# Birmingham Handsworth (UK Parliament constituency)

Birmingham Handsworth was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Handsworth district of Birmingham. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was abolished in 1983.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Rushall Tipton, Wednesbury, and West Bromwich, and the Municipal Borough of Walsall. The constituency was created, as a county constituency, for the 1885 general election when it was the Handsworth division of Staffordshire. In 1885 the area was to the north of the parliamentary borough of Birmingham and was the south-eastern county division of Staffordshire. Birmingham, which from 1889 was a county borough, with city status, was mostly located in the geographic county of Warwickshire, but gradually expanded into adjacent areas of Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
The constituency bordered to the west West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Walsall; to the north Lichfield; to the east Tamworth and to the south Birmingham West and Birmingham North.
1918–1955: The County Borough of Birmingham wards of Handsworth, Sandwell, and Soho. By 1918 the Handsworth area had been incorporated within the growing city of Birmingham. For the 1918 general election it became a borough constituency as Birmingham Handsworth.
1955–1974: The County Borough of Birmingham wards of Handsworth, Lozells, and Sandwell. Lozells ward was formerly in Birmingham Aston. Soho ward became part of Birmingham All Saints.
1974–1983: The County Borough of Birmingham wards of Aston, Handsworth, and Sandwell.
The constituency disappeared at the 1983 general election. Sandwell ward became 32.9% of Birmingham Ladywood, Handsworth ward became 24.8% of Birmingham Perry Barr and Aston ward became 11.9% of Birmingham Small Heath.

## Members of Parliament

| Year | Year | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Henry Wiggin | Liberal |
| | 1886 | Henry Wiggin | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1892 | Sir Henry Meysey-Thompson | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1906 | Ernest Meysey-Thompson | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1912 | Ernest Meysey-Thompson | Unionist |
| | 1922 | Oliver Locker-Lampson | Unionist |
| | 1945 | Harold Roberts | Conservative |
| | 1950 by-election | Sir Edward Boyle | Conservative |
| | 1970 | Sydney Chapman | Conservative |
| | 1974 | John Lee | Labour |
| | 1979 | Sheila Wright | Labour |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Wiggin | 7,057 | 63.2 | |
| | Conservative | Harry Robert Graham | 4,107 | 36.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,950 | 26.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,164 | 74.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,988 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Wiggin | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Meysey-Thompson | 7,370 | 57.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Hugh Reid | 5,433 | 42.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,937 | 15.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,803 | 78.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,325 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1895: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Meysey-Thompson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Meysey-Thompson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General election 1906: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Ernest Meysey-Thompson | 13,407 | 60.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Herbert Leon | 8,636 | 39.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,771 | 21.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,043 | 84.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,243 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Ernest Meysey-Thompson | 14,594 | 60.6 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal | George Jackson | 9,488 | 39.4 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,106 | 21.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,082 | 83.2 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
General election December 1910: Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Ernest Meysey-Thompson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: Ernest Meysey-Thompson
* Labour: John Davison
General election 1918: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Ernest Meysey-Thompson | 12,019 | 56.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Norman Tiptaft | 4,697 | 22.1 | New |
| | Independent Labour | Harry Joseph Odell | 4,576 | 21.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,322 | 34.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,292 | 57.2 | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Oliver Locker-Lampson | 18,859 | 59.6 | +3.2 |
| | Independent | Norman Tiptaft | 12,790 | 40.4 | +18.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,069 | 19.2 | −15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,649 | 82.9 | +25.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 38,164 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −7.6 | |
General election 1923: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Oliver Locker-Lampson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1924: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Oliver Locker-Lampson | 20,056 | 65.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Philip Noel-Baker | 10,516 | 34.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,540 | 31.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,572 | 78.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 38,872 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1929: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Oliver Locker-Lampson | 22,035 | 53.9 | −11.7 |
| | Labour | Louis Anderson Fenn | 11,959 | 29.3 | −5.1 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Gordan Bagnall | 6,857 | 16.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10, 076 | 24.6 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,851 | 78.5 | −0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,025 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −3.3 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Oliver Locker-Lampson | 30,989 | 78.4 | +24.5 |
| | Labour | Louis Anderson Fenn | 8,548 | 21.6 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,441 | 56.8 | +32,2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,537 | 75.1 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Oliver Locker-Lampson | 24,135 | 73.0 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | A G Chattaway | 8,910 | 27.0 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,225 | 46.0 | −10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,045 | 61.7 | −13.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Oliver Locker-Lampson
* Labour: A G Chattaway
General election 1945: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Roberts | 15,607 | 37.9 | −35.1 |
| | Labour | Cyril Bence | 14,142 | 34.3 | +7.3 |
| | Independent | Norman Tiptaft | 5,112 | 12.4 | New |
| | Liberal | Barbara Lewis | 4,945 | 12.0 | New |
| | Communist | Jessie Eden | 1,390 | 3.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,465 | 3.6 | −42.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,180 | 72.5 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +21.2 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Roberts | 24,246 | 50.5 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | Cyril Bence | 18,774 | 39.2 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | Ronald William Eades | 4,926 | 10.3 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,472 | 11.3 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,972 | 83.1 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
1950 Birmingham Handsworth by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 22,083 | 60.7 | +10.2 |
| | Labour | Cyril Bence | 13,852 | 38.1 | −1.1 |
| | Independent | SW Keatley | 453 | 1.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,231 | 22.6 | +11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,388 | 63.2 | −19.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.65 | |
General election 1951: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 27,201 | 59.5 | +9.0 |
| | Labour | Richard William Evely | 18,494 | 40.5 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,707 | 19.0 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,695 | 79.0 | +15.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
General election 1955: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 24,349 | 60.0 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Alexander Murie | 14,064 | 34.7 | −5.8 |
| | Independent | SW Keatley | 2,148 | 5.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,285 | 25.3 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,415 | 69.6 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.15 | |
* Independent Peace candidate
General election 1959: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 23,243 | 60.8 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Alexander Murie | 13,116 | 34.3 | −0.4 |
| | Independent | SW Keatley | 1,867 | 4.9 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,127 | 26.5 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,226 | 68.8 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.6 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 16,841 | 47.5 | −13.3 |
| | Labour | Sheila Wright | 11,909 | 33.6 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal | Wallace Lawler | 6,249 | 17.6 | New |
| | Independent | SW Keatley | 459 | 1.3 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,932 | 13.9 | −12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,459 | 66.6 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -6.3 | |
General election 1966: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 16,225 | 49.9 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Sheila Wright | 14,931 | 46.0 | +12.4 |
| | Union Movement | Jeffrey Hamm | 1,337 | 4.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,294 | 3.9 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,493 | 63.2 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sydney Chapman | 16,122 | 53.0 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Sheila Wright | 14,310 | 47.0 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,812 | 6.0 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,432 | 65.2 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.05 | |
General election February 1974: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Lee | 14,290 | 43.5 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | Sydney Chapman | 12,667 | 38.6 | −14.4 |
| | Liberal | P Tilsley | 5,566 | 16.9 | New |
| | Marxist-Leninist (England) | S. Thompson | 334 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,623 | 4.9 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,857 | 72.4 | +7.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.45 | |
General election October 1974: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Lee | 15,011 | 49.4 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | R Tyler | 11,115 | 37.0 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal | DI Grant-Smith | 3,205 | 10.6 | −7.3 |
| | National Front | J Finnegan | 838 | 2.8 | New |
| | More Prosperous Britain | Tom Keen | 105 | 0.3 | New |
| | Marxist-Leninist (England) | J. L. Hutchinson | 103 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,896 | 12.4 | +7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,339 | 66.5 | −5.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.75 | |
General election 1979: Birmingham Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sheila Wright | 16,998 | 55.2 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | R Tyler | 13,789 | 44.8 | +7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,209 | 10.4 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,787 | 68.4 | +2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.0 | |