | 70.6 | 12.1 |
| | Labour | R. Watts* | 1,361 | 68.9 | 12.8 |
| | Liberal | D.R. Howard | 269 | 13.6 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs V.A. Hunt | 240 | 12.2 | New |
| | Conservative | F.N. Richardson | 237 | 12.0 | 0.1 |
| | Liberal | M.S. Stokes | 232 | 11.8 | New |
| | Conservative | R.S. Higgins | 225 | 11.4 | 0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,974 | 23.4 | −4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Burgess

Burgess (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J.H.K. Fowler* | 1,388 | 78.1 | 5.2 |
| | Labour | N.B. Parry Jones | 1,284 | 72.2 | 11.9 |
| | Labour | A.E. Wright | 1,257 | 70.7 | 12.0 |
| | Conservative | G.D. Bailey | 189 | 10.6 | 0.2 |
| | Conservative | C.V. Brewster | 182 | 10.2 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs K.C. Frith | 141 | 7.9 | New |
| | Liberal | P.J.M. Glencross | 127 | 7.1 | New |
| | Liberal | D.F. O'Byrne | 108 | 6.1 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,778 | 20.1 | −5.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Cathedral

Cathedral (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C.C Gates* | 1,139 | 79.1 | 6.5 |
| | Labour | J.J. Lauder | 1,116 | 77.5 | 2.8 |
| | Labour | D.D. McCoid* | 1,034 | 71.8 | 11.2 |
| | Conservative | A.R. Nuttall | 185 | 12.8 | 3.9 |
| | Independent | P. Chancellor | 135 | 9.4 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,440 | 19.2 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chaucer

Chaucer (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A.E. Knight* | 1,401 | 75.9 | 4.1 |
| | Labour | Mrs M.G. Farrow* | 1,367 | 74.1 | 5.4 |
| | Labour | N.H. Tertis* | 1,287 | 69.7 | 8.0 |
| | Conservative | Mrs K. Field | 319 | 17.3 | 0.1 |
| | Conservative | Miss B.E. North | 319 | 17.3 | 0.3 |
| | Conservative | Miss D.N. Parsons | 300 | 16.3 | 0.9 |
| | Communist | M.J. Chislett | 101 | 5.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,846 | 23.5 | −6.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### College

College (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B.G.J. Hoskins | 1,769 | 45.9 | 2.9 |
| | Conservative | N.J.D. Smith | 1,744 | 45.2 | 2.2 |
| | Labour | W.G. Symes* | 1,589 | 41.2 | 8.7 |
| | Labour | Mrs E.A. Ackroyd* | 1,565 | 40.6 | 10.3 |
| | Liberal | M.B. Cogan | 442 | 11.5 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs M. Irving | 433 | 11.2 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,858 | 46.8 | ±0.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Consort

Consort (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W.F. Jones* | 761 | 72.4 | 14.4 |
| | Labour | F.J. Francis | 756 | 71.9 | 11.6 |
| | Conservative | Miss J. Holland | 152 | 14.5 | 3.7 |
| | Conservative | Mrs F.G. Percival | 126 | 12.0 | 0.2 |
| | Liberal | Miss P. Beale | 97 | 9.2 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs D.M. O'Byrne | 94 | 8.9 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,051 | 22.4 | −4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dockyard

Dockyard (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mrs L.M. Brown* | 1,624 | 82.6 | 7.3 |
| | Labour | John H. O'Grady* | 1,512 | 76.9 | 10.9 |
| | Conservative | P. Gray | 223 | 11.3 | 2.8 |
| | National Front | D.M. Thompson | 100 | 5.1 | New |
| | National Front | A.H. Whitmore | 80 | 4.1 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1.966 | 25.9 | −9.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Faraday

Faraday (4) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F.W. Combes* | 2,415 | 80.4 | 4.8 |
| | Labour | W.A. Slater | 2,384 | 79.4 | 5.1 |
| | Labour | Mrs A.E. Waller* | 2,369 | 78.9 | 3.8 |
| | Labour | Mrs A. McNaught | 2,368 | 78.9 | 5.2 |
| | Conservative | J. McKay | 287 | 9.6 | 0.2 |
| | Conservative | C.C. Keene | 280 | 9.3 | 0.1 |
| | Liberal | R. Barker | 216 | 7.2 | New |
| | Liberal | B.S. Jenkins | 214 | 7.1 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs V.E. Howard | 213 | 7.1 | New |
| | Liberal | M.C. West | 169 | 5.6 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,002 | 21.0 | −5.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Friary

Friary (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F.A. Goldwin* | 1,480 | 76.1 | 10.8 |
| | Labour | Mrs M.V. Goldwin* | 1,443 | 74.2 | 14.0 |
| | Labour | Miss J.M. Somerville | 1,387 | 71.3 | 15.8 |
| | Conservative | Mrs G. Cobley | 221 | 11.4 | 3.5 |
| | Conservative | E.L. Keetch | 207 | 10.6 | 1.8 |
| | Conservative | J.R. Mills | 197 | 10.1 | 2.7 |
| | Liberal | W.H. Hartin | 155 | 8.0 | New |
| | Liberal | H.W.F. Moore | 127 | 6.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,945 | 21.6 | −4.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Lyndhurst

Lyndhurst (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W.H. Payne* | 2,103 | 63.3 | 6.2 |
| | Labour | D.J. Whiting* | 1,947 | 58.6 | 8.4 |
| | Labour | H.C. Potter* | 1,848 | 55.6 | 13.4 |
| | Conservative | Mrs P.C. Cooper | 787 | 23.7 | 4.9 |
| | Conservative | R. Spilberg | 766 | 23.1 | 4.2 |
| | Conservative | I.M. Andrews | 763 | 23.0 | 5.2 |
| | Liberal | A.W. Porter | 453 | 13.6 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs A. Bostock | 307 | 9.2 | New |
| | Liberal | D.M. Phillips | 299 | 9.0 | New |
| | Communist | Miss C. Mayow | 144 | 4.3 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,321 | 31.6 | −7.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Newington

Newington (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mrs C.M. Clunn* | 1,334 | 63.4 | 14.7 |
| | Labour | C.A.G. Halford* | 1,312 | 62.4 | 17.8 |
| | Labour | S.W. Cox | 1,299 | 61.7 | 17.2 |
| | Liberal | N.J.S. Clemens | 477 | 22.7 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs G.I. Clemens | 438 | 20.8 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs D.M.I. Jenkins | 416 | 19.8 | New |
| | Conservative | T.W.H. Eckersley | 212 | 10.1 | 6.4 |
| | Conservative | J.A. Villers | 190 | 9.0 | 6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,104 | 23.9 | −1.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Riverside

Riverside (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mrs A. Stevens* | 1,550 | 77.5 | 7.1 |
| | Labour | L.T. Tucker* | 1,482 | 74.1 | 10.3 |
| | Liberal | T.J. Taylor | 240 | 12.0 | New |
| | Conservative | A.J. Padmore | 234 | 11.7 | 1.5 |
| | Liberal | R.G. Tindall | 149 | 7.4 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,001 | 28.2 | −6.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Rotherhithe

Rotherhithe (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E.A. Rowe* | 1,317 | 89.3 | 0.9 |
| | Labour | H.W.G. Young* | 1,196 | 81.1 | 4.6 |
| | Conservative | B.D. Thurnell | 128 | 8.7 | 0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,475 | 21.8 | −6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Ruskin

Ruskin (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mrs H.E. Day* | 1,776 | 52.0 | 8.8 |
| | Conservative | R.J. Dunn | 1,759 | 51.5 | 8.8 |
| | Labour | R.W. Postlethwaite | 972 | 28.5 | 10.1 |
| | Labour | R.W. Eadie | 969 | 28.4 | 9.7 |
| | Liberal | J.A. Salisbury-Jones | 598 | 17.5 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs E. Boumphrey | 583 | 17.1 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,413 | 48.1 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Rye

Rye (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C.J. Rouse | 1,301 | 43.2 | 6.9 |
| | Labour | Mrs A. Brereton* | 1,298 | 43.1 | 7.1 |
| | Conservative | N.R. Robinson | 1,148 | 38.1 | 10.3 |
| | Conservative | T.J. Smith | 1,133 | 37.6 | 9.3 |
| | Liberal | J.C. Barley | 283 | 9.4 | New |
| | Liberal | P.T. Snasdell | 265 | 8.8 | New |
| | National Front | R.A.W. Jackson | 212 | 7.0 | New |
| | National Front | D.B. Webber | 196 | 6.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,014 | 40.5 | +1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St Giles

St Giles (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mrs E.M. Dalton* | 1,318 | 65.8 | 11.3 |
| | Labour | L.H. Alden* | 1,282 | 64.0 | 13.1 |
| | Labour | R. Wedlake* | 1,244 | 62.1 | 12.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Kilbane | 328 | 16.4 | 0.7 |
| | Conservative | Miss M. McKeown | 328 | 16.4 | 4.1 |
| | Conservative | M.P. Mulligan | 317 | 15.8 | 2.0 |
| | Liberal | R.B.G. Thompson | 277 | 13.8 | New |
| | Liberal | J.N. Hunt | 268 | 13.4 | New |
| | Liberal | D. Main | 254 | 12.7 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,002 | 22.3 | −1.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### The Lane

The Lane (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G.W. Byfield* | 1,958 | 69.5 | 4.5 |
| | Labour | F.J. Brean* | 1,948 | 69.1 | 6.4 |
| | Labour | P. Cather* | 1,905 | 67.6 | 5.6 |
| | Labour | F.T. Rolfe* | 1,837 | 65.2 | 5.5 |
| | Conservative | Mrs J.R. Bryant | 581 | 20.6 | 7.4 |
| | Conservative | J.W. Kennedy | 411 | 14.6 | 5.1 |
| | Conservative | S.H. Smith | 383 | 13.6 | 5.3 |
| | Conservative | J.N. Uphill | 357 | 12.7 | 6.1 |
| | Liberal | Mrs R.E. Cogan | 232 | 8.2 | New |
| | Liberal | Miss A.P. Lambert | 221 | 7.8 | New |
| | Liberal | Mrs F.N. Kapadia | 194 | 6.9 | New |
| | Liberal | D.A. Teale | 194 | 6.9 | New |
| | Communist | I.P. Findlay | 108 | 3.8 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,818 | 23.0 | −6.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Waverley

Waverley (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H.T. Ball* | 1,354 | 69.2 | 1.7 |
| | Labour | M.J. Dalton | 1,280 | 65.4 | 4.2 |
| | Conservative | R. Goose | 412 | 21.1 | 7.1 |
| | Conservative | Mrs A.M. Wallace | 387 | 19.8 | 7.0 |
| | Liberal | Mrs L.M. Hobbs | 181 | 9.3 | New |
| | Liberal | S. Maharasingam | 135 | 6.9 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,956 | 31.7 | −5.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## By-Elections

Cathedral by-election, 24 April 1975 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen J. Kippin | 633 | 69.8 | 2.0 |
| | Conservative | Alfred R. Nuttall | 136 | 15.0 | 2.2 |
| | National Front | Kevin McDonagh | 80 | 8.8 | New |
| | Liberal | Thomas J. Taylor | 58 | 6.4 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 12.7 | −6.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Brunswick by-election, 25 March 1976 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeremy Gordon | 885 | 49.1 | 21.5 |
| | Conservative | Tobias W. H. Eckersley | 446 | 24.7 | 12.7 |
| | National Party | Ronald A. Jackson | 252 | 14.0 | New |
| | Liberal | Veronica Hunt | 220 | 12.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 22.6 | −0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Burgess by-election, 20 January 1977 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Geater | 530 | 37.9 | 32.8 |
| | Conservative | Tobias W. H. Eckersley | 478 | 34.2 | 23.6 |
| | National Party | Ronald A. Jackson | 390 | 27.9 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 16.0 | −4.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ruskin by-election, 29 September 1977 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tobias W. H. Eckersley | 1,580 | 59.1 | 7.1 |
| | Labour | Carol Turner | 622 | 23.3 | 5.2 |
| | Liberal | Brian K. Seeley | 243 | 9.1 | 8.4 |
| | National Front | James S. Sneath | 228 | 8.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.7 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |