The 1880 Caernarvonshire by-election was a parliamentary by-election held for the House of Commons constituency of Caernarvonshire in Wales on 2 December 1880.
Vacancy
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting Liberal MP, Watkin Williams, who was appointed as a judge of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice.
Candidates
Two candidates were nominated by the two main parties of the time.
The Liberal Party nominated businessman William Rathbone.
The Conservative Party nominated Welsh landowner and magistrate Hugh Ellis-Nanney.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | William Rathbone | 3,180 | 59.7 | −0.3 | |
| Conservative | Hugh Ellis-Nanney | 2,151 | 40.3 | +0.3 | |
| Majority | 1,029 | 19.4 | −0.6 | ||
| Turnout | 5,331 | 80.1 | −2.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 6,652 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -0.3 | |||
References
- "Williams, Charles James Watkin" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
- Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
- "The Nanney-Ites in Carnarvonshire". Liverpool Mercury. 16 November 1880. p. 7. Retrieved 2 September 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- The Constitutional year book. Harrison and Sons. 1904. p. 203. Retrieved 2 September 2022 – via archive.org.
- "Carnarvonshire Election". The Cornishman. No. 125. 2 December 1880. p. 5.
- Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (hardcover) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. p. 519. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
