1764:
135:
with a majority of 139 votes. This seemed to come as something of a surprise to both sides as the
Conservatives had been reported as confident and the Liberals rather despondent. The defeat was taken as a bad omen for the Conservatives in view of the forthcoming
161:
at the forthcoming general election and problematic for the
Liberals. This certainly seemed to prove true. The Liberals failed to win any seat in what is today Northern Ireland at the 1885 general election, while the Conservatives won sixteen and the
140:. One commentator put forward the possible explanation that the Conservatives had not taken the election as seriously as they should, given that the general election would soon be upon them. There was a reduced turnout over the previous
170:
had advised his supporters to vote
Conservative if there were no Irish Nationalist candidates running and that it is almost certain the Nationalists caused the loss of at least five, or perhaps seven or more Liberal seats.
144:
and it was felt that the voters too were underwhelmed by the prospect of going to the polls twice in quick succession. The
Liberals believed that their candidates stand on Coercion was an important factor.
551:
574:
157:
newspaper was sceptical on this as an explanation, which, it reported, could have been down to numerous factors; but it did point to the
Coercion question as one which could prove fruitful for the
96:
O'Neill announced his candidature with the issue of an address to the electors of Antrim, calling himself a
Constitutional candidate. He said he would try to advance the interests of the
689:
1728:
544:
1723:
1718:
1713:
1708:
1703:
1698:
1693:
1688:
1683:
1678:
1673:
1668:
1663:
570:
347:
166:
eight. One psephologist has noted that the fact that the
Liberal Party was not in a majority in the House of Commons was caused by the activities of the Irish Nationalists.
581:
563:
537:
1759:
194:
175:
529:
70:
684:
179:
1769:
1557:
709:
1577:
1537:
47:
1063:
1021:
960:
186:
141:
137:
54:
849:
1090:
987:
811:
724:
150:
28:
1779:
1738:
1532:
1572:
1552:
1128:
1032:
827:
100:
and would support measures to enable them to buy their farms on easy terms. He also pledged strenuously to oppose the admission of
1602:
1434:
1429:
838:
699:
1026:
1460:
1440:
1085:
899:
174:
The Antrim seat itself was abolished for the 1885 election and divided into four single member divisions. Sinclair stood in
1499:
1230:
1133:
178:
in a three-cornered contest but was not successful. The defeated O'Neill was luckier. He tried his hand in the new seat of
1733:
1515:
1177:
821:
694:
24:
1632:
1445:
1407:
1333:
1312:
1004:
966:
719:
1567:
1521:
1418:
1107:
944:
881:
776:
755:
659:
629:
1423:
950:
1612:
1397:
1251:
1172:
1096:
911:
833:
679:
674:
644:
609:
1359:
1225:
1047:
976:
1471:
1323:
1279:
1192:
1182:
1079:
1068:
933:
927:
624:
1642:
1617:
1597:
1494:
1338:
1257:
1235:
1203:
1144:
971:
843:
771:
649:
1413:
1328:
1214:
1074:
1053:
1037:
887:
816:
1627:
1562:
1547:
1526:
1392:
1364:
1273:
1262:
1058:
922:
796:
664:
634:
614:
273:
158:
66:
1607:
1582:
1488:
1402:
1343:
1208:
1187:
1123:
1113:
806:
765:
153:
said he had spoken at one of
Sinclair's campaign meetings and had been enthusiastically received on this issue.
1774:
1647:
1637:
1455:
1450:
1376:
1354:
1318:
1290:
1245:
1240:
1161:
998:
993:
938:
917:
905:
893:
854:
791:
739:
714:
654:
619:
599:
146:
108:
21:
1504:
1387:
1382:
1267:
1198:
1102:
1042:
801:
786:
1166:
981:
859:
760:
704:
1587:
1348:
1295:
1220:
1139:
876:
744:
729:
669:
639:
324:
268:
244:
167:
132:
81:
44:
1622:
1465:
1284:
781:
749:
1542:
1370:
1118:
955:
734:
190:
1592:
604:
69:
as their candidate. O'Neill, who was 40 years old at the time of the by-election, was the third son of
460:
Dublin Castle and the First Home Rule Crisis: The
Political Journal of Sir George Fottrell, 1884–1887
429:
Dublin Castle and the First Home Rule Crisis: The
Political Journal of Sir George Fottrell, 1884–1887
74:
107:
Sinclair had two main campaigning themes. He favoured some reform of Irish government but opposed
317:
237:
123:
and those giving government officers the power to change trial venues or appoint special juries.
198:
163:
329:
111:. He also took a stand against the policies of his own government in opposing the case for
32:
1753:
301:
97:
1765:
By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in County Antrim constituencies
112:
50:
84:, a 38-year-old, Belfast born merchant and ship owner with business interests in
43:
The by-election was caused by the death, at the age of only 43, of the sitting
116:
154:
227:
101:
73:
and thus a member of the prominent Irish Chichester family headed by the
53:
on 4 May 1885. Chaine had been one of the MPs for the constituency since
120:
85:
508:
McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book of Election Results 1832–1918
495:
McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book of Election Results 1832–1918
377:
McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book of Election Results 1832–1918
533:
182:
where he beat Sinclair's by-election helper Thomas Dickson.
185:
Sinclair did however return to the House of Commons at the
20:
was a by-election held on Thursday 21 May 1885 for the
1480:
1304:
1153:
1013:
868:
591:
431:; Royal Historical Society, 2008 p97 & n and 98
482:The British Voter: An Atlas and Survey since 1885
521:British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918
348:List of United Kingdom by-elections (1868–1885)
545:
8:
552:
538:
530:
208:
359:
575:22nd Parliament of the United Kingdom
510:; Harvester Press, 1971 p4 of Part II
497:; Harvester Press, 1971 p3 of Part II
300:
214:
7:
1760:1885 elections in the United Kingdom
484:; Cornell University Press, 1968 p13
462:; Royal Historical Society, 2008 p97
379:; Harvester Press, 1971 p6 of Part I
850:Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire
690:Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire
131:Sinclair gained the seat from the
115:, for example those which allowed
14:
1091:Northern West Riding of Yorkshire
264:
232:
210:Antrim by-election, 21 May 1885
1:
1770:19th century in County Antrim
506:Vincent and Stenton (eds.),
493:Vincent and Stenton (eds.),
375:Vincent and Stenton (eds.),
88:, Liverpool and elsewhere.
65:The Conservatives selected
1796:
471:The Times, 23 May 1885 p11
449:The Times, 23 May 1885 p12
440:The Times, 23 May 1885 p12
409:The Times, 8 July 1886 p10
117:imprisonment without trial
1780:1885 elections in Ireland
1656:
1027:North Riding of Yorkshire
418:The Times, 11 May 1885 p7
388:The Times, 11 May 1885 p7
366:The Times, 5 May 1885 p10
316:
287:
226:
223:
220:
217:
199:central Scottish Lowlands
1660:Lists of UK by-elections
147:Thomas Alexander Dickson
142:general election in 1880
22:British House of Commons
245:William Pirrie Sinclair
168:Charles Stewart Parnell
82:William Pirrie Sinclair
18:1885 Antrim by-election
900:South Northamptonshire
685:Haverfordwest Boroughs
523:; Macmillan, 1974 p502
274:Robert Torrens O'Neill
191:Liberal Unionist Party
67:Robert Torrens O'Neill
1558:South West Lancashire
710:North East Lancashire
187:1886 general election
1578:North Leicestershire
1538:East Gloucestershire
1500:West Gloucestershire
1231:North Leicestershire
1134:Cambridge University
458:Stephen Ball (ed.),
427:Stephen Ball (ed.),
75:Marquess of Donegall
1178:Newcastle upon Tyne
1064:Caernarvon Boroughs
1022:Carmarthen Boroughs
211:
80:The Liberals chose
1633:North Lincolnshire
1446:South Warwickshire
1408:North Warwickshire
1334:South Lincolnshire
1313:Londonderry County
1005:Londonderry County
988:Berwick-upon-Tweed
967:North Lincolnshire
812:Berwick-upon-Tweed
725:Londonderry County
209:
1747:
1746:
1533:Dublin University
1419:Ross and Cromarty
1108:Haddington Burghs
756:London University
480:Michael Kinnear,
400:, OUP online 2007
339:
338:
1787:
1739:Hereditary peers
1734:Northern Ireland
1573:North Lancashire
1553:Mid Lincolnshire
1424:Waterford County
586:
577:
568:
554:
547:
540:
531:
524:
517:
511:
504:
498:
491:
485:
478:
472:
469:
463:
456:
450:
447:
441:
438:
432:
425:
419:
416:
410:
407:
401:
395:
389:
386:
380:
373:
367:
364:
229:
212:
138:general election
33:Northern Ireland
1795:
1794:
1790:
1789:
1788:
1786:
1785:
1784:
1775:May 1885 events
1750:
1749:
1748:
1743:
1652:
1603:South Wiltshire
1476:
1435:Stirling Burghs
1430:Radnor Boroughs
1398:South Hampshire
1300:
1252:Wexford Borough
1173:Haddingtonshire
1149:
1009:
912:East Cumberland
864:
839:Caernarvonshire
834:Wexford Borough
700:Radnor Boroughs
587:
582:23rd Parliament
578:
569:
564:21st Parliament
560:
558:
528:
527:
518:
514:
505:
501:
492:
488:
479:
475:
470:
466:
457:
453:
448:
444:
439:
435:
426:
422:
417:
413:
408:
404:
396:
392:
387:
383:
374:
370:
365:
361:
356:
344:
207:
149:Liberal MP for
129:
104:to Parliament.
94:
63:
41:
31:in present-day
12:
11:
5:
1793:
1791:
1783:
1782:
1777:
1772:
1767:
1762:
1752:
1751:
1745:
1744:
1742:
1741:
1736:
1731:
1726:
1721:
1716:
1711:
1706:
1701:
1696:
1691:
1686:
1681:
1676:
1671:
1666:
1661:
1657:
1654:
1653:
1651:
1650:
1645:
1640:
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1615:
1610:
1605:
1600:
1595:
1590:
1585:
1580:
1575:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1535:
1529:
1524:
1518:
1513:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1491:
1484:
1482:
1478:
1477:
1475:
1474:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1437:
1432:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1379:
1373:
1367:
1362:
1360:Cambridgeshire
1357:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1315:
1308:
1306:
1302:
1301:
1299:
1298:
1293:
1287:
1282:
1276:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1254:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1226:Wexford County
1223:
1217:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1169:
1164:
1157:
1155:
1151:
1150:
1148:
1147:
1142:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1110:
1105:
1099:
1093:
1088:
1082:
1077:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1029:
1024:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1007:
1001:
996:
990:
984:
979:
977:Cambridgeshire
974:
969:
963:
958:
953:
947:
941:
936:
930:
925:
920:
914:
908:
902:
896:
890:
884:
879:
872:
870:
866:
865:
863:
862:
857:
852:
846:
841:
836:
830:
824:
822:Wigtown Burghs
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
774:
768:
763:
758:
752:
747:
742:
737:
732:
727:
722:
720:Wigtown Burghs
717:
712:
707:
702:
697:
692:
687:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
627:
622:
617:
612:
607:
602:
595:
593:
589:
588:
559:
557:
556:
549:
542:
534:
526:
525:
512:
499:
486:
473:
464:
451:
442:
433:
420:
411:
402:
390:
381:
368:
358:
357:
355:
352:
351:
350:
343:
340:
337:
336:
334:
332:
327:
315:
312:
311:
309:
307:
304:
298:
297:
295:
292:
289:
285:
284:
282:
279:
276:
271:
266:
263:
262:
258:
253:
248:
241:
234:
231:
230:
225:
222:
219:
216:
206:
203:
195:Falkirk Burghs
128:
125:
98:tenant farmers
93:
90:
62:
59:
40:
37:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1792:
1781:
1778:
1776:
1773:
1771:
1768:
1766:
1763:
1761:
1758:
1757:
1755:
1740:
1737:
1735:
1732:
1730:
1727:
1725:
1722:
1720:
1717:
1715:
1712:
1710:
1707:
1705:
1702:
1700:
1697:
1695:
1692:
1690:
1687:
1685:
1682:
1680:
1677:
1675:
1672:
1670:
1667:
1665:
1662:
1659:
1658:
1655:
1649:
1646:
1644:
1641:
1639:
1636:
1634:
1631:
1629:
1626:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1616:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1601:
1599:
1596:
1594:
1591:
1589:
1586:
1584:
1581:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1556:
1554:
1551:
1549:
1546:
1544:
1541:
1539:
1536:
1534:
1530:
1528:
1525:
1523:
1519:
1517:
1514:
1512:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1492:
1490:
1486:
1485:
1483:
1479:
1473:
1472:Knaresborough
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1380:
1378:
1374:
1372:
1368:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1324:West Somerset
1322:
1320:
1316:
1314:
1310:
1309:
1307:
1303:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1280:Limerick City
1277:
1275:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1255:
1253:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1218:
1216:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1196:
1194:
1193:Portarlington
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1183:Dublin County
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1152:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1100:
1098:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1086:Hawick Burghs
1083:
1081:
1080:West Somerset
1078:
1076:
1072:
1070:
1069:East Cornwall
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1006:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
991:
989:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
948:
946:
942:
940:
937:
935:
934:Knaresborough
931:
929:
928:West Cheshire
926:
924:
921:
919:
915:
913:
909:
907:
903:
901:
897:
895:
891:
889:
885:
883:
880:
878:
874:
873:
871:
867:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
831:
829:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
626:
625:Kidderminster
623:
621:
618:
616:
613:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
597:
596:
594:
590:
584:
583:
576:
572:
566:
565:
555:
550:
548:
543:
541:
536:
535:
532:
522:
519:F W S Craig,
516:
513:
509:
503:
500:
496:
490:
487:
483:
477:
474:
468:
465:
461:
455:
452:
446:
443:
437:
434:
430:
424:
421:
415:
412:
406:
403:
399:
394:
391:
385:
382:
378:
372:
369:
363:
360:
353:
349:
346:
345:
341:
335:
333:
331:
328:
326:
322:
319:
314:
313:
310:
308:
305:
303:
299:
296:
293:
290:
286:
283:
280:
277:
275:
272:
270:
267:
265:
261:
259:
257:
254:
252:
249:
247:
246:
242:
240:
239:
235:
233:
213:
204:
202:
200:
196:
192:
188:
183:
181:
177:
172:
169:
165:
160:
156:
152:
148:
143:
139:
134:
126:
124:
122:
118:
114:
113:coercion laws
110:
105:
103:
99:
91:
89:
87:
83:
78:
76:
72:
68:
60:
58:
56:
52:
49:
46:
38:
36:
34:
30:
26:
23:
19:
1729:2010–present
1516:Denbighshire
1510:
1495:Mid Somerset
1339:West Norfolk
1258:Sligo County
1236:Peterborough
1204:Mid Cheshire
972:North Durham
961:Elgin Burghs
945:Elgin Burghs
844:Renfrewshire
695:Denbighshire
580:
571:By-elections
562:
520:
515:
507:
502:
494:
489:
481:
476:
467:
459:
454:
445:
436:
428:
423:
414:
405:
397:
393:
384:
376:
371:
362:
325:Conservative
320:
269:Conservative
260:
255:
250:
243:
236:
184:
176:North Antrim
173:
164:Nationalists
130:
106:
95:
92:The campaign
79:
71:Lord O'Neill
64:
51:James Chaine
45:Conservative
42:
25:constituency
17:
15:
1568:North Devon
1522:Westminster
1461:Scarborough
1441:Scarborough
1414:South Devon
1329:Northampton
1215:Southampton
1054:Northampton
1038:Westminster
965:September:
888:Northampton
817:Scarborough
777:Wallingford
660:Durham City
630:Marlborough
398:Who was Who
193:member for
159:Irish Party
1754:Categories
1613:East Devon
1548:Launceston
1470:December:
1439:November:
1393:Mid Surrey
1365:Huntingdon
1317:February:
1289:December:
1278:November:
1274:Manchester
1263:East Essex
1171:February:
1138:December:
1112:November:
1097:Banffshire
1059:Malmesbury
1031:February:
1003:December:
992:November:
923:Sunderland
910:February:
898:February:
848:December:
832:November:
797:Tewkesbury
680:Shrewsbury
675:Midlothian
645:Pontefract
635:Nottingham
610:Birmingham
354:References
218:Candidate
180:Mid Antrim
61:Candidates
1724:1979–2010
1719:1950–1979
1714:1931–1950
1709:1918–1931
1704:1900–1918
1699:1885–1900
1694:1868–1885
1689:1857–1868
1684:1847–1857
1679:1832–1847
1674:1818–1832
1669:1806–1818
1664:1801–1806
1643:Aylesbury
1618:West Kent
1608:Woodstock
1598:Middlesex
1583:Wakefield
1489:Tipperary
1487:January:
1428:October:
1403:Leicester
1344:Cork City
1311:January:
1272:October:
1209:Tipperary
1188:Westmeath
1160:January:
1145:Liverpool
1124:Salisbury
1114:Edinburgh
1020:January:
986:October:
951:Edinburgh
904:January:
882:Edinburgh
875:January:
828:Liverpool
807:Lichfield
772:Gravesend
766:Dungannon
650:Sheffield
288:Majority
155:The Times
109:Home Rule
1628:Brighton
1563:Mid Kent
1527:Hertford
1456:Greenock
1412:August:
1377:Mid Kent
1355:Brighton
1256:August:
1246:Monaghan
1241:Hastings
1101:August:
999:Stafford
994:Tiverton
949:August:
906:New Ross
894:Coventry
826:August:
792:Plymouth
715:Sandwich
665:Hastings
615:Bradford
342:See also
121:boycotts
119:or rent
102:atheists
1648:Horsham
1638:Chatham
1505:Glasgow
1493:March:
1451:Hackney
1388:Lincoln
1383:Athlone
1369:April:
1353:March:
1319:Paisley
1291:Ipswich
1268:Rutland
1213:April:
1199:Wycombe
1197:March:
1162:Chelsea
1129:Preston
1103:Halifax
1073:April:
1052:March:
1043:Taunton
1033:Preston
939:Preston
918:St Ives
916:April:
892:March:
886:April:
855:Reading
802:Bewdley
787:Evesham
740:Wycombe
655:Taunton
620:Chester
600:Hackney
579:»
573:to the
561:«
318:Liberal
302:Turnout
238:Liberal
197:in the
86:Glasgow
39:Vacancy
1588:Wilton
1531:July:
1520:June:
1511:Antrim
1381:June:
1250:July:
1219:June:
1167:Mallow
1095:June:
982:Tyrone
943:July:
860:Kendal
770:July:
761:Bandon
754:June:
705:Mallow
640:Oxford
585:»
567:«
306:7,803
278:3,832
251:3,971
221:Votes
215:Party
151:Tyrone
133:Tories
127:Result
29:Antrim
1509:May:
1375:May:
1371:Poole
1349:Meath
1296:Wigan
1221:Derby
1140:Wigan
1119:Ennis
1084:May:
1075:Meath
1048:Meath
956:Leeds
932:May:
877:Wigan
745:Louth
735:Derby
730:Meath
670:Leeds
598:May:
330:Swing
323:from
281:49.1
256:50.9
205:Votes
1623:Down
1593:Bute
1481:1885
1466:Down
1305:1884
1285:York
1154:1883
1014:1882
869:1881
782:Bute
750:Mayo
605:Bath
592:1880
321:gain
294:1.8
291:139
55:1874
16:The
1543:Eye
189:as
27:of
1756::
228:±%
224:%
201:.
77:.
57:.
48:MP
35:.
553:e
546:t
539:v
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