1898 South Norfolk by-election

The 1898 South Norfolk by-election was a by-election held on 12 May 1898 for the British House of Commons constituency of South Norfolk.

The election was triggered by the resignation on grounds of ill-health of the sitting Liberal Unionist Party former Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), Francis Taylor.

The result of the election was a clear win for Arthur Wellesley Soames the Liberal candidate over his Unionist opponent. Soames was a Liberal in the Radical tradition and he was described as a Radical during the election.

Result

Soames

South Norfolk by-election, 1898[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Arthur Wellesley Soames	4,625	58.4	+13.8
	Conservative	Sancroft Holmes	3,295	41.6	−13.8
Majority			1,330	16.8	N/A
Turnout			7,920	82.3	+3.8
	Liberal hold		Swing

References

1. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 150 (174 in web page)

The Times, 14 May 1898