1955 Midlothian County Council election

1955 Midlothian County Council election
May 10, 1955 (1955-05-10)
16 of 39 landward seats
32 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Labour Progressives Communist
Seats won 5 8 2
Seats after 44 15 2
Seat change 2 1 2
Popular vote 3,566 3,586 591
Percentage 43.12% 43.36% 7.15%
  Fourth party
 
Party Independent
Seats won 1
Seats after 1[a]
Seat change 1
Popular vote 527
Percentage 6.37%

Elections to Midlothian County Council were held on 10 May 1955. Midlothian was one of the four divisions that made up the historic region of Lothian in Scotland. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 established Midlothian as an administrative county, governed by a County Council.

The county was divided into 39 landward divisions, each of which returned one member. In 1955 there were contests in 16 of these. The other 23 members were elected from the burghs.[1][2]

The election marked the first time Communists had been elected to the council, with both Communists defeating Labour. However, following the election, Labour still commanded a large majority on the council.[2]

Results by division

Addiewell
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Frank West 336 72.10
Progressives A. C. Halliday 130 27.90
Majority 206
Turnout 466 48
Labour hold
Bilston
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives Agnes B. R. Stanley 318 69.74
Labour William Newbigging 138 30.26
Majority 180
Turnout 456 51
Progressives hold
Borthwick and Temple
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives Thomas C. Garden 328 59.96
Labour Daniel Cochrane (incumbent) 219 40.04
Majority 109
Turnout 547 51
Progressives gain from Labour
Briech
Party Candidate Votes %
Communist Alexander Grierson 334 62.90
Labour A. Colleary 164 30.89
Independent Rose Moore 33 6.21
Majority 170
Turnout 531 66
Communist gain from Labour
Glencourse
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives M. I. H. Mackenzie-Inglis (incumbent) 414 90.00
Labour John J. Hamilton 46 10.00
Majority 368
Turnout 460 52
Progressives hold
Kirkhill
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives John Jardine (incumbent) 505 86.62
Labour Robert McLachlan 78 13.38
Majority 427
Turnout 583 58
Progressives hold
Kirknewton North
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour James White 287 58.33
Progressives William S. How 205 41.67
Majority 82
Turnout 492 46
Labour gain from Progressives
Limefield and Parkhead
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour William G. Rankine 309 52.64
Progressives T. Fairley 278 47.36
Majority 31
Turnout 587 51
Labour gain from Progressives
Melville
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives Edward M. P. Collett 255 53.68
Labour Bernard Mackay 220 43.32
Majority 35
Turnout 475 50
Progressives hold
Mid-Calder
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour John Stoddard 245 56.45
Independent John Mitchell 189 43.55
Majority 56
Turnout 434
Labour hold
Newbattle (2nd Division)
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Stuart B. Syme 283 51.93
Labour Robert B. Pilmer 207 37.89
Independent John McFarlane 55 10.09
Majority 76
Turnout 545
Independent gain from Labour
Newbridge
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives Richard R. Killick 301 54.14
Labour William Cannon 255 45.86
Majority 46
Turnout 556 70
Progressives hold
Polbeth
Party Candidate Votes %
Communist James McArthur 257 53.54
Labour Bernard Hampson (incumbent) 223 46.46
Majority 34
Turnout 480 49
Communist gain from Labour
Polton and Rosslynlee
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Robert Anderson (incumbent) 391 71.35
Progressives Frederick L. Johnston 157 28.65
Majority 234
Turnout 548 61
Labour hold
Roslin
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives Alexander F. Noble (incumbent) 350 54.43
Labour Patrick Tague 293 45.57
Majority 57
Turnout 643 68
Progressives hold
West Calder
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives John Wardrop 345 69.00
Labour A. McCallum 155 31.00
Majority 190
Turnout 500 53
Progressives hold

[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Midlothian Contests". The Glasgow Herald. 12 May 1955. p. 13.
  2. ^ a b c "Two Communists Win Midlothian Seats: County Election Results". The Scotsman. 12 May 1955. p. 7. Retrieved 24 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Notes

  1. ^ The independent grouped with the Progressives
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