Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Chelsea was a special area in London that used to elect people to the House of Commons, which is a part of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. These elected people are called Members of Parliament (MPs).

The Chelsea area was first set up as a place to elect MPs in 1868. At first, it elected two MPs. This was done using a system called the bloc vote. Later, from 1885, it only elected one MP using the first past the post system, which is common in the UK today. The Chelsea constituency stopped existing in 1997, and its area became part of a new constituency called Kensington and Chelsea.

What was the Chelsea Constituency?

The Chelsea constituency was an area that sent representatives to the UK Parliament. It was created in 1868 and lasted until 1997. Over the years, its exact borders changed a few times.

How did the Borders of Chelsea Change?

• 1868–1885: The constituency included the areas of Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, and Kensington.
• 1885–1918: The area became smaller, focusing mainly on the parish of St Luke, Chelsea. It also had a small separate part in Kensal Green.
• 1918–1950: The constituency matched the area of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea, which was a local government area.
• 1950–1974: A part of Kensington called Brompton was added to the Chelsea constituency.
• 1974–1983: The constituency was known as "Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea." It included several specific local areas (called wards) within Kensington and Chelsea.
• 1983–1997: The boundaries changed slightly again, but it still covered most of the previous Chelsea area.

Before 1868, the Chelsea area was part of a larger constituency called Middlesex. As London grew, Chelsea and its neighbours became important enough to have their own MPs.

In 1885, the larger Chelsea area was split into five smaller constituencies. Chelsea itself became a single-member constituency, meaning it elected only one MP. The other areas became their own constituencies like Fulham and Kensington North.

In 1965, local government in London changed, and Chelsea became part of the new London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. However, the parliamentary boundaries for the Chelsea constituency didn't change right away.

Who were the Members of Parliament for Chelsea?

Many different people served as MPs for Chelsea during its history. Here are the lists of MPs who represented the area.

MPs 1868–1885 (Two Members)

MPs 1885–1997 (One Member)

Images for kids

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  Chelsea in London 1885–1918. The constituency had two detached parts: one in what is currently known as Chelsea and a separate part in Kensal Town

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  Chelsea in London 1918–1950

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  Chelsea in London 1950–1983

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  Hugh Edward Hoare, a Liberal candidate in 1910.

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  Emslie Horniman, a Liberal MP for Chelsea from 1906 to 1910.

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  James Jeffery, a Liberal candidate in 1900.

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London
• Duration of English, British and United Kingdom parliaments from 1660