# 1908 Liverpool City Council election

Elections to Liverpool City Council were held on Monday 2 November 1908.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Councillors | ± | Aldermen | Total |
| Conservative | 62 | +6 | 24 | 86 |
| Liberal | 28 | -5 | 6 | 34 |
| Irish Nationalist | 11 | 0 | 3 | 14 |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Protestant | ? | -1 | ? | ? |

## Election result

Liverpool Local Election Result 1908 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Conservative | 18 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 53% | 55% | 14,708 |
| Liberal | 13 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 38% | 29% | 7,771 |
| Irish Nationalist | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9% | 3.5% | 928 |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3% | 0% | 0 |
| Socialist | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0% | 4.5% | 1,203 |
| Protestant | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0% | 3.7% | 972 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2.23% | 593 |
Note that due to the large number of uncontested seats, these statistics should be taken in context.

## Ward results

* - Retiring councillor seeking re-election
Comparisons are made with the 1905 election results, as the retiring councillors were elected in that year.

### Abercromby

No. 21 Abercromby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Dr. Henry Herbert Clarke | 873 | 56% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Black * | 677 | 44% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,417 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,550 | 64% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | |

### Aigburth

No. 36 Aigburth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Hartley Wilson * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Anfield

No. 3 Anfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | William Evans * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Breckfield

No. 6 Breckfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Frank John Leslie * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Brunswick

No. 25 Brunswick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Thomas Roberts * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Castle Street

No. 15 Castle Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Richard George Hough | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Dingle

No. 12 Dingle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Dr. Richard Caton * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Edge Hill

No. 12 Edge Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Wilson Walker | 1,605 | 70% |
| | Liberal | Clement Freeman * | 701 | 30% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 904 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,643 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,306 | 50% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | |

### Everton

No. 9 Everton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | William Denton * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Exchange

No. 13 Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Joseph Bibby * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Fairfield

No. 25 Fairfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Thomas Dowd | 1,477 | 56% |
| | Liberal | A. Gates | 1,156 | 44% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 321 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,818 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,633 | 69% |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Fazakerley

No. 31 Fazakerley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Henry Sharrock Higginbottom * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Garston

No. 30 Garston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | James Picthall * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Granby

No. 22 Granby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | John Lea * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Great George

No. 20 Great George :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | John Lamport Ellis * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Kensington

No. 11 Kensington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Gordon | 1,641 | 58% |
| | Socialist | John Wolfe Tone Morrissey * | 1,203 | 42% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 438 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,639 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,844 | 61% |
| | Conservative gain from Socialist | Conservative gain from Socialist | Swing | |

### Kirkdale

No. 2 Kirkdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Dr. John Utting * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Low Hill

No. 10 Low Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | David Pearson * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Netherfield

No. 8 Netherfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Waugh * | 996 | 57% |
| | Protestant | John Walker | 740 | 43% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 256 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,007 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,736 | 43% |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### North Scotland

No. 13 North Scotland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Irish Nationalist | James Bolger | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Irish Nationalist hold | Irish Nationalist hold | Swing |

### Old Swan

No. 28A Old Swan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Edwards | 1,265 | 75% |
| | Socialist | Alan John Tracy | 431 | 25% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 834 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,173 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,696 | 53% |
| | Conservative gain from Irish Nationalist | Conservative gain from Irish Nationalist | Swing | |

### Prince's Park

No. 23 Prince's Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Acheson Lyle Rupert Rathbone * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Sandhills

No. 1 Sandhills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Nationalist | Patrick Joseph Deery * | 928 | 61% |
| | Ind. Conservative | John Carr | 459 | 30% |
| | Independent | James Maher | 134 | 9% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 469 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,303 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,521 | 46% |
| | Irish Nationalist hold | Irish Nationalist hold | Swing | |

### St. Anne's

No. 6 St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | James Sexton * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### St. Domingo

No. 23 St. Domingo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George William Whittaker * | 1,345 | 85% |
| | Protestant | Isaac Adams | 232 | 15% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,113 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,447 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,577 | 35% |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### St. Peter's

No. 19 St. Peter's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Burton William Ellis * | 617 | 54% |
| | Conservative | Henry Lyons | 516 | 46% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 101 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,744 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,133 | 65% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | |

### Sefton Park East

No. 24A Sefton Park East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Reginald George Layton | 1,318 | 53% |
| | Liberal | Wilfrid Bowring Stoddart | 1,156 | 47% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,534 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,474 | 70% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | |

### Sefton Park West

No. 24 Sefton Park West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | F. Pritchard | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### South Scotland

No. 14 South Scotland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Irish Nationalist | Austin Harford * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Irish Nationalist hold | Irish Nationalist hold | Swing |

### Vauxhall

No. 4 Vauxhall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Max Muspratt | 651 | 55% |
| | Conservative | George Marks Davey | 530 | 45% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 121 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,779 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,181 | 66% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | |

### Walton

No. 3A Walton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | J. McDermott | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Warbreck

No. 26 Warbreck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Edward West * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### Wavertree

No. 34 Wavertree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Charles Clarke Morrison * | 960 | 53% |
| | Conservative | George Brodrick Smith-Brodrick | 864 | 47% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,938 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,824 | 62% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | |

### Wavertree West

No. 5A Wavertree West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Edmund Gerson Jackson | 1,175 | 55% |
| | Liberal | William Berrington Jones * | 971 | 45% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 204 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,475 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,146 | 62% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | |

### West Derby

No. 28 West Derby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William James Bailes | 1,103 | 56% |
| | Liberal | Samuel Skelton * | 882 | 44% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 221 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,029 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,985 | 66% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | |

## Aldermanic elections
### Aldermanic election, 9 November 1908

Following the death of Alderman William Hall Jowett (Conservative, elected as an alderman on 9 November 1907), Councillor James Lister (Conservative, Old Swan, elected 1 November 1907) was elected as an alderman on 9 November 1908.
| Party | Party | Alderman | Ward | Term expires |
| | Conservative | James Lister | | 1913 |

### Aldermanic election, 27 October 1909

The resignation of Alderman William James Burgess (Conservative, elected as an alderman 9 November 1904) was reported to the Council on 6 October 1909.
In his place, Councillor Arthur Crosthwaite (Conservative, Wavertree, elected 1 November 1906) was elected as an alderman by the Council on 27 October 1909.
| Party | Party | Alderman | Ward | Term expires |
| | Conservative | Arthur Crosthwaite | No.3 Anfield | 1910 |

## By-elections
### No. 8 Netherfield, 26 November 1908

Caused by the resignation of Councillor George Sturla (Conservative, Netherfield, elected 1 November 1907) which was reported to the Council on 9 November 1908
No. 8 Netherfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | | John Alfred Irving | 1,008 | 58% |
| | Protestant | John Walker | 721 | 42% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 287 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,007 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,729 | 43% |
| | gain from | gain from | Swing | |

### No. 28A Old Swan, 26 November 1908

Caused by the election of Councillor James Lister (Conservative, Old Swan, elected 1 November 1907) was elected as an alderman on 9 November 1908.
No. 28A Old Swan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Charles Burchall | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,173 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### No.16 Exchange ward, 29 January 1909

Caused by the death of Robert Durning Holt (Liberal, Exchange, elected 1 November 1907) on 10 December 1908.
No. 13 Exchange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Frederick Charles Bowring | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### No.19 St. Peter's, 15 June 1909

The resignation of Councillor Horace Muspratt (Party?, St. Peter's, elected 15 April 1908) was reported to the Council on 2 June 1909.
No. 19 St. Peter's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | John Byrne | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |

### No. 22 Granby, 7 October 1909

Caused by the death of Councillor Robert Henry Bullen (Liberal, Granby, elected 1 November 1907).
No. 22 Granby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Eleanor Florence Rathbone | 1,066 | 67% |
| | | Francis James Welland | 516 | 33% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 550 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,582 | |
| | Independent gain from Liberal | Independent gain from Liberal | Swing | |
This by-election was notable in that Eleanor Rathbone was the first woman elected to Liverpool City Council.