Huntingdonshire | |
---|---|
Former county constituency for the House of Commons | |
1918–1983 | |
Seats | One |
Created from | Huntingdon Ramsey |
Replaced by | Huntingdon SW Cambridgeshire Peterborough[1] |
1290–1885 | |
Seats | 2 (1290 – 1654) 3 (1654 – 1659) 2 (1659 – 1885) |
Type of constituency | County constituency |
Replaced by | Huntingdon Ramsey |
Huntingdonshire was a Parliamentary constituency covering the county of Huntingdonshire in England. It was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.
It was reconstituted as a single-member seat in 1918 and abolished once again in 1983.
History
[edit]Huntingdonshire returned two Knights of the Shire from 1290 to 1885 (apart from 1654 to 1659, when it returned three); when elections were contested, the bloc vote system was used.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, it was divided between the two single-seat county divisions of Huntingdon and Ramsey, with effect from the 1885 general election.
Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, Huntingdon and Ramsey were re-united and the constituency was reconstituted, returning a single Member of Parliament (MP). Subject to boundary changes for the 1983 general election, the constituency was succeeded by the re-established constituency of Huntingdon. Its MP at the time, John Major, continued to represent it.
Boundaries and boundary changes
[edit]1918–1974
[edit]- The administrative county of Huntingdonshire.[2]
1974–1983
[edit]In 1965 Huntingdonshire was merged into the new administrative county of Huntingdon and Peterborough and in the next redistribution of parliamentary seats, which took effect for the February 1974 general election, the constituency was defined as comprising:
- The Municipal Boroughs of Huntingdon and Godmanchester, and St Ives:
- The Urban Districts of Old Fletton, Ramsey, and St Neots; and
- The Rural Districts of Huntingdon, Norman Cross, St Ives, and St Neots.[2]
Eaton Socon in Bedfordshire had been absorbed by the Urban District of St Neots and was transferred from the County Constituency of Mid Bedfordshire. There were other marginal adjustments due to changes in county borders.
As a result of the Local Government Act 1972, the two counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, and Huntingdon and Peterborough were merged to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. However, the next redistribution did not come into effect until the 1983 general election, when the majority of the constituency, including Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Ramsey and St Ives, formed the bulk of the re-established onstituency of Huntingdon. Areas to the south of the River Nene, including Fletton and the Ortons, which were now part of the expanded City of Peterborough, were transferred to Peterborough, and southernmost areas, including St Neots, were transferred to the new constituency of South West Cambridgeshire.
Members of Parliament
[edit]- Constituency created (1290)
1290–1660
[edit]1660–1885
[edit]1918–1983
[edit]Year | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
Huntingdon and Ramsey prior to 1918 | |||
1918 | Oliver Locker-Lampson | Conservative | |
1922 | Charles Murchison | ||
1923 | Leonard Costello | Liberal | |
1924 | Sir Charles Murchison | Conservative | |
1929 | Sidney Peters | Liberal | |
1931 | National Liberal | ||
1945 | David Renton | Liberal National | |
1950 | National Liberal and Conservative | ||
1964 | Conservative and National Liberal | ||
1970 | Conservative | ||
1979 | John Major | ||
1983 | constituency abolished, Huntingdon and parts of Peterborough and SW Cambs from 1983 |
Elections
[edit]Elections in the 1830s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | George Montagu | 1,068 | 37.3 | ||
Tory | Charles Gordon | 990 | 34.6 | ||
Whig | John Bonfoy Rooper | 804 | 28.1 | ||
Majority | 186 | 6.5 | |||
Turnout | c. 1,431 | c. 75.3 | |||
Registered electors | c. 1,900 | ||||
Tory hold | Swing | ||||
Tory hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | John Bonfoy Rooper | 841 | 37.8 | +9.7 | |
Tory | George Montagu | 812 | 36.5 | −0.8 | |
Whig | Charles Gordon | 573 | 25.7 | −8.9 | |
Turnout | c. 1,113 | c. 58.6 | c. −16.7 | ||
Registered electors | c. 1,900 | ||||
Majority | 29 | 1.3 | N/A | ||
Whig gain from Tory | Swing | +5.1 | |||
Majority | 239 | 10.8 | +4.3 | ||
Tory hold | Swing | −0.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | John Bonfoy Rooper | Unopposed | |||
Tory | George Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,647 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | John Bonfoy Rooper | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | George Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,653 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | 1,392 | 37.5 | ||
Conservative | George Thornhill | 1,332 | 35.9 | ||
Whig | John Bonfoy Rooper | 990 | 26.7 | ||
Majority | 342 | 9.2 | |||
Turnout | 2,284 | 81.4 | |||
Registered electors | 2,805 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative gain from Whig |
Elections in the 1840s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | George Thornhill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 3,054 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | George Thornhill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 3,074 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1850s
[edit]Thornhill's death caused a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | William Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,852 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Montagu succeeded to the peerage, becoming 7th Duke of Manchester and causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Rust | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Rust | 1,192 | 35.0 | N/A | |
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | 1,106 | 32.5 | N/A | |
Whig | John Heathcote | 1,106 | 32.5 | New | |
Majority | 0 | 0.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 2,255 (est) | 77.3 (est) | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 2,918 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Whig win |
Securing the same number of votes, both Fellowes and Heathcote were returned alongside Rust as Members of Parliament. However, after scrutiny, Rust and Fellowes lost one vote, while Heathcote lost two, causing Heathcote to be declared unduly elected on 31 July 1857.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | 1,404 | 37.1 | +4.6 | |
Conservative | Robert Montagu | 1,314 | 34.7 | −0.3 | |
Liberal | John Heathcote | 1,068 | 28.2 | −4.3 | |
Majority | 246 | 6.5 | +6.5 | ||
Turnout | 2,427 (est) | 80.3 (est) | +3.0 | ||
Registered electors | 3,024 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.4 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9 |
Elections in the 1860s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Robert Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,999 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Montagu's appointment as Vice-President of the Committee of the Council on Education required a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Robert Montagu | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 3,748 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1870s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Fellowes | 1,648 | 38.1 | N/A | |
Conservative | Henry Pelly | 1,482 | 34.3 | N/A | |
Liberal | Douglas Gordon | 1,192 | 27.6 | New | |
Majority | 290 | 6.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 2,757 (est) | 76.8 (est) | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 3,592 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Pelly's death caused a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Montagu | 1,468 | 51.0 | −21.4 | |
Liberal | Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam[13] | 1,410 | 49.0 | +21.4 | |
Majority | 58 | 2.0 | −4.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,878 | 76.8 | 0.0 | ||
Registered electors | 3,748 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −21.4 |
Elections in the 1880s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Fellowes | 1,786 | 35.7 | −2.4 | |
Liberal | Douglas Gordon | 1,617 | 32.3 | +4.7 | |
Conservative | George Montagu | 1,596 | 31.9 | −2.4 | |
Turnout | 3,403 (est) | 86.0 (est) | +9.2 | ||
Registered electors | 3,955 | ||||
Majority | 169 | 3.4 | −3.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.4 | |||
Majority | 21 | 0.4 | N/A | ||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −2.4 |
Elections in the 1910s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Unionist | Oliver Locker-Lampson | 10,760 | 62.6 | |
Liberal | Robert Christopher Grey | 6,416 | 37.4 | ||
Majority | 4,344 | 25.2 | |||
Turnout | 17,176 | 62.8 | |||
Unionist win (new seat) | |||||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
Elections in the 1920s
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/67/Lina_Scott_Gatty.jpg/120px-Lina_Scott_Gatty.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Charles Murchison | 10,079 | 50.7 | −11.9 | |
Liberal | Lina Scott Gatty | 5,123 | 25.7 | −11.7 | |
Labour | Dermot Freyer | 4,697 | 23.6 | New | |
Majority | 4,956 | 25.0 | −0.2 | ||
Turnout | 19,899 | 70.7 | +7.9 | ||
Unionist hold | Swing | −0.1 |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d2/1922_Leonard_Costello.jpg/120px-1922_Leonard_Costello.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leonard Costello | 10,465 | 52.7 | +27.0 | |
Unionist | Charles Murchison | 9,404 | 47.3 | −3.4 | |
Majority | 1,061 | 5.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 19,869 | 69.6 | −1.1 | ||
Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +15.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Charles Murchison | 12,827 | 56.9 | +9.6 | |
Liberal | Leonard Costello | 9,703 | 43.1 | −9.6 | |
Majority | 3,124 | 13.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 22,530 | 77.8 | +8.2 | ||
Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Sidney Peters | 12,889 | 45.6 | +2.5 | |
Unionist | Charles Murchison | 11,935 | 42.1 | −14.8 | |
Labour | C S Giddins | 3,493 | 12.3 | New | |
Majority | 954 | 3.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 28,317 | 77.2 | −0.6 | ||
Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +8.7 |
Elections in the 1930s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | Sidney Peters | 23,102 | 83.3 | +37.7 | |
Labour | Maurice Orbach | 4,624 | 16.7 | +4.4 | |
Majority | 18,478 | 66.6 | +63.1 | ||
Turnout | 27,726 | 74.2 | −3.0 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | +16.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | Sidney Peters | 17,287 | 68.7 | −14.6 | |
Labour | James Lievsley George | 7,861 | 31.3 | +14.6 | |
Majority | 9,426 | 37.4 | −29.2 | ||
Turnout | 25,148 | 66.2 | −8.0 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | −14.6 |
General Election 1939–40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
- Liberal National: Sidney Peters
- Labour: James Lunnon[15]
Elections in the 1940s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 15,389 | 50.1 | −18.6 | |
Labour | W A Waters | 9,458 | 30.8 | −0.5 | |
Liberal | Henry Walston | 5,869 | 19.1 | New | |
Majority | 5,931 | 19.3 | −18.1 | ||
Turnout | 30,716 | 65.7 | −0.5 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | −9.1 |
Elections in the 1950s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 18,551 | 51.4 | +1.3 | |
Labour | Francis Robert Macdonald | 13,096 | 36.3 | +5.5 | |
Liberal | William George F Thompson | 4,442 | 12.3 | −6.8 | |
Majority | 5,455 | 15.1 | −4.2 | ||
Turnout | 36,089 | 82.6 | +16.9 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | −2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 20,845 | 57.4 | +6.0 | |
Labour | Francis Robert Macdonald | 15,487 | 42.6 | +6.3 | |
Majority | 5,358 | 14.8 | −0.3 | ||
Turnout | 36,332 | 80.8 | −1.8 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | −0.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 20,609 | 58.4 | +1.0 | |
Labour | John Albert Franks | 14,670 | 41.6 | −1.0 | |
Majority | 5,939 | 16.8 | +2.0 | ||
Turnout | 35,279 | 77.1 | −3.7 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | +1.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 20,254 | 53.9 | −4.5 | |
Labour | John Wilson Fear | 11,983 | 31.8 | −9.8 | |
Liberal | Richard Edward Walter Vanderplank | 5,389 | 14.3 | New | |
Majority | 8,271 | 22.1 | +5.3 | ||
Turnout | 37,626 | 80.4 | +3.3 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | +2.7 |
Elections in the 1960s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 20,320 | 51.1 | −2.8 | |
Labour | Leslie J Potter | 12,456 | 31.3 | −0.5 | |
Liberal | Peter G H Thorold | 6,992 | 17.6 | +3.3 | |
Majority | 7,864 | 19.8 | −2.3 | ||
Turnout | 39,768 | 78.8 | −1.6 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | −1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | David Renton | 20,504 | 49.1 | −2.0 | |
Labour | Martin Lawn | 15,276 | 36.7 | +5.4 | |
Liberal | David Ralph Antony Spreckley | 5,900 | 14.2 | −3.4 | |
Majority | 5,228 | 12.4 | −7.4 | ||
Turnout | 41,680 | 77.6 | −1.2 | ||
National Liberal hold | Swing | −3.7 |
Elections in the 1970s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Renton | 27,398 | 54.7 | +5.6 | |
Labour | James P P Curran | 17,588 | 35.1 | −1.6 | |
Liberal | Michael Wilfrid B O'Loughlin | 5,082 | 10.2 | −4.0 | |
Majority | 9,810 | 19.6 | +7.2 | ||
Turnout | 50,068 | 75.3 | −2.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Renton | 29,042 | 44.6 | −10.1 | |
Liberal | Dennis Graham Rowe | 19,040 | 29.2 | +19.0 | |
Labour | Paul Andrew Ormerod | 17,066 | 26.2 | −8.9 | |
Majority | 10,002 | 15.4 | −4.2 | ||
Turnout | 65,148 | 82.4 | +7.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −14.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Renton | 26,989 | 45.1 | +0.5 | |
Labour | Alan G Dowson | 17,745 | 29.6 | +3.4 | |
Liberal | Dennis Graham Rowe | 15,152 | 25.3 | −3.9 | |
Majority | 9,244 | 15.5 | +0.1 | ||
Turnout | 59,886 | 75.1 | −7.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Major | 40,193 | 55.3 | +10.2 | |
Labour | Julian G H Fulbrook | 18,630 | 25.7 | −3.9 | |
Liberal | Dennis Graham Rowe | 12,812 | 17.6 | −7.7 | |
National Front | K T Robinson | 983 | 1.4 | New | |
Majority | 21,563 | 29.6 | +14.1 | ||
Turnout | 72.618 | 77.4 | +2.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.1 |
See also
[edit]- Parliamentary representation from Huntingdonshire
- List of former United Kingdom Parliament constituencies
- Unreformed House of Commons
Notes and references
[edit]Notes
- ^ Both Heathcote and Fellowes secured the same number of votes and were returned alongside Rust in a treble election. However, after scrutiny, Heathcote was declared unduly elected in July 1857
References
- ^ "'Huntingdonshire', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ a b S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "HERLYNGTON, John (d.1408), of Yaxley, Hunts". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "History of Parliament". Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "History of Parliament". Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "History of Parliament". Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 149–151. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
- ^ Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 152. Retrieved 10 May 2019 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Launceston Weekly News; and Cornwall and Devon Advertiser". 21 March 1857. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 4 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Coventry Standard". 3 April 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 4 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c Harratt, Simon. "Huntingdonshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 400–401. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
- ^ "Huntingdonshire". Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. 16 June 1877. p. 6. Retrieved 1 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c d e f g h F. W. S. Craig (1983), British Parliamentary Election Results, 1918-1949. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.
- ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
- ^ a b c d e f g F. W. S. Craig (1971), British Parliamentary Election Results, 1950-1970. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1950". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1951". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1955". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1959". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1964". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1966". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ a b c F. W. S. Craig (1984), British Parliamentary Election Results, 1974-1983. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.