Life on the campaign trail in Newport captured by wife

Friday, April 24, 1908, was to change the life of Connie Stanier and her husband, Beville.

She motored over to Hatton Grange, near Shifnal, to ask how Colonel Kenyon-Slaney was. Rather more comfortable, she was told.

But within minutes of her leaving, Kenyon-Slaney, the MP for the Newport division for 22 years, died.

What followed just short of exactly 110 years ago was a tumultuous by-election campaign which pitched Beville Stanier, of Peplow Hall, who was adopted as the Conservative candidate, against Francis Neilson, a Liberal who had stood in the seat in the 1906 general election when he was beaten by just 176 votes.

To begin at the end, Stanier won and was to serve as Newport MP for 10 years, and was made a Baronet in 1917, becoming Sir Beville Stanier. He was Ludlow MP from 1918 until his death in December 1921.

Neilson was also a remarkable man. He was born in Birkenhead with the surname Butters in 1867, but took his mother's maiden name. His family had Shropshire roots and he was to have a career as an actor, playwright, writer, producer, and politician, eventually being elected for the Liberals at Hyde in 1910 but subsequently moving to America and resigning his Parliamentary seat in 1916.

He and his first wife divorced and in 1917 he married Mrs Helen Swift Morris, a widow with a reported fortune of £12 million from a Chicago meat packing business. Neilson went on to become an American citizen.

Connie - Sarah Constance Stanier - was to record the by-election campaign, in which she was at her husband's side, for posterity, and her typewritten account is today among family albums and memorabilia in the possession of her grandson, who is also called Sir Beville Stanier, but generally goes as Billy.

Brought up in Shropshire, Billy lives in Whaddon, Buckinghamshire.

It was perhaps the first election campaign in Shropshire in which the candidates used motor cars extensively.

Connie could see that the contest would be close.

"Francis Neilson has had a small villa at Wollerton for two years, has preached in the chapels, has had tea with the Cottagers, has nursed the babies and generally made himself well known and popular. They say he is a good speaker," she wrote.

Both candidates worked hard, with Beville attending 50 meetings in 12 days across the constituency.

During the campaign, she writes, women suffragists were much to the fore.

"I heard one, Miss Keevil, really a capital speaker, their one and only subject 'Votes for Women.' She pressed on all sides with great persistency and ready wit."

On the eve of poll she and Beville went to meetings at Whixall, then Whitchurch, Market Drayton and Newport.

"The meetings at the three towns, especially Whitchurch and Newport, are never to be forgotten - the packed halls, the listening faces, the enthusiasm.

"May 14th. Polling Day. Our plan was to visit each of the 20 polling stations during the day and Beville, my brother Arthur and I started at 8 o'clock. We visited Hodnet first, then Hinstock, Market Drayton, Wem, Whitchurch and so on through pouring rain to Shifnal and back to Shrewsbury, our last point at 7 o'clock.

"We received excellent receptions everywhere and all the polling seemed to be most orderly. We sat down to a little dinner at Shrewsbury and we said to ourselves that we could rest for that day, nothing more could be done, if we had won, we had won, if we were beat, we were beat, but we did not think we were.

"About 7.40 we left the Raven Hotel and about three miles the Shrewsbury side of Shawbury a man standing at a cottage with another man called out to us 'Stop, stop! This man has not voted.' Beville said 'Only three minutes to 8, impossible to get him in.' Arthur said 'I'm sure there's 5, let us try.'

"We hauled the two men into the motor and the car went for its life round the corners, through the village till it stopped at the school gate. The man got in really as they were closing the door and the church clock was striking 8, but he voted. Who knows which side?

"We had to turn the car back into the village, as the people who were all waiting to welcome us thought we were raving mad. They were all in good spirits and sure, like many other places, that they had done the best for 'Stanier.'

"Fifty bicyclists wrapped round with red bills printed with 'Neilson wins' rushed through Shawbury, and a very confident band they looked.

"Home at last about 9 o'clock having 260 miles in the motor."

Next day they travelled to Shrewsbury for the result, with the count being done at the Music Hall. Outside below there was a sea of anxious faces, and every window was filled with people.

"About ten minutes to one, there was a stir, the door opened, in came Algy Heber-Percy, the High Sheriff, Beville with a radiant face and poor Mr Neilson with an ashen face.

"'Stanier in by 951.' The High Sheriff gave out to the crowd and there was the most splendid cheering that heart could desire. It was a great moment and worth living for. Beville went out on to the leads and thanked the people and Mr Neilson followed. He stood there a terribly disappointed man. He said that his canvass showed he was in by 1,500 - somebody must have lied.

"When we got downstairs Beville was picked up and carried shoulder high to the Shropshire Club where we were all allowed as a great favour to have lunch. We really could not have gone any further on account of the crowds."

Motoring to Newport, they received a "grand reception" from around 3,000 people.

"Home once more about 6 o'clock. All Peplow to meet us, the chapel bells tinkling (hardly ringing), the keepers shooting off their guns into the air, a really delightful homecoming."

Next day they went to Wem, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, and Shifnal, to thank people, and were welcomed by big crowds.

Her account concludes: "On May (the exact date is left blank, obviously being meant to be filled in later) I was given a seat in the Serjeant of Arms Gallery to see him take his seat. He was supported by Sir Clement Hill and Mr Bridgeman and the House gave him a most hearty welcome."