The 1937 Tonbridge by-election was held on 23 March 1937. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, Herbert Spender-Clay. It was won by the Conservative candidate Adrian Baillie.[1]

Candidates

Adrian Baillie had previously been the Unionist MP for the normally Labour seat of Linlithgowshire from 1931 to 1935.

The Liberal challenger was 59 year-old[2] Borlase Matthews. He was Liberal candidate at Henley for the 1931 general election, the 1932 Henley by-election and at Ashford for the 1935 general election.[3] He was an engineer but left engineering to take up farming. He was a Member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society. He was a Member of the Electricity Commissioners Rural Electrification Conference. He was Chairman of the Rural Reconstruction Association. He was also an author of several books and papers on farming.[4]

Result

Tonbridge by-election, 1937[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adrian Baillie 18,802 56.9 -4.4
Labour H Smith 8,147 24.7 +0.1
Liberal Richard Borlase Matthews 6,073 18.4 +4.3
Majority 10,655 32.2 -4.3
Turnout 33,022 58.2
Conservative hold Swing -2.2

References

  1. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
  2. ↑ Who's who in Engineering, 1921
  3. ↑ The Times House of Commons, 1935
  4. ↑ The Times House of Commons, 1931
  5. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig


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