Belfast Woodvale (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

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Belfast Woodvale Parliament of Northern Ireland Borough constituency
Belfast Woodvale shown within Belfast and Belfast shown within Northern Ireland
Created:	1929
Abolished:	1972
Election Method:	First past the post

Belfast Woodvale was a constituency of the Northern Ireland Parliament.

Contents 1 Boundaries 2 Politics 3 Members of Parliament 4 Election results 5 References

[edit] Boundaries

Belfast Woodvale was a borough constituency comprising part of western Belfast. It was created in 1929 when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first past the post elections throughout Northern Ireland.

Belfast Woodvale was created by the division of Belfast West into four new constituencies. It survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament, until the Northern Ireland Parliament was prorogued in 1972 and formally abolished in 1973.^[1]

[edit] Politics

The seat was strongly Unionist, but there was a strong local labour movement, and for much of its history, the seat was held by the Northern Ireland Labour Party or independent Unionists.^[1]

[edit] Members of Parliament

• 1929 - 1950: John William Nixon, Independent Unionist
• 1950 - 1955: Robert Harcourt, Ulster Unionist Party
• 1955 - 1958: Neville Martin, Ulster Unionist Party
• 1958 - 1965: Billy Boyd, Northern Ireland Labour Party
• 1965 - 1972: John McQuade, Ulster Unionist Party (1965 - 70); Independent Unionist (1970 - 71); Democratic Unionist Party (1971 - 72)

[edit] Election results

Northern Ireland 1921-72
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Northern Ireland 1921-72
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Cabinet Governments: Craigavon ministry  · Andrews ministry Brookeborough ministry  · O'Neill ministry Chichester-Clark ministry  · Faulkner ministry Elections: 1921  · 1925  · 1929  · 1933 1938  · 1945  · 1949  · 1953 1958  · 1962  · 1965  · 1969 By-elections Members: 1921  · 1925  · 1929  · 1933 1938  · 1945  · 1949  · 1953 1958  · 1962  · 1965  · 1969
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See also
Government of Ireland Act 1920 Elections in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973
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General Election 1929: Belfast Woodvale[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Unionist	John William Nixon	9,904	58.4	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	W. Beattie	6,465	41.6	N/A
Majority			2,629	16.8	N/A
Turnout				75.2	N/A
	Independent Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 1933: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Unionist	John William Nixon	8,709	56.6	-1.8
	Ulster Unionist	A. Dalzell	6,676	43.4	+1.8
Majority			2,033	13.2	-13.6
Turnout				76.4	+0.8
	Independent Unionist hold		Swing

General Election 1938: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Unionist	John William Nixon	9,335	59.0	+2.4
	Ulster Unionist	J. W. Dickson	6,479	41.0	-2.4
Majority			2,856	18.0	+4.8
Turnout				79.5	+3.1
	Independent Unionist hold		Swing

General Election 1945: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Unionist	John William Nixon	9,274	66.4	+7.4
	Ulster Unionist	S. L. Megraw	4,686	33.6	-7.4
Majority			4,588	32.8	+14.8
Turnout				69.3	-10.2
	Independent Unionist hold		Swing

At the Northern Ireland general election, 1949, John William Nixon was elected unopposed.

Belfast Woodvale by-election, 1950
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Robert Harcourt	3,939	33.1	N/A
	Independent Unionist	R. Hill	3,529	29.7	N/A
	Labour (NI)	C. Hull	2,893	29.7	N/A
	Independent Unionist	D. H. Walker	1,533	12.9	N/A
Majority			410	3.4	N/A
Turnout				57.9	N/A
	Ulster Unionist gain from Independent Unionist		Swing	N/A

General Election 1953: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Robert Harcourt	6,085	40.1	N/A
	Independent Unionist	J. B. Docherty	5,786	38.2	N/A
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	3,286	21.7	N/A
Majority			299	1.9	N/A
Turnout				69.3	N/A
	Ulster Unionist gain from Independent Unionist		Swing	N/A

Belfast Woodvale by-election, 1955
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Neville Martin	5,609	52.0	+11.9
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	5,173	48.0	+26.3
Majority			436	4.0	+2.1
Turnout				50.0	-19.3
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 1958: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	7,529	50.3	+28.6
	Ulster Unionist	Neville Martin	7,449	49.7	+9.6
Majority			80	0.6	-1.3
Turnout			71.8	+1.0	N/A
	Labour (NI) gain from Ulster Unionist		Swing	N/A

General Election 1962: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	8,389	57.4	+7.1
	Ulster Unionist	J. F. Kerr	6,232	42.6	-7.1
Majority			2,157	14.8	+14.2
Turnout			71.9	+0.1	N/A
	Labour (NI) hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 1965: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	John McQuade	6,791	57.3	+14.7
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	5,067	42.7	-14.7
Majority			1,724	14.6	-0.2
Turnout			57.3	-14.6	N/A
	Ulster Unionist gain from Labour (NI)		Swing	N/A

General Election 1969: Belfast Woodvale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	John McQuade	7,209	50.7	-6.6
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	3,878	26.9	-15.8
	Independent Unionist	R. L. Bell	3,231	22.4	N/A
Majority			3,331	23.8	+9.2
Turnout			71.6	+14.3	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} The Northern Ireland House of Commons, 1921-1972, Northern Ireland Elections
2. ^ Northern Ireland Parliamentary Elections Results: Boroughs: Belfast

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