| Dulwich | |
|---|---|
| Formerborough constituency for theHouse of Commons | |
Boundary of Dulwich in Greater London for the 1983 general election | |
| County | Greater London |
| 1885–1997 | |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | East Surrey (certainly as to bulk) Lambeth (possibly as to negligible parts) |
| Replaced by | Dulwich and West Norwood (bulk) Camberwell and Peckham (part) |
Dulwich was aborough constituency in theDulwich area ofSouth London, which returned oneMember of Parliament (MP) to theHouse of Commons of theParliament of the United Kingdom.
The constituency was created by theRedistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the1885 general election. The constituency was abolished by theBoundary Commission in1997, when most of its former territory became part of theDulwich and West Norwood constituency.

The constituency of Dulwich was created by theRedistribution of Seats Act 1885, as one of nine covering the enlarged parliamentary former borough ofLambeth. Lambeth councillors had been overwhelmingly progressiveLiberals though this part of the seat did have Conservative parish/urban district councillors before 1885.[1] Dulwich was one of three seats in the new parliamentary borough ofCamberwell.
As a suburban London constituency, Dulwich tended to favour theConservatives, and returned a Conservative member in each election between 1885 and 1945, when it fell to theLabour party. After that it became a marginal seat, with Labour winning slightly more times than the Conservatives. In 1892 the Liberal candidate estimated that it had around 4,000 working class voters out of around 10,500 and observed that although it had a reputation as a 'villa constituency' there were many voters in the many less impressive houses.[2]
The constituency shared boundaries with theDulwich electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981. Gerald Bowden held the seat from 1977 to 1981.
| Dates | Local authority | Maps | Wards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885–1918 | Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell | Camberwell and Dulwich, and the hamlet ofPenge.[3] | |
| 1918–1950 | Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell | Alleyn, College, Hamlet, Ruskin, and St John's. | |
| 1950–1974 | Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell (before 1965) London Borough of Southwark (after 1965) | Alleyn, College, Hamlet, Lyndhurst, Nunhead, Ruskin, Rye, Rye Lane, and St John's. | |
| 1974–1983 | London Borough of Southwark | Alleyn, Bellenden, College, Lyndhurst, Ruskin, Rye, The Lane, and Waverley.[4] | |
| 1983–1997 | London Borough of Southwark | Alleyn, Bellenden, College, Lyndhurst, Ruskin, Rye, The Lane, and Waverley.[5] |
The constituency was formed predominantly from the existing constituency ofEast Surrey
Penge was transferred to the new seat ofBromley.
Nunhead, Rye and Rye Lane wards were transferred fromPeckham. Lyndhurst was transferred from the abolished seat ofCamberwell North West
Minor transfer fromPeckham.
Minor transfer toPeckham.
| Election | Member | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | John Morgan Howard | Conservative | Resigned in 1887 following his appointment as a County Court circuit Judge | |
| 1887 by-election | Sir John Blundell Maple | Conservative | Died November 1903 | |
| 1903 by-election | Frederick Rutherfoord Harris | Conservative | Resigned in 1906 | |
| 1906 by-election | Bonar Law | Conservative | ||
| 1910 | Sir Frederick Hall | Conservative | Died April 1932 | |
| 1932 by-election | Sir Bracewell Smith | Conservative | ||
| 1945 | Wilfrid Vernon | Labour | ||
| 1951 | Robert Jenkins | Conservative | ||
| 1964 | Samuel Silkin | Labour | Attorney General for England and Wales, andNorthern Ireland (1974 – 1979) | |
| 1983 | Gerald Bowden | Conservative | ||
| 1992 | Tessa Jowell | Labour | ContestedDulwich & West Norwood following redistribution | |
| 1997 | constituency abolished: seeDulwich & West Norwood | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Tessa Jowell | 17,714 | 47.3 | +5.3 | |
| Conservative | Gerald Bowden | 15,658 | 41.8 | −0.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Alex Goldie | 4,078 | 10.9 | −3.6 | |
| Majority | 2,056 | 5.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 37,450 | 67.9 | −1.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 55,141 | ||||
| Labourgain fromConservative | Swing | +3.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Bowden | 16,563 | 42.4 | +1.9 | |
| Labour | Kate Hoey | 16,383 | 42.0 | +6.3 | |
| SDP | Andrew Harris | 5,664 | 14.5 | −7.5 | |
| Green | Alex Goldie | 432 | 1.1 | +0.5 | |
| Majority | 180 | 0.5 | –4.4 | ||
| Turnout | 39,042 | 69.3 | +2.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 56,355 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | –2.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Gerald Bowden | 15,424 | 40.5 | −2.8 | |
| Labour | Kate Hoey | 13,565 | 35.7 | −6.6 | |
| SDP | Dick Taverne | 8,376 | 22.0 | +10.9 | |
| National Front | Raymond Barker | 338 | 0.9 | −1.2 | |
| Ecology | R Baker | 237 | 0.6 | −0.5 | |
| Loony Society | Richard Vero | 99 | 0.3 | New | |
| Majority | 1,859 | 4.9 | +3.8 | ||
| Turnout | 38,039 | 67.2 | |||
| Registered electors | 56,596 | ||||
| Conservativenotional hold | |||||
| 1979notional result[10] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 17,821 | 43.4 | |
| Labour | 17,371 | 42.3 | |
| Liberal | 4,588 | 11.2 | |
| Others | 1,323 | 3.2 | |
| Turnout | 41,103 | ||
| Electorate | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Silkin | 18,557 | 43.0 | −6.5 | |
| Conservative | Eric Morley | 18,435 | 42.7 | +10.2 | |
| Liberal | William Pearson | 4,759 | 11.0 | −6.9 | |
| National Front | David Thompson | 920 | 2.1 | New | |
| Ecology | David Smart | 468 | 1.1 | New | |
| Majority | 122 | 0.3 | −16.7 | ||
| Turnout | 43,139 | 70.4 | +5.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 61,259 | ||||
| Labourhold | Swing | –8.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Silkin | 21,790 | 49.5 | +4.1 | |
| Conservative | Eric Morley | 14,331 | 32.6 | −2.1 | |
| Liberal | William Pearson | 7,866 | 17.9 | −2.0 | |
| Majority | 7,459 | 17.0 | +6.2 | ||
| Turnout | 43,987 | 65.1 | –8.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 67,542 | ||||
| Labourhold | Swing | +3.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Silkin | 22,530 | 45.5 | −2.1 | |
| Conservative | Keith Raffan | 17,189 | 34.7 | −10.0 | |
| Liberal | William Pearson | 9,851 | 19.9 | +12.1 | |
| Majority | 5,341 | 10.8 | +7.9 | ||
| Turnout | 49,570 | 73.9 | +10.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 67,059 | ||||
| Labourhold | Swing | +3.9 | |||
| 1970notional result[11] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Labour | 21,500 | 47.6 | |
| Conservative | 20,200 | 44.7 | |
| Liberal | 3,500 | 7.7 | |
| Turnout | 45,200 | 63.0 | |
| Electorate | 71,760 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Silkin | 20,145 | 47.2 | −4.8 | |
| Conservative | Patrick Mayhew | 19,250 | 45.1 | +6.5 | |
| Liberal | Alfred Blackburn | 3,301 | 7.7 | −1.7 | |
| Majority | 895 | 2.1 | −11.3 | ||
| Turnout | 42,696 | 64.4 | –9.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 66,265 | ||||
| Labourhold | Swing | –5.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Silkin | 24,469 | 52.0 | +5.1 | |
| Conservative | Martin Stevens | 18,173 | 38.6 | −2.2 | |
| Liberal | Michael Ridd | 4,458 | 9.5 | −2.4 | |
| Majority | 6,296 | 13.4 | +7.3 | ||
| Turnout | 47,100 | 73.7 | –0.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 63,891 | ||||
| Labourhold | Swing | +3.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel Silkin | 22,320 | 46.9 | +4.0 | |
| Conservative | Martin Stevens | 19,415 | 40.8 | −6.3 | |
| Liberal | Fred G Redman | 5,627 | 11.8 | +1.8 | |
| Christian Socialist | Frederick Palmer | 264 | 0.6 | New | |
| Majority | 2,905 | 6.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 47,626 | 73.8 | –5.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 64,568 | ||||
| Labourgain fromConservative | Swing | +5.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 24,991 | 47.1 | −1.3 | |
| Labour | A Leslie Hill | 22,740 | 42.9 | −2.0 | |
| Liberal | W John Searle | 5,324 | 10.0 | +3.3 | |
| Majority | 2,251 | 4.2 | +0.7 | ||
| Turnout | 53,055 | 79.2 | +0.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 66,988 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +0.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 25,333 | 48.4 | +0.8 | |
| Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 23,482 | 44.9 | −1.5 | |
| Liberal | David Phillips | 3,501 | 6.7 | +0.8 | |
| Majority | 1,851 | 3.5 | +2.3 | ||
| Turnout | 52,316 | 78.7 | –5.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 66,495 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +1.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 26,579 | 47.7 | +3.4 | |
| Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 25,888 | 46.4 | −0.3 | |
| Liberal | Paul Baker | 3,302 | 5.9 | −3.1 | |
| Majority | 691 | 1.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 55,769 | 83.9 | +0.6 | ||
| Registered electors | 66,473 | ||||
| Conservativegain fromLabour | Swing | +1.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 25,511 | 46.7 | ||
| Conservative | Robert Jenkins | 24,186 | 44.3 | ||
| Liberal | Paul Baker | 4,929 | 9.0 | ||
| Majority | 1,325 | 2.4 | |||
| Turnout | 54,626 | 83.3 | |||
| Registered electors | 65,573 | ||||
| Labourwin (new boundaries) | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Wilfrid Vernon | 10,266 | 43.49 | ||
| Conservative | Bracewell Smith | 10,055 | 42.59 | ||
| Liberal | John Ellis | 3,287 | 13.92 | ||
| Majority | 211 | 0.90 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 23,608 | ||||
| Registered electors | |||||
| Labourgain fromConservative | Swing | ||||
The candidates selected for the aborted 1939–1940 general election were;
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bracewell Smith | 16,870 | 60.78 | ||
| Labour | James Vinor Delahaye | 7,142 | 25.73 | ||
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,743 | 13.49 | ||
| Majority | 9,728 | 35.05 | |||
| Turnout | 27,755 | 65.76 | |||
| Registered electors | |||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bracewell Smith | 12,342 | 61.0 | –10.6 | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,998 | 19.7 | +6.8 | |
| Labour | Helen Bentwich | 3,905 | 19.3 | +3.7 | |
| Majority | 8,344 | 41.3 | –14.7 | ||
| Turnout | 20,245 | 43.0 | –27.7 | ||
| Registered electors | |||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Frederick Hall | 21,752 | 71.6 | +22.8 | |
| Labour | F. Hughes | 4,747 | 15.6 | –14.7 | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,924 | 12.9 | –8.0 | |
| Majority | 17,005 | 56.0 | +37.5 | ||
| Turnout | 30,423 | 70.7 | –1.4 | ||
| Registered electors | |||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +18.7 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Frederick Hall | 15,009 | 48.8 | −9.7 | |
| Labour | C. A. Smith | 9,309 | 30.3 | +3.8 | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 6,442 | 20.9 | +5.9 | |
| Majority | 5,700 | 18.5 | −13.5 | ||
| Turnout | 30,760 | 72.1 | −6.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 42,638 | ||||
| Unionisthold | Swing | −6.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Frederick Hall | 15,611 | 58.5 | +5.1 | |
| Labour | C. A. Smith | 7,068 | 26.5 | New | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 4,017 | 15.0 | −31.6 | |
| Majority | 8,543 | 32.0 | +25.2 | ||
| Turnout | 26,696 | 78.9 | +17.6 | ||
| Registered electors | 33,833 | ||||
| Unionisthold | Swing | +18.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Frederick Hall | 10,855 | 53.4 | −14.2 | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 9,488 | 46.6 | +14.2 | |
| Majority | 1,367 | 6.8 | −28.4 | ||
| Turnout | 20,343 | 61.3 | −2.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 33,185 | ||||
| Unionisthold | Swing | −14.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist | Frederick Hall | 14,046 | 67.6 | −11.3 | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 6,733 | 32.4 | +11.3 | |
| Majority | 7,313 | 35.2 | −22.6 | ||
| Turnout | 20,779 | 64.0 | +13.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 32,486 | ||||
| Unionisthold | Swing | −11.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Unionist Party (UK) | Frederick Hall | 12,039 | 78.9 | |
| Liberal | C. R. Cooke-Taylor | 3,219 | 21.1 | ||
| Majority | 8,820 | 57.8 | |||
| Turnout | 15,258 | 50.2 | |||
| Registered electors | 30,377 | ||||
| Unionistwin (new boundaries) | |||||
| Cindicatescandidate endorsed by the coalition government. | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Frederick Hall | 7,796 | 58.7 | +0.4 | |
| Liberal | Evan Spicer | 5,495 | 41.3 | −0.4 | |
| Majority | 2,301 | 17.4 | +0.8 | ||
| Turnout | 13,291 | 80.7 | −7.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 16,478 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +0.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bonar Law | 8,472 | 58.3 | +6.9 | |
| Liberal | Evan Cotton | 6,054 | 41.7 | –6.9 | |
| Majority | 2,418 | 16.6 | +13.8 | ||
| Turnout | 14,526 | 88.2 | +3.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 16,478 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +6.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Bonar Law | 6,709 | 55.3 | +3.9 | |
| Liberal | David Williamson | 5,430 | 44.7 | −3.9 | |
| Majority | 1,279 | 10.6 | +6.8 | ||
| Turnout | 12,139 | 79.4 | −5.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 15,286 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +3.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Frederick Rutherfoord Harris | 6,639 | 51.4 | N/A | |
| Liberal | David Williamson | 6,282 | 48.6 | N/A | |
| Majority | 357 | 2.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 12,921 | 84.5 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 15,286 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Frederick Rutherfoord Harris | 5,819 | 57.0 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Charles Masterman | 4,382 | 43.0 | New | |
| Majority | 1,437 | 14.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 10,201 | 75.5 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 13,515 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Blundell Maple | Unopposed | |||
| Conservativehold | |||||

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Blundell Maple | 5,258 | 70.7 | +7.8 | |
| Liberal | Charles Clarke | 2,176 | 29.3 | −7.8 | |
| Majority | 3,082 | 41.4 | +15.6 | ||
| Turnout | 7,434 | 62.2 | −12.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 11,960 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +7.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Blundell Maple | 5,318 | 62.9 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Arthur Clayden[16] | 3,138 | 37.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 2,180 | 25.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 8,456 | 75.0 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 11,277 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Blundell Maple | 4,021 | 60.6 | N/A | |
| Liberal | James Henderson[17] | 2,609 | 39.4 | New | |
| Majority | 1,412 | 21.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 6,630 | 83.9 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 8,972 | ||||
| Conservativehold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Morgan Howard | Unopposed | |||
| Conservativehold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Morgan Howard | 4,406 | 61.9 | ||
| Liberal | George Collins | 2,712 | 38.1 | ||
| Majority | 1,694 | 23.8 | |||
| Turnout | 7,118 | 79.4 | |||
| Registered electors | 8,963 | ||||
| Conservativewin (new seat) | |||||