The by-election was caused by the elevation to peerage of the town's Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) George Bowyer, who was ennobled as Baron Denham.
The Liberal Party selected Edwin James Boyce.
He was an executive member of the Home Counties Liberal Federation.
[1] The result was a victory for the Conservative candidate John Whiteley, who was elected with a majority of over 5,000 votes.
Whiteley died in office six years later, triggering another by-election.