Cirencester (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Cirencester was a parliamentary constituency
in Gloucestershire
. From 1571 until 1885, it was a parliamentary borough
, which returned two Member of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
until 1868, and one member between 1868 and 1885. In 1885 the borough was abolished but the name was transferred to the county constituency in which it stood; this constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election
.
, 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 freeholders could vote or if the right should extend to all the householders. The 1620s was a rare period when the Commons as a matter of policy tended to decide for the broadest interpretation in franchise disputes (all 15 cases brought before them in that decade were resolved in favour of the solution which enfranchised most voters), and consequently in Cirencester the householders acquired the right of which they were never subsequently deprived (and which was later confirmed at another disputed election in 1724). Another election petition, in 1709, turned on whether the inhabitants of the Abbey
, Emery and Sperringate Lane sections of the town were included within the borough; the Commons ruled that they were, but they were excluded again after yet another disputed election in 1792.
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 pocket borough. From at least the start of the 18th century, the Bathurst
family were Lords of the Manor
and had a share of the patronage, almost invariably filling one of the seats themselves and occasionally nominating the other MP as well. The Master family, whose influence predated that of the Bathursts, were able to command the second seat for long periods. In the 18th century, both the Bathursts and the Masters were Tories. Nevertheless, there were signs that the townspeople could show independence on occasion: in 1754, when the head of the Masters was a child and the Bathursts tried to take both seats, Cirencester shocked its Tory patrons by electing a local Whig
nobleman instead.
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 Cotswold District Council, with a strong rural element but including a number of small towns apart from Cirencester - Chipping Campden
, Fairford
, Moreton-in-Marsh
, Tetbury
and Stow-on-the-Wold
among them. In character it proved more Liberal
than Cirencester borough had done, though this may have been as much from the dilution of the Bathurst influence as from political factors - consequently instead of being a safe Conservative
seat it was generally a knife-edge marginal. Arthur Winterbotham, the Liberal who had won the constituency by 700 votes at its first election, in 1885, was re-elected unopposed when he became a Liberal Unionist in 1886, but when he switched back to the Liberals at the next general election his majority fell to 153. Winterbotham died later the same year, and the by-election was decided in favour of the Conservative candidate, Colonel Thomas Chester-Master, by just 3 votes; but his defeated opponent petitioned against the result and after further scrutiny of the ballots the result was revised and declared to be tied. It was impossible at this stage to give a casting vote to the returning officer
(the usual solution to a tied election at that period), so the election had to be run again.
The constituency was abolished in 1918, being split between the new Cirencester and Tewkesbury
and Stroud
constituencies.
Notes
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. From 1571 until 1885, it was a parliamentary borough
Parliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
, which returned two Member of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
until 1868, and one member between 1868 and 1885. In 1885 the borough was abolished but the name was transferred to the county constituency in which it stood; this constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
.
History
Cirencester borough as established in 1571 consisted of part of the parish of CirencesterCirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
, a market town in the east of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. 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 freeholders could vote or if the right should extend to all the householders. The 1620s was a rare period when the Commons as a matter of policy tended to decide for the broadest interpretation in franchise disputes (all 15 cases brought before them in that decade were resolved in favour of the solution which enfranchised most voters), and consequently in Cirencester the householders acquired the right of which they were never subsequently deprived (and which was later confirmed at another disputed election in 1724). Another election petition, in 1709, turned on whether the inhabitants of the Abbey
Cirencester Abbey
Cirencester Abbey in Gloucestershire was founded as an Augustinian monastery in 1117 on the site of an earlier church, the oldest-known Saxon church in England, which had itself been built on the site of a Roman structure. The church was greatly enlarged in the 14th century with addition of an...
, Emery and Sperringate Lane sections of the town were included within the borough; the Commons ruled that they were, but they were excluded again after yet another disputed election in 1792.
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 pocket borough. From at least the start of the 18th century, the Bathurst
Earl Bathurst
Earl Bathurst, of Bathurst in the County of Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1772 for Allen Bathurst, 1st Baron Bathurst. He was a politician and an opponent of Sir Robert Walpole...
family were Lords of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
and had a share of the patronage, almost invariably filling one of the seats themselves and occasionally nominating the other MP as well. The Master family, whose influence predated that of the Bathursts, were able to command the second seat for long periods. In the 18th century, both the Bathursts and the Masters were Tories. Nevertheless, there were signs that the townspeople could show independence on occasion: in 1754, when the head of the Masters was a child and the Bathursts tried to take both seats, Cirencester shocked its Tory patrons by electing a local Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
nobleman instead.
The Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
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 Cotswold District Council, with a strong rural element but including a number of small towns apart from Cirencester - Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden is a small market town within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its elegant terraced High Street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century...
, Fairford
Fairford
Fairford is a small town in Gloucestershire, England. The town lies in the Cotswolds on the River Coln, about east of Cirencester, west of Lechlade and north of Swindon. Nearby are RAF Fairford and the Cotswold Water Park.-Schools:...
, Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh is a town and civil parish in northeastern Gloucestershire, England. The town is at the crossroads of the Fosse Way Roman road and the A44. The parish and environs are relatively flat and low-lying compared with the surrounding Cotswold Hills...
, Tetbury
Tetbury
Tetbury is a town and civil parish within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxon monastery was founded, probably by Ine of Wessex, in 681. The population of the parish was 5,250 in the 2001 census.In the Middle Ages,...
and Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is situated on top of an 800 ft hill, at the convergence of a number of major roads through the Cotswolds, including the Fosse Way . The town was founded as a planned market place by Norman lords to take...
among them. In character it proved more Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
than Cirencester borough had done, though this may have been as much from the dilution of the Bathurst influence as from political factors - consequently instead of being a safe Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
seat it was generally a knife-edge marginal. Arthur Winterbotham, the Liberal who had won the constituency by 700 votes at its first election, in 1885, was re-elected unopposed when he became a Liberal Unionist in 1886, but when he switched back to the Liberals at the next general election his majority fell to 153. Winterbotham died later the same year, and the by-election was decided in favour of the Conservative candidate, Colonel Thomas Chester-Master, by just 3 votes; but his defeated opponent petitioned against the result and after further scrutiny of the ballots the result was revised and declared to be tied. It was impossible at this stage to give a casting vote to the returning officer
Returning Officer
In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.-Australia:In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a State Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office...
(the usual solution to a tied election at that period), so the election had to be run again.
The constituency was abolished in 1918, being split between the new Cirencester and Tewkesbury
Cirencester and Tewkesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Cirencester and Tewkesbury was a parliamentary constituency in Gloucestershire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
and Stroud
Stroud (UK Parliament constituency)
Stroud is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituencies.
MPs 1571–1640
| Year | First member | Second member |
|---|---|---|
| 1571 | Gabriel Bilke | Thomas Poole |
| 1572 | Thomas Poole | Thomas Strange |
| 1584 | Thomas Poole (jun) | William Estcourt |
| 1586 | George Master | William Bridges Bridges chose for Gloucestershire replaced by Charles Danvers |
| 1589 | Charles Danvers | George Master |
| 1593 | Oliver St John Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison Sir Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison was an English soldier who became Lord Deputy of Ireland.-Early years:He was the second son of Nicholas St John of Lydiard Park in Wiltshire and Purley Park in Berkshire, by his wife Elizabeth , daughter of Sir Richard Blount of Mapledurham House in... |
Henry Ferrers |
| 1597 | Henry Poole Henry Poole (died 1632) Sir Henry Poole was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1597 and 1626.... |
James Wroughton |
| 1601 | Richard Browne | Richard George |
| 1604–1611 | Arnold Oldsworth Arnold Oldsworth Arnold Oldsworth was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1611.Oldsworth was the eldest son of Edward Oldsworth and his wife Tacy Porter, daughter of Arthur Porter. He was educated under Alexander Nowell, dean of St. Paul’s and... |
Richard Martin Richard Martin (Recorder of London) Richard Martin was an English lawyer, orator, and supporter of the Virginia Company who was appointed Recorder of the City of London at the recommendation of James I of England in 1618 but died shortly thereafter.-Lawyer and tavern wit:... Martin chose for Christchurch replaced by Edward Jones Edward Jones (died 1609) Edward Jones was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1609.Jones was admitted to Gray's Inn on 12 January 1588. In 1593, he was elected Member of Parliament for Grampound. He was elected MP for Penryn in 1597. In 1601 he was elected MP for... Jones died replaced by Sir Anthony Manie Anthony Manie Sir Anthony Manie was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1610 and 1624.Manie was the son of John Maney of Biddenham, Kent. He was knighted on 23 July 1609. In 1610, he was elected Member of Parliament for Cirencester in a by-election. He was re-elected MP... |
| 1614 | Sir Anthony Manie Anthony Manie Sir Anthony Manie was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1610 and 1624.Manie was the son of John Maney of Biddenham, Kent. He was knighted on 23 July 1609. In 1610, he was elected Member of Parliament for Cirencester in a by-election. He was re-elected MP... |
Robert Strange Robert Strange (MP) Robert Strange was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614.Strange was son of Thomas Strange, M.P. for Cirencester in 1572... |
| 1621–1622 | Sir Thomas Roe Thomas Roe Sir Thomas Roe was an English diplomat of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Roe was an accomplished scholar and a patron of learning.-Life:... |
Thomas Nicholas Thomas Nicholas (MP) Thomas Nicholas was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622.Nicholas was the eldest son of Reginald Nicholas of Prestbury. He was a J.P. for Gloucestershire. In 1621, he was elected Member of Parliament for Cirencester.... |
| 1624 | Henry Poole | Sir William Master William Master Sir William Master was an English politician.-Early life:William Master was born in 1600 in Gloucestershire, England, the son of George Master and Bridget Cornwall, daughter and heiress of John Cornwall, Esq. of Marlborough. He was the grandson of Richard Master.In 1622, he was knighted by King... |
| 1625 | Sir Miles Sandys Miles Sandys Miles Sandys was an English courtier and Member of Parliament who sat in every Parliament from 1563 to 1597 yet never represented the same constituency twice. Sandys was the brother of the Archbishop of York, Edwin Sandys, and an influential crown official, working in the Court of Queen's Bench and... |
Henry Poole |
| 1626 | Sir Neville Poole Neville Poole Sir Neville Poole was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1614 and 1648. He supported the Parliamentarian side in the English Civil War.... |
John George John George (died 1677) John George was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640.George was the son of Roger George. He entered Middle Temple on 1 July 1615 and was called to the bar on 23 May 1623. He was Lord of the Manor of Baunton and a J.P... |
| 1628–1629 | Sir Giles Estcourt | John George John George (died 1677) John George was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640.George was the son of Roger George. He entered Middle Temple on 1 July 1615 and was called to the bar on 23 May 1623. He was Lord of the Manor of Baunton and a J.P... |
MPs 1640–1868
| Year | First member | First party | Second member | Second party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1640 Short Parliament The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks.... |
Henry Poole | John George John George (died 1677) John George was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640.George was the son of Roger George. He entered Middle Temple on 1 July 1615 and was called to the bar on 23 May 1623. He was Lord of the Manor of Baunton and a J.P... |
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| November 1640 Long Parliament The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and... |
Sir Theobald Gorges Theobald Gorges Sir Theobald Gorges was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1644. He supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War.Gorges was the son of Sir Thomas Gorges of Langford Wiltshire.... |
Royalist | John George John George (died 1677) John George was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640.George was the son of Roger George. He entered Middle Temple on 1 July 1615 and was called to the bar on 23 May 1623. He was Lord of the Manor of Baunton and a J.P... |
Royalist | ||
| January 1644 | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant | |||||
| February 1648 | Sir Thomas Fairfax Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War... |
Nathaniel Rich Nathaniel Rich (soldier) Colonel Nathaniel Rich sided with Parliament in the English Civil War. He was a colonel in Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army.-Life:... |
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| December 1648 | Fairfax not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge Pride's Purge Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents... |
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| 1653 | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament Barebones Parliament Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector... |
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| 1654 First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House.... |
John Stone John Stone (Parliamentarian) John Stone was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1653 and 1659.Stone was from Ridgemont, Bedfordshire and lived at Friday Street, London. In 1632 he purchased the manor of Chalford in Aston Rowant in Oxfordshire.... |
Cirencester had only one seat in the First First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House.... and Second Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons... Parliaments of the Protectorate |
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| 1656 Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons... |
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| January 1659 Third Protectorate Parliament The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons... |
Richard Southby Richard Southby Richard Southby was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659 and from 1679 to 1689..Southby was the son of John Southby of Carswell Manor in the parish of Buckland in Berkshire and his wife, Elizabeth daughter and heiress of William Wiseman of Steventon in Berkshire . His... |
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| May 1659 Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... |
Nathaniel Rich Nathaniel Rich (soldier) Colonel Nathaniel Rich sided with Parliament in the English Civil War. He was a colonel in Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army.-Life:... |
One seat vacant | ||||
| April 1660 | Thomas Master Thomas Master Thomas Master was an English poet and divine. He also assisted Edward Herbert, baron Herbert of Cherbury, in his writing of the Life of Henry VIII. He translated Herbert's work into Latin.-References:... |
Henry Powle Henry Powle Henry Powle was Speaker of the House of Commons of England from January 1689 to February 1689. He was also Master of the Rolls and represented the constituency of Windsor... |
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| 1661 | The Earl of Newburgh James Levingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh was a Scottish peer.He succeeded his father as 2nd Baronet, styled "of Kinnaird", in 1628, and in 1647, as Sir James Livingston of Kinnaird, 2nd Baronet, was created Viscount of Newburgh in the Peerage of Scotland with remainder to the heirs male of his body... |
John George | ||||
| 1671 | Henry Powle Henry Powle Henry Powle was Speaker of the House of Commons of England from January 1689 to February 1689. He was also Master of the Rolls and represented the constituency of Windsor... |
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| 1679 | Sir Robert Atkyns Robert Atkyns (topographer) Sir Robert Atkyns was a topographer, antiquary, and Member of Parliament. He is best known for his county history, the Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire.-Life:... |
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| 1685 | Thomas Master Thomas Master Thomas Master was an English poet and divine. He also assisted Edward Herbert, baron Herbert of Cherbury, in his writing of the Life of Henry VIII. He translated Herbert's work into Latin.-References:... |
The Earl of Newburgh | ||||
| 1689 | John Grobham Howe | |||||
| March 1690 | Richard Grobham Howe | Henry Powle Henry Powle Henry Powle was Speaker of the House of Commons of England from January 1689 to February 1689. He was also Master of the Rolls and represented the constituency of Windsor... |
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| November 1690 | John Grobham Howe | |||||
| 1698 | Henry Ireton | Charles Coxe | ||||
| January 1701 | James Thynne | |||||
| December 1701 | William Master William Master Sir William Master was an English politician.-Early life:William Master was born in 1600 in Gloucestershire, England, the son of George Master and Bridget Cornwall, daughter and heiress of John Cornwall, Esq. of Marlborough. He was the grandson of Richard Master.In 1622, he was knighted by King... |
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| 1705 | Allen Bathurst Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst PC , known as the Lord Bathurst from 1712 to 1772, was a British politician.... |
Henry Ireton | ||||
| 1708 | Charles Coxe | |||||
| 1712 | Thomas Master Thomas Master Thomas Master was an English poet and divine. He also assisted Edward Herbert, baron Herbert of Cherbury, in his writing of the Life of Henry VIII. He translated Herbert's work into Latin.-References:... |
Tory | ||||
| 1713 | Benjamin Bathurst | Tory | ||||
| 1727 | Peter Bathurst | Tory | ||||
| 1734 | William Wodehouse | |||||
| 1735 | Henry Bathurst Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst PC, KC , known as the Lord Apsley from 1771 to 1775, was a British lawyer and politician. He was Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1771 to 1778.-Background and education:... |
Tory | ||||
| 1747 | Thomas Master Thomas Master Thomas Master was an English poet and divine. He also assisted Edward Herbert, baron Herbert of Cherbury, in his writing of the Life of Henry VIII. He translated Herbert's work into Latin.-References:... |
Tory | ||||
| 1749 | John Coxe | |||||
| 1754 | Hon. Benjamin Bathurst | Tory | Hon. John Dawnay John Dawnay, 4th Viscount Downe John Dawnay, 4th Viscount Downe , was a British peer and Whig politician.-Background:Dawnay was the younger son of the Honourable John Dawnay, eldest son of Henry Dawnay, 2nd Viscount Downe... |
Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1761 | James Whitshed | Tory | ||||
| 1768 | Estcourt Creswell | |||||
| 1774 | Samuel Blackwell | |||||
| 1783 | Lord Apsley Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Lord Bathurst was the elder son of Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst, by his wife Tryphena, daughter of Thomas Scawen... |
Tory | ||||
| 1785 | Richard Master Richard Master Dr. Richard Master was a leading 16th-century English physician and personal doctor of Queen Elizabeth.-Early life:Master was the son of Robert Master. He became a fellow at All Souls' College in Oxford, eventually graduating with a B.A. in 1533 and an M.A. in 1537... |
Tory | ||||
| 1792 | (Sir) Robert Preston | |||||
| 1794 | Michael Hicks-Beach | |||||
| 1806 | Joseph Cripps | |||||
| 1812 | Lord Apsley Henry Bathurst, 4th Earl Bathurst Henry George Bathurst, 4th Earl Bathurst , styled as Lord Apsley from 1794 to 1834, was a British peer and Tory politician.-Background and education:... |
Tory | ||||
| 1818 | Joseph Cripps | Tory | ||||
| 1834 | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Lord Robert Somerset | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1837 | Thomas William Chester-Master I | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1841 | William Cripps William Cripps William Cripps was a British Conservative MP. He sat for the constituency of Cirencester from 1841 until his death in 1848. From 1845 until 1846 he held minor office in Sir Robert Peel's government as a Junior Lord of the Treasury.- References :... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1844 | Viscount Villiers | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1848 | Joseph Randolph Mullings | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1852 | Hon. Ashley Ponsonby | Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1857 | Allen Alexander Bathurst Allen Bathurst, 6th Earl Bathurst Allen Alexander Bathurst, 6th Earl Bathurst , known as Allen Bathurst until 1878, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.-Background and education:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1859 | Hon. Ashley Ponsonby | Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1865 | Hon. Ralph Dutton | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1868 United Kingdom general election, 1868 The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom... |
Representation reduced to one member | |||||
MPs 1868–1885
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 United Kingdom general election, 1868 The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom... |
Allen Alexander Bathurst Allen Bathurst, 6th Earl Bathurst Allen Alexander Bathurst, 6th Earl Bathurst , known as Allen Bathurst until 1878, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.-Background and education:... , later Earl Bathurst Earl Bathurst Earl Bathurst, of Bathurst in the County of Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1772 for Allen Bathurst, 1st Baron Bathurst. He was a politician and an opponent of Sir Robert Walpole... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1878 by-election | Thomas Chester-Master II | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
Borough abolished - name transferred to county division | ||
County constituency (1885–1918)
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
Arthur Brend Winterbotham Arthur Brend Winterbotham Arthur Brend Winterbotham was an English cloth manufacturer and Liberal politician.Winterbotham was the son of Lindsey Winterbotham and Sarah Ann Page. His father was a banker of Stroud, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Amersham School... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1886 United Kingdom general election, 1886 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Liberal Unionist | ||
| 1892 United Kingdom general election, 1892 The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1892 by-election | Colonel Thomas Chester-Master | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1893 by-election | Harry Lawson Webster Lawson Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham Sir Harry Lawson Webster Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham GCMG, CH, TD, JP, DL, was a British newspaper proprietor and a Liberal Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1916 when he inherited his peerage.-Biography:Levy-Lawson was born at St... , later Viscount Burnham |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1895 United Kingdom general election, 1895 The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery... |
Hon. Benjamin Bathurst | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1906 United Kingdom general election, 1906 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Richard Walter Essex | Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1910 | Colonel the Hon. Benjamin Bathurst | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918 The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did... |
constituency abolished | ||
Notes