Kingston-upon-Thames (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Kingston or Kingston-upon-Thames was a special area in the UK that had its own representative in the House of Commons. This area, called a parliamentary constituency, covered the growing southwest part of Kingston upon Thames. Until 1965, Kingston was part of Surrey, but after that, it became part of Greater London.

The Kingston constituency existed for a long time, from 1885 until 1997. During all that time, it always elected one Member of Parliament (MP). Interestingly, every single time there was an election in Kingston, a candidate from the Conservative Party won.

History of the Kingston Constituency

The Kingston constituency was first created for the general election in 1885. Back then, it was known simply as Kingston. It was a "county division," meaning it was a part of a larger county area.

Later, for the 1918 general election, it changed. It became a "borough constituency" and was officially renamed Kingston-upon-Thames. This change affected how election costs were handled and who was in charge of the elections.

The Kingston-upon-Thames constituency stopped existing for the 1997 general election. Its area was then split up. Two new constituencies were created: Kingston and Surbiton and Richmond Park.

One of the most well-known MPs for Kingston was Norman Lamont. He was a Conservative politician who held a very important job. He was the Chancellor of the Exchequer (like the country's chief financial minister) from 1990 to 1993.

What is a Constituency?

In the United Kingdom, a "constituency" is an area that elects a single person to represent it in the UK Parliament. This person is called a Member of Parliament (MP). The idea is that every part of the country has a voice in how the country is run. People living in a constituency vote for the candidate they want to be their MP.

Where was Kingston-upon-Thames?

The exact area that the Kingston constituency covered changed a few times over the years.

• 1950–1955: It included the towns of Kingston upon Thames and Surbiton.
• 1955–1983: It covered Kingston upon Thames and Malden and Coombe.
• 1983–1997: The area was defined by specific local government areas (called wards) within the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames. These included Burlington, Cambridge, Canbury, Coombe, Grove, Hill, Malden, Manor, Norbiton, Norbiton Park, St James, and Tudor.

After 1950, some southern parts of Kingston upon Thames were not included in this constituency. They were part of a different constituency called Surbiton.

Who Represented Kingston?

The people elected to represent Kingston in Parliament were called Members of Parliament (MPs). They worked in the House of Commons to speak for the people of Kingston. Here is a list of the MPs who represented Kingston:

Election Results

The Kingston constituency was known for consistently electing Conservative Members of Parliament. From its creation in 1885 until it was abolished in 1997, a Conservative candidate won every single election held in this area. This shows that the people of Kingston generally supported the Conservative Party for over a century.

Images for kids

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  Sir Richard Temple, an MP for Kingston from 1892.

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  Thomas Skewes-Cox, an MP for Kingston from 1895.

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  George Cave, an MP for Kingston from 1906.

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  Albert George Holzapfel, a Liberal candidate in 1910.