The by-election was triggered by the appointment as a judge of the sitting Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament, Sir Ryland Adkins KC.
Adkins was appointed Recorder of Birmingham and this being an office of profit he was obliged by the electoral law of the day to submit to a by-election.
Labour were planning to put up Alderman Matthew Burrow Farr of Mossley as their candidate but owing to an outbreak of smallpox in the constituency a by-election truce was called on the advice of the medical authorities so as to avoid the need for the usual door to door canvassing and holding of public meetings.
[4] This opportunity to withdraw with honour may have suited Labour given the difficulty in winning the seat they faced against the combined Liberal and Conservative electorate lined up behind Adkins.
Adkins continued to represent the constituency until 1923, the second general election after the fall of the Coalition when he lost to the Tories by 529 votes in a three-cornered contest, with Alderman Farr for Labour and A N Stewart-Sandeman for the Conservatives.