Cirencester (UK Parliament constituency)
Gloucestershire, East or Cirencester | |
---|---|
Former County constituency for the House of Commons | |
1885–1918 | |
Seats | one |
Created from | Cirencester Borough |
Replaced by | Cirencester and Tewkesbury and Stroud |
Cirencester | |
---|---|
Former Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
1571–1885 | |
Seats | two (1571-1868), one (1868-1885) |
Replaced by | Cirencester |
Cirencester was a
History
The town sent Members to Parliament on at least one occasion during the 14th century and again in 1547. Cirencester borough as established in 1571 consisted of part of the parish of Cirencester, a market town in the east of Gloucestershire. In 1831, the population of the borough was 4,420, and the town contained 917 houses.
The right to vote was exercised by all resident householders of the borough who were not receiving alms, an unusually liberal franchise for the period in any but the smallest towns, which meant that there were about 500 qualified voters. This arose from the chance that a dispute over the franchise arose in 1624, and the House of Commons had to decide whether only the
Despite Cirencester's relatively large electorate, the local landowners (or "patrons") were able to exert a very substantial influence over the elections, and it could probably be fairly described as a
The Reform Act 1832 extended the borough's boundaries slightly to include the whole of the parish, increasing the population to 5,420; but even with the revised franchise this gave Cirencester only 604 electors. The reform apparently did little to democratise the borough, for Bathursts and Masters continued to be elected almost continually throughout its existence. As subsequent Reform Acts raised the barrier for representation, Cirencester lost one of its two MPs in 1868 and had its boundaries further extended to take in the adjoining parish of Stratton; but, still too small, the borough was abolished altogether in 1885.
However, the name was transferred to the county constituency in which the town was placed, formally called The Eastern (or Cirencester) Division of Gloucestershire. This was a substantially-sized constituency fairly similar in its boundaries to the modern
The constituency was abolished in 1918, being split between the new Cirencester and Tewkesbury and Stroud constituencies.
Boundaries
1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Chipping Campden, Cirencester, Fairford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Tetbury.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1547
Year | First member | Second member |
---|---|---|
1547 | John Eston | George Ferrers |
Borough constituency (1571–1885)
MPs 1571–1640
Year | First member | Second member |
---|---|---|
1571 | Gabriel Blike | Thomas Poole |
1572 | Thomas Poole | Thomas Strange |
1584 | Thomas Poole (jun) | William Estcourt |
1586 | George Master | William Bridges, sat for Gloucestershire and was replaced by Charles Danvers |
1589 | Charles Danvers | George Master |
1593 | Oliver St John[1] | Henry Ferrers |
1597 | Henry Poole | James Wroughton |
1601 | Richard Browne | Richard George |
1604–1611 | Arnold Oldsworth | Sir Anthony Manie
|
1614 | Sir Anthony Manie |
Robert Strange
|
1621–1622 | Sir Thomas Roe | Thomas Nicholas |
1624 | Henry Poole |
Sir William Master |
1625 | Sir Miles Sandys | Henry Poole
|
1626 | Sir Neville Poole | John George |
1628–1629 | Sir Giles Estcourt |
John George |
MPs 1640–1868
MPs 1868–1885
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1868 | Allen Bathurst, later Earl Bathurst | Conservative | |
1878 by-election | Thomas Chester-Master II | Conservative | |
1885 | Borough abolished - name transferred to county division |
County constituency (1885–1918)
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1885 | Arthur Winterbotham | Liberal | |
1886 | Liberal Unionist | ||
1892 | Liberal | ||
1892 by-election | Thomas Chester-Master | Conservative | |
1893 by-election | Harry Levy-Lawson | Liberal | |
1895 | Hon. Benjamin Bathurst
|
Conservative | |
1906 | Walter Essex | Liberal | |
1910 | Hon. Benjamin Bathurst
|
Conservative | |
1918 | constituency abolished |
Elections
Elections in the 1830s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Henry Bathurst | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Henry Bathurst | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Henry Bathurst | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 604 | ||||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Edward Somerset
|
Unopposed | |||
Tory hold |
- Caused by Henry Bathurst's succession to the Peerage, becoming 4th Earl Bathurst
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Joseph Cripps | 494 | 49.9 | N/A | |
Conservative | Edward Somerset
|
405 | 40.9 | N/A | |
Whig | Thomas Denman Whatley | 91 | 9.2 | New | |
Majority | 314 | 31.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 498 | 81.0 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 615 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 585 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1840s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 552 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Chester-Master resigned by accepting the office of
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Child Villiers | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Cripps was appointed a
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Cripps | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | George Child Villiers | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 485 | ||||
Conservative hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Cripps' death caused a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Joseph Mullings | 262 | 66.8 | N/A | |
Whig | Charles Ponsonby[6] | 130 | 33.2 | New | |
Majority | 132 | 33.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 392 | 82.0 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 478 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1850s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Joseph Mullings | 235 | 35.2 | N/A | |
Whig | Ashley Ponsonby | 218 | 32.7 | N/A | |
Conservative | George Child Villiers | 214 | 32.1 | N/A | |
Turnout | 334 (est) | 76.8 (est) | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 434 | ||||
Majority | 17 | 2.5 | N/A | ||
Conservative hold | |||||
Majority | 4 | 0.6 | N/A | ||
Whig gain from Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 307 | 44.2 | +12.1 | |
Conservative | Joseph Mullings | 200 | 28.8 | −6.4 | |
Whig | Ashley Ponsonby | 188 | 27.1 | −5.6 | |
Majority | 12 | 1.7 | −0.8 | ||
Turnout | 348 (est) | 82.2 (est) | +5.4 | ||
Registered electors | 423 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.5 | |||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | −1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 273 | 42.3 | −1.9 | |
Liberal | Ashley Ponsonby | 190 | 29.5 | +2.4 | |
Conservative | Brent Follett[12] | 182 | 28.2 | −0.6 | |
Turnout | 323 (est) | 76.6 (est) | −5.6 | ||
Registered electors | 421 | ||||
Majority | 83 | 12.8 | +11.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.6 | |||
Majority | 8 | 1.3 | N/A | ||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.5 |
Elections in the 1860s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 296 | 42.9 | +0.6 | |
Conservative | Ralph Dutton | 222 | 32.2 | +4.0 | |
Liberal | Julian Goldsmid | 172 | 24.9 | −4.6 | |
Majority | 74 | 10.7 | −2.1 | ||
Turnout | 431 (est) | 92.9 (est) | +16.3 | ||
Registered electors | 464 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.2 |
Seat reduced to one member
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 629 | 68.9 | −6.2 | |
Liberal | Frederick Inderwick | 284 | 31.1 | +6.2 | |
Majority | 345 | 37.8 | +27.1 | ||
Turnout | 913 | 84.9 | −8.0 | ||
Registered electors | 1,076 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.2 |
Elections in the 1870s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Allen Bathurst | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 1,101 | ||||
Conservative hold |
- Bathurst succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl Bathurst.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 698 | 66.8 | N/A | |
Liberal | Ashley Ponsonby | 347 | 33.2 | New | |
Majority | 351 | 33.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,045 | 92.6 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 1,128 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1880s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 1,145 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Winterbotham | 4,782 | 54.2 | New | |
Conservative | John Dorington | 4,037 | 45.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 745 | 8.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,819 | 86.8 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 10,157 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Unionist
|
Arthur Winterbotham | Unopposed | |||
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal
|
Elections in the 1890s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Winterbotham | 4,207 | 50.9 | New | |
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 4,054 | 49.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 153 | 1.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,261 | 81.8 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 10,095 | 0.0 | |||
Liberal Unionist
|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 4,275 | 50.0 | −0.9 | |
Liberal | Harry Levy-Lawson | 4,275 | 50.0 | +0.9 | |
Majority | 0 | 0.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,550 | 84.7 | +2.9 | ||
Registered electors | 10,095 | 0.0 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.9 |
- Chester-Master was originally declared the victor by 3 votes, but on petition and after scrutiny, the votes were declared equal and a new election was held.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Harry Levy-Lawson | 4,687 | 51.3 | +0.4 | |
Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 4,445 | 48.7 | −0.4 | |
Majority | 242 | 2.6 | +0.8 | ||
Turnout | 9,132 | 90.9 | +9.1 | ||
Registered electors | 10,048 | −0.5 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | +0.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst
|
4,509 | 51.2 | +2.1 | |
Liberal | Harry Levy-Lawson | 4,294 | 48.8 | −2.1 | |
Majority | 215 | 2.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,803 | 89.6 | +7.8 | ||
Registered electors | 9,825 | −2.2 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.1 |
Elections in the 1900s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst
|
Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Walter Essex | 4,517 | 53.0 | New | |
Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst
|
4,011 | 47.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 506 | 6.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,528 | 88.2 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 9,673 | N/A | |||
Liberal gain from Conservative |
Elections in the 1910s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst
|
5,091 | 55.3 | +8.3 | |
Liberal | Walter Essex | 4,108 | 44.7 | −8.3 | |
Majority | 983 | 10.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 9,199 | 92.6 | +4.4 | ||
Registered electors | 9,934 | +2.7 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst
|
4,788 | 54.4 | −0.9 | |
Liberal | Gilbert Beyfus
|
4,007 | 45.6 | +0.9 | |
Majority | 781 | 8.8 | −1.8 | ||
Turnout | 8,795 | 88.5 | −4.1 | ||
Registered electors | 9,934 | 0.0 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Frederick W B Cripps [16] | − | |||
Liberal | Cyril Winterbotham[17] |
References
- ^ s:St. John, Oliver (1559-1630) (DNB00)
- ^ Fairfax was delayed from taking his seat by a dispute over the election; although he was eventually declared duly elected in February 1649, it is unlikely that he ever took his seat in the Rump, so probably never sat for Cirencester
- ^ At the election of 1708, Bathurst and Coxe were initially declared elected; but on petition, the election was declared void because the inhabitants of the Abbey, Emery and Sperringate Lane had been excluded from voting. However, both were re-elected in the ensuing by-election.
- ^ Wodehouse was also elected for Norfolk, but died before having chosen which constituency to represent
- ^ Succeeded as the 4th Viscount Downe (in the Peerage of Ireland), 1760
- ^ ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
- ^ Master was re-elected in 1790, but on petition the committee declared he had not been duly elected, and seated his opponent, Preston, in his place
- ^ Succeeded to a baronetcy, March 1800
- ^ MikeMCSG (11 November 2013). "315 Ashley Ponsonby". Clarke Chronicler's Politicians. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
- ^ a b c d e William, William Retlaw (1898). The parliamentary history of the county of Gloucester, including the cities of Bristol and Gloucester, and the boroughs of Cheltenham, Cirencester, Stroud, and Tewkesbury, from the earliest times to the present day, 1213–1898. Herford: Jakeman and Carver. pp. 151–176.
- ^ "The Nominations". Morning Post. 30 April 1859. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 29 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Cirencester Election". Gloucester Citizen. 13 March 1878. Retrieved 5 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
- ^ Did not take place due to Great War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_and_Registration_Act_1915
- ^ Evesham Standard & West Midland Observer 07 February 1914 Described as Prospective Unionist Candidate. The Tewkesbury Register, and Agricultural Gazette. 08 May 1959 records his death and notes membership of County Council 1904-1946 and Vice-Chair and Chair from 1920 to 1946
- ^ Gloucester Journal 16 May 1914 pp 10 Report of Liberal Assn refers to his adoption as candidate for Cheltenham. During War served with Gloucestershire Regiment and killed near Theipval on 27 August 1916 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloucestershire_Regiment
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 4)
- Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) [1]
- D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
- John Cannon, Parliamentary Reform 1640-1832 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1972)
- Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) [2]
- F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
- The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)
- Lewis Namier & John Brooke, The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754-1790 (London: HMSO, 1964)
- T. H. B. OldfieldThe Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816)
- J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 - England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
- Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979)