Before 1885 the city of Birmingham had been a three-member constituency (see Birmingham UK Parliament constituency for further details). Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the parliamentary borough of Birmingham was split into seven single-member divisions, one of which was Birmingham South. It consisted of the wards of Deritend and St Martin, and part of the local government district of Balsall Heath.
In the 1918 redistribution of parliamentary seats, the Representation of the People Act 1918 provided for twelve new Birmingham divisions. The South division was abolished.
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;