BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

The area in which the Primrose League was best represented in
223
Lancashire was Blackpool.
The town supported thirteen Habitations and
3,772 members, who made up 15.8 percent of its 1891 census. 54 It was a
solidly based Conservative constituency.
Other districts where the
League appeared vital were Bootle (326), Newton (3,638), West Houghton
(2,095), Chorley (3,629), and Southport (3,585), all prominent centers
of Conservative influence.
Nevertheless, the League was not confined
to party strongholds.
The organization achieved some measure of
success in Burnley (907), known for its Nonconformist and Social
Federation activity; Darwen (4,474); Leigh (5,835), a solid Liberal
constituency; as well as the mixed political constituencies of Heywood
(2,447), Radcliffe (4,627), and Middleton (6,385). 55
Garstang Habitation was located in the Lancaster Division, a
marginally Liberal constituency.
Situated halfway between the Liberal,
Nonconformist, market town of Lancaster and the staunchly Conservative
city of Preston,56
Garstang favored the latter in political outlook.
Garstang was an ancient market center which had 856 inhabitants
in 1891.
It was surrounded by a cluster of agrarian hamlets which were
served by the Habitation.
Farming was the principal occupation in the
the two towns were ascertained from the 1891 census.
Censuses England and Wales, vol. 21, p. 169.
1881 and 1891
54
The census information for the municipal borough of
Blackpool was obtained from the 1881 and 1891 Censuses England and
Wales, vol. 21, p. 169.
55
Habitation figures were taken from the 1888 Roll of
Habitations.
56
Pelling, Social Geography of British Elections, pp. 275,
277, 261-62.