1885 Manchester City Council election

Elections to Manchester City Council were held on Monday, 2 November 1885. One third of the councillors seats were up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a three-year term of office. Owing to the extension of the city's boundaries,^[1] three new wards (Bradford, Harpurhey, and Rusholme) elected all of their councillors for the first time.

Quick facts 25 of 76 seats to Manchester City Council 39 seats needed for a majority, First party ...

â 1884

2 November 1885 (1885-11-02)

1886 â

25 of 76 seats
to Manchester City Council
39 seats needed for a majority

	First party	Second party

Party	Liberal	Conservative
Last election	8 seats, 44.9%	8 seats, 51.1%
Seats before	39	25
Seats won	13	12
Seats after	42	34
Seat change	2	7
Popular vote	12,313	13,199
Percentage	46.9%	50.3%
Swing	2.0%	0.8%

Map of results of 1885 election

Leader of the Council before election

Liberal

Leader of the Council after election

Liberal

Close

The Liberal Party retained overall control of the council.^[2]^[3]

Election result

Party	Votes		Seats			Full Council
Liberal Party	12,313 (46.9%)	2.0	13 (52.0%)	13 / 25	2	42 (55.3%)	42 / 76
Conservative Party	13,199 (50.3%)	0.8	12 (48.0%)	12 / 25	7	34 (44.7%)	34 / 76
Independent Liberal	749 (2.9%)	N/A	0 (0.0%)	0 / 25	N/A	0 (0.0%)	0 / 76

Full council

â
42	34

Aldermen

â
14	5

Councillors

â
28	29

Ward results

All Saints'

More information Party, Candidate ...

All Saints'
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	J. Roberts*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

Ardwick

More information Party, Candidate ...

Ardwick
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	J. Hinchliffe*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

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Bradford

More information Party, Candidate ...

Bradford (3 vacancies)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	E. Williams	1,538	65.4
	Conservative	J. Tunstall	1,502	63.8
	Liberal	J. Hutt	1,196	50.8
	Liberal	C. Cooper	1,082	46.0
	Liberal	J. Maudsley	991	42.1
	Independent Liberal	R. W. Bird	749	31.8
Majority			114	4.8
Turnout			2,353
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Liberal win (new seat)

Close

Cheetham

More information Party, Candidate ...

Cheetham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	W. Holt*	1,278	53.3	+23.1
	Conservative	S. P. Bidder	1,119	46.7	â23.1
Majority			159	6.6
Turnout			2,397
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

Collegiate Church

More information Party, Candidate ...

Collegiate Church
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	J. Brooks*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

Exchange

More information Party, Candidate ...

Exchange
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	H. Rawson*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

Harpurhey

More information Party, Candidate ...

Harpurhey (3 vacancies)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	G. Needham	2,052	60.9
	Liberal	W. Sharratt	1,855	55.0
	Conservative	J. Richards	1,755	52.1
	Conservative	A. Wilkinson	1,601	47.5
	Liberal	J. R. Lancashire	1,507	44.7
	Liberal	T. W. Foxcroft	1,343	39.8
Majority			154	4.6
Turnout			3,371
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Liberal win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Close

Medlock Street

More information Party, Candidate ...

Medlock Street
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	A. Evans*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

New Cross

More information Party, Candidate ...

New Cross (2 vacancies)
	Candidate	Votes
Conservative	J. Grantham*	uncontested
Liberal	H. C. Pingstone	uncontested
Conservative hold		Swing
Liberal hold		Swing

Close

Oxford

More information Party, Candidate ...

Oxford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	G. Clay*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

Rusholme

More information Party, Candidate ...

Rusholme (3 vacancies)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	F. E. Estcourt	678	69.8
	Liberal	W. T. Gunson	491	50.5
	Conservative	J. Ramsay	441	45.4
	Conservative	S. Royle	438	45.1
	Liberal	S. Jewsbury	382	39.2
Majority			3	0.3
Turnout			972
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Liberal win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Close

St. Ann's

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. Ann's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	J. Mark*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

St. Clement's

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. Clement's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	J. H. Andrews	798	52.0	+3.2
	Liberal	T. A. Bazley*	737	48.0	â3.2
Majority			61	4.0
Turnout			1,535
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Close

St. George's

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. George's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	R. Lovatt Reade*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

St. James'

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. James'
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	A. Murray*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

St. John's

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. John's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	G. Kenworthy*	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

St. Luke's

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. Luke's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	J. Hoy*	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

St. Michael's

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. Michael's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	W. Brown*	1,451	53.2	+18.1
	Conservative	R. Walker	1,277	46.8	+4.9
Majority			174	6.4
Turnout			2,728
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

Aldermanic elections

Aldermanic election, 9 November 1885

Caused by the creation of Bradford, Harpurhey, and Rusholme wards on 1 November 1885, requiring the election of three aldermen by the council.^[4]

The following three were elected as aldermen by the council on 9 November 1885.^[5]

More information Party, Alderman ...

	Alderman	Ward	Term expires
Liberal	William Brown		1889
Conservative	William Griffin	Harpurhey	1886
Conservative	Hugo Shaw	Bradford	1889

Close

Aldermanic election, 5 May 1886

Caused by the death on 17 April 1886 of Alderman Sir Thomas Baker (Liberal, elected as an alderman by the council on 3 July 1875).^[6]^[7]

In his place, Councillor James Craven (Conservative, Medlock Street, elected 1 November 1871; previously 1863-69)^[8] was elected as an alderman by the council on 5 May 1886.^[9]

More information Party, Alderman ...

Party		Alderman	Ward	Term expires
	Conservative	James Craven		1892

Close

Aldermanic election, 14 July 1886

Caused by the death on 2 July 1886 of Alderman George Booth (Liberal, elected as an alderman by the council on 28 March 1879).^[10]^[11]

In his place, Councillor Thomas Rose (Conservative, St. Ann's, elected 16 July 1875)^[12] was elected as an alderman by the council on 14 July 1886.^[13]

More information Party, Alderman ...

Party		Alderman	Ward	Term expires
	Conservative	Thomas Rose		1889

Close

By-elections between 1885 and 1886

St. Michael's, 17 November 1885

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor William Brown (Liberal, St. Michael's, elected 1 November 1870)^[14] on 9 November 1885,^[15] following the creation of Rusholme ward on 1 November 1885, requiring the election of an alderman by the council.^[16]

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. Michael's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Liberal	C. O'Neill	uncontested
	Liberal hold		Swing

Close

^[17]

By-elections, 25 November 1885

Two by-elections were held on 25 November 1885 to fill vacancies that were created by the appointment of aldermen on 9 November 1885.^[18]

Collegiate Church

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor William Griffin (Conservative, Collegiate Church, elected 1 November 1871)^[19] on 9 November 1885,^[20] following the creation of Harpurhey ward on 1 November 1885, requiring the election of an alderman by the council.^[21]

More information Party, Candidate ...

Collegiate Church
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	C. Griffin	797	58.4	N/A
	Liberal	J. Ashworth	568	41.6	N/A
Majority			229	16.8	N/A
Turnout			1,365
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

New Cross

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Hugo Shaw (Conservative, New Cross, elected 1 November 1871)^[22] on 9 November 1885,^[23] following the creation of Bradford ward on 1 November 1885, requiring the election of an alderman by the council.^[24]

More information Party, Candidate ...

New Cross
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	S. Redfern	1,999	61.0	N/A
	Independent	T. Nolan	1,277	39.0	N/A
Majority			723	22.0	N/A
Turnout			3,276
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

Medlock Street, 19 May 1886

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor James Craven (Conservative, Medlock Street, elected 1 November 1871; previously 1863-69)^[25] on 5 May 1886^[26] following the death on 17 April 1886 of Alderman Sir Thomas Baker (Liberal, elected as an alderman by the council on 3 July 1875).^[27]^[28]

More information Party, Candidate ...

Medlock Street
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	H. H. Mainwaring	1,160	53.3	N/A
	Liberal	S. C. Richardson	1,015	46.7	N/A
Majority			145	6.6	N/A
Turnout			2,175
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

^[29]

St. Ann's, 19 July 1886

Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Thomas Rose (Conservative, St. Ann's, elected 16 July 1875)^[30] on 14 July 1886^[31] following the death on 2 July 1886 of Alderman George Booth (Liberal, elected as an alderman by the council on 28 March 1879).^[32]^[33]

More information Party, Candidate ...

St. Ann's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Â±%
	Conservative	A. G. Copeland	uncontested
	Conservative hold		Swing

Close

^[34]

References

[1]
THE MANCHESTER CITY EXTENSION AND RATING BILL, Manchester Courier, May 6, 1885, p.7
[2]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 3, 1885, p.5
[3]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Courier, November 3, 1885, p.5
[4]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Courier, November 3, 1885, p.5
[5]
ELECTION OF MAYORS, Manchester Courier, November 10, 1885, p.7
[6]
"DEATH OF SIR THOMAS BAKER", Manchester Courier, April 19, 1886, p.5
[7]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL - ELECTION OF ALDERMAN, Manchester Guardian, July 5, 1875, p.6
[8]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1871, p.8
[9]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Courier, May 6, 1886, p.7
[10]
"ALDERMAN GEORGE BOOTH", Manchester Evening News, July 2, 1886, p.3
[11]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, March 29, 1879, p.5
[12]
THE REPRESENATION OF ST. ANN'S WARD, Manchester Guardian, July 17, 1875, p.8
[13]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Courier, July 15, 1886, p.6
[14]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1870, p.6
[15]
ELECTION OF MAYORS, Manchester Courier, November 10, 1885, p.7
[16]
THE MANCHESTER CITY EXTENSION AND RATING BILL, Manchester Courier, May 6, 1885, p.7
[17]
THREE BYE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN MANCHESTER, Manchester Evening News, November 18, 1885, p.2
[18]
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Courier, November 25, 1885, p.7
[19]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1871, p.8
[20]
ELECTION OF MAYORS, Manchester Courier, November 10, 1885, p.7
[21]
THE MANCHESTER CITY EXTENSION AND RATING BILL, Manchester Courier, May 6, 1885, p.7
[22]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1871, p.8
[23]
ELECTION OF MAYORS, Manchester Courier, November 10, 1885, p.7
[24]
THE MANCHESTER CITY EXTENSION AND RATING BILL, Manchester Courier, May 6, 1885, p.7
[25]
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, Manchester Guardian, November 2, 1871, p.8
[26]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Courier, May 6, 1886, p.7
[27]
"DEATH OF SIR THOMAS BAKER", Manchester Courier, April 19, 1886, p.5
[28]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL - ELECTION OF ALDERMAN, Manchester Guardian, July 5, 1875, p.6
[29]
MEDLOCK STREET WARD ELECTION, Manchester Courier, May 20, 1886, p.8
[30]
THE REPRESENATION OF ST. ANN'S WARD, Manchester Guardian, July 17, 1875, p.8
[31]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Courier, July 15, 1886, p.6
[32]
"ALDERMAN GEORGE BOOTH", Manchester Evening News, July 2, 1886, p.3
[33]
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, March 29, 1879, p.5
[34]
THE VACANCY IN THE CITY COUNCIL, Manchester Guardian, July 20, 1886, p.5

Full council

Aldermen

Councillors

All Saints'

Ardwick

Bradford

Cheetham

Collegiate Church

Exchange

Harpurhey

Medlock Street

New Cross

Oxford

Rusholme

St. Ann's

St. Clement's

St. George's

St. James'

St. John's

St. Luke's

St. Michael's

Aldermanic election, 9 November 1885

Aldermanic election, 5 May 1886

Aldermanic election, 14 July 1886

St. Michael's, 17 November 1885

By-elections, 25 November 1885

Collegiate Church

New Cross

Medlock Street, 19 May 1886

St. Ann's, 19 July 1886

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