Silvertown (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Silvertown was a special area in the United Kingdom that elected one person to represent it in the UK Parliament. This elected person is called a Member of Parliament (MP). They would sit in the House of Commons, which is where laws are made.

The way the MP was chosen was called the "first-past-the-post" system. This means the candidate who gets the most votes wins, even if they don't get more than half of all the votes.

Silvertown was one of four similar areas in the larger area of West Ham. At that time, West Ham was part of Essex county. Later, in 1965, it became part of the London Borough of Newham in Greater London.

This special area was created in 1918 and lasted until 1950. It was set up after a group called the Boundary Commission suggested it in 1917. This suggestion became law with the Representation of the People Act 1918.

Silvertown stopped being a separate area for elections in 1950. This happened because West Ham didn't have enough voters to keep four MPs. So, it was decided that West Ham would only have two MPs instead.

Where Was Silvertown?

The Silvertown area was made up of two main parts: Custom House and Silvertown itself. These two areas were located on either side of the Royal Victoria Dock. Another area called Tidal Basin was to the north-west.

The people who decided on the boundaries had to be careful. Some parts of the nearby Canning Town area were added to Silvertown. This was done to make sure that all the election areas in West Ham were about the same size.

The boundary line followed the middle of the Woolwich branch of the Great Eastern Railway. This railway line is now known as the North London Line. The line went from Canning Town station north towards Star Lane, then east along Star Lane, until it met the existing boundary near Hermit Lane and Beckton Road.

Who Represented Silvertown?

The table below shows the people who were elected as the Member of Parliament for Silvertown.