East Worcestershire (UK Parliament constituency)

East Worcestershire
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1832–1918
Seats1832–1885: Two
1885–1918: One
Replaced byKidderminster and Birmingham King's Norton

East Worcestershire was a county constituency in the county of Worcestershire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, and elected two Members of Parliament (MPs), by the bloc vote system. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, its representation was reduced to one MP for the 1885 general election, elected by the first past the post voting system. The constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election.

Boundaries

1832–1885: The Petty Sessional Divisions of Stourbridge, Dudley, Droitwich, Northfield, Blockley and Pershore, and the Borough of Evesham.[1]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885

Election First member First party Second member Second party
1832 William Congreve Russell Whig[2] Thomas Cookes Whig[2]
1835 Edward Holland Whig[3][4][2]
1837 Sir Horace St Paul, Bt Conservative[2] John Barneby Conservative[2]
1841 James Arthur Taylor Conservative[2]
Jan. 1847 by-election George Rushout-Bowles Conservative
Jul. 1847 John Hodgetts-Foley Whig[5][6][7]
Feb. 1859 Hon. Frederick Gough-Calthorpe Whig[8][9][10]
Apr. 1859 Liberal Liberal
1861 by-election Harry Vernon Liberal
Jun. 1868 by-election Hon. Charles Lyttelton Liberal
Nov 1868 Richard Amphlett Conservative
1874 Henry Allsopp Conservative Thomas Eades Walker Conservative
1880 William Henry Gladstone Liberal George Hastings Liberal
1885 representation reduced to one member

MPs 1885–1918

Year Member Party
1885 George Hastings Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1892 Austen Chamberlain Liberal Unionist
1912 Unionist
1914 Leverton Harris Unionist
1918 constituency abolished

Elections

Decades:

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig William Congreve Russell 2,576 36.8
Whig Thomas Cookes 2,517 35.9
Tory John Pakington 1,916 27.3
Majority 601 8.6
Turnout 4,348 84.2
Registered electors 5,161
Whig win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Holland 2,254 34.2 −2.6
Whig Thomas Cookes 2,192 33.3 −2.6
Conservative Horace St Paul 2,145 32.5 +5.2
Majority 47 0.7 −7.9
Turnout c. 3,296 c. 63.8 c. −20.4
Registered electors 5,164
Whig hold Swing −2.6
Whig hold Swing −2.6
General election 1837: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Horace St Paul 2,595 27.4 +11.2
Conservative John Barneby 2,528 26.7 +10.5
Whig Edward Holland 2,175 23.0 −11.2
Whig John Hodgetts-Foley 2,168 22.9 −10.4
Majority 427 4.5 N/A
Majority 353 3.7 N/A
Turnout 4,771 79.6 c. +15.8
Registered electors 5,995
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +11.0
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +10.7

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Arthur Taylor Unopposed
Conservative John Barneby Unopposed
Registered electors 6,367
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Barneby's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 11 January 1847: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Rushout Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Hodgetts-Foley Unopposed
Conservative George Rushout Unopposed
Registered electors 6,269
Whig hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Hodgetts-Foley Unopposed
Conservative George Rushout Unopposed
Registered electors 6,515
Whig hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Hodgetts-Foley Unopposed
Conservative George Rushout Unopposed
Registered electors 6,065
Whig hold
Conservative hold

Rushout succeeded to the peerage, becoming 3rd Baron Northwick and causing a by-election.

By-election, 24 February 1859: East Worcestershire[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Frederick Gough-Calthorpe 2,304 54.0 N/A
Conservative Sir John Pakington, 2nd Baron Hampton 1,965 46.0 N/A
Majority 339 8.0 N/A
Turnout 4,269 71.4 N/A
Registered electors 5,983
Whig gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1859: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Hodgetts-Foley Unopposed
Liberal Frederick Gough-Calthorpe Unopposed
Registered electors 5,983
Liberal hold
Liberal gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1860s

Hodgetts-Foley's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 20 December 1861: East Worcestershire[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harry Vernon Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1865: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harry Vernon Unopposed
Liberal Frederick Gough-Calthorpe Unopposed
Registered electors 6,875
Liberal hold
Liberal hold

Gough-Calthorpe succeeded to the peerage, becoming 5th Baron Calthorpe and causing a by-election.

By-election, 1 June 1868: East Worcestershire[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Lyttelton 2,688 52.5 N/A
Conservative William Laslett 2,429 47.5 New
Majority 259 5.0 N/A
Turnout 5,117 74.4 N/A
Registered electors 6,875
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1868: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Amphlett 4,108 34.3 N/A
Liberal Charles Lyttelton 4,093 34.1 N/A
Liberal Richard Martin 3,789 31.6 N/A
Majority 319 2.7 N/A
Turnout 8,049 (est) 78.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 10,313
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Allsopp 4,421 29.5 +12.3
Conservative Thomas Eades Walker 4,159 27.8 +10.6
Liberal Charles Lyttelton 3,508 23.4 −10.7
Liberal Arthur Albright[12] 2,831 18.9 −12.7
Conservative William Laslett 55 0.4 N/A
Majority 651 4.4 N/A
Turnout 7,487 (est) 67.8 (est) −10.2
Registered electors 11,039
Conservative hold Swing +12.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.2
  • Laslett withdrew from the race in order to contest Worcester.[13]

Elections in the 1880s

Hastings
General election 1880: East Worcestershire (2 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Henry Gladstone 4,879 26.5 +3.2
Liberal George Hastings 4,833 26.3 +7.4
Conservative Richard Temple 4,417 24.0 −3.8
Conservative Henry Allsopp 4,258 23.2 −6.3
Majority 621 3.3 N/A
Majority 416 2.3 N/A
Turnout 9,194 (est) 76.6 (est) +8.8
Registered electors 12,000
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.5
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.9
General election 1885: East Worcestershire [14][15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Hastings 3,685 53.6 +0.8
Conservative Albert Bosanquet 3,194 46.4 −0.8
Majority 491 7.2 +4.9
Turnout 6,879 84.0 +7.4 (est)
Registered electors 8,187
Liberal hold Swing +0.8
General election 1886: East Worcestershire [14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist George Hastings Unopposed
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1890s

Hastings was expelled from the House of Commons, causing a by-election.

Chamberlain
By-election, 30 Mar 1892: East Worcestershire[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
General election 1892: East Worcestershire [14][15][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain 5,111 67.0 N/A
Liberal Oscar Browning 2,517 33.0 New
Majority 2,594 34.0 N/A
Turnout 7,628 77.6 N/A
Registered electors 9,827
Liberal Unionist hold
General election 1895: East Worcestershire [14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: East Worcestershire [14][15][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
1902 East Worcestershire by-election[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
Chamberlain
General election 1906: East Worcestershire [14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain 10,129 63.7 N/A
Liberal John Morgan 5,763 36.3 New
Majority 4,366 27.4 N/A
Turnout 15,892 84.7 N/A
Registered electors 18,769
Liberal Unionist hold

Elections in the 1910s

Young
General election January 1910: East Worcestershire [19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain 12,644 64.5 +0.8
Liberal Hilton Young 6,955 35.5 −0.8
Majority 5,689 29.0 +1.6
Turnout 19,599 84.2 −0.5
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +0.8
General election December 1910: East Worcestershire [14][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Austen Chamberlain Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
1914 East Worcestershire by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Leverton Harris Unopposed
Unionist hold

General Election 1914–15:

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;

References

  1. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 127–128. Retrieved 11 August 2019 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). "English Contested Elections". The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections; Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830 (Second ed.). London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. p. 175. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  4. ^ "General Election Returns". Roscommon and Leitrim Gazette. 7 February 1835. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "The Elections". Worcester Journal. 29 July 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Election Intelligence". Morning Post. 22 July 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 130. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Imperial Parliament". The Ipswich Journal. 26 February 1859. p. 3. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "East Worcestershire Election". Worcester Journal. 12 February 1859. p. 6. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Election Intelligence". Cardiff Times. 26 February 1859. p. 5. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 484–485. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  12. ^ "East Worcestershire Election". Worcestershire Chronicle. 21 February 1874. p. 5. Retrieved 23 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "East Worcestershire". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 12 February 1874. p. 5. Retrieved 23 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 421. ISBN 9781349022984.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  16. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  17. ^ Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  18. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  19. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916