[2] The seat covered a large area of north Durham, including areas which are now part of the Borough of Gateshead (Ryton, Blaydon and Whickham) and the City of Sunderland (Washington) in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear.

Gained Witton Gilbert from the abolished constituency of Mid Durham.

On abolition, the area which had comprised the new town of Washington was included in the new constituency of Houghton and Washington; the parishes of Birtley and Lamesley were transferred to Blaydon; and the remainder, comprising about half the electorate, becoming part of the re-established seat of North Durham.

[6] Chester-le-Street and its successor constituency (North Durham) have over 100 years of continuous Labour representation.

The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;