Quick facts for kids {{{Name}}}
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| {{{Name}}} shown within [[{{{Entity}}}]], and {{{Entity}}} shown within England |
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| MP: |
{{{MP}}} |
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| Type: |
House of Commons |
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| EP constituency: |
[[{{{EP}}} (European Parliament constituency)|{{{EP}}}]] |
Westminster was a parliamentary constituency in the Parliament of England to 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain 1707–1800 and the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. It returned two members to 1885 and one thereafter.
The constituency was first known to have been represented in Parliament in 1545 and continued to exist until the redistribution of seats in 1918. The constituency's most famous former representatives are John Stuart Mill and Charles James Fox. The most analogous contemporary constituency is Cities of London and Westminster.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1885-1918: The Westminster district, and Close of Collegiate Church of St. Peter.
The constituency was formed in 1545 from part of the county constituency of Middlesex and returned two members of parliament until 1885.
The City of Westminster is a district of Inner London. Its southern boundary is on the north bank of the River Thames. It is today combined with Marylebone to the north. It is west of the diminutive City of London, fixed with four MPs in 1298, and the north part of Lambeth, created a broad constituency in 1832. It is south-west of Holborn and St. Pancras which in 1832 were both placed in a wider seat named Finsbury and to the east of Kensington and Chelsea which were dealt with similarly in a seat named Chelsea.
In the 1885 redistribution of seats the constituency (virtually identical to the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster which was created in 1900) was divided into three single-member seats. The south-eastern part, including the traditional heart of Westminster and such important centres of power as the Houses of Parliament and the seat of government in Whitehall, continued to be a constituency called Westminster. By official definition the areas retained were "the Westminster district and Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter"; a seat named Strand was created in the north-east and a seat, St George's, Hanover Square, in the west.
In the 1918 redistribution the three seats were cut to two: Westminster St George's in the west and Westminster Abbey in the east, the latter wholly containing and slightly larger than the 1885–1918 Westminster seat (except for its Knightsbridge exclave which lay some way off in the west).
History
The Westminster constituency represented the centre of British government and had a large electorate so that it was independent of the control of a patron. Before the Reform Act 1832 the right to vote was held by the male inhabitants paying scot and lot (a kind of local property tax). The franchise was the largest of any borough in the kingdom, and only the county constituency of Yorkshire had more voters. Sedgwick estimated the electorate at about 8,000 in the first half of the eighteenth century. Namier and Brooke estimated that there were about 12,000 voters later in the century. The large size of the electorate made contested elections immensely expensive.
In the sixteenth century the Church officials associated with Westminster Abbey had a large influence in the area, but as the community became bigger that became less important. The Court (or His Majesty's Treasury) had some legitimate influence (by the standards of the age), because of the royal residences and government offices in the borough. The use of public funds to bribe the electorate was not unknown, during close elections (see the comments about the cost of the 1780 and 1784 contests below). Local landowners who were prepared to stir up ill-will by threatening to evict or raise the rents of tenants voting the wrong way, could also affect the result.
Unlawful means were sometimes used to make sure that the right candidates were elected. In 1722 the election of two Tories was declared void because of rioting which prevented some Whigs voting. In 1741 a Whig returning officer called upon the assistance of some troops to close the poll before the Tory candidates could catch up to the Whig votes.
The House of Commons declared the 1741 election void with the ringing resolution that "the presence of a regular body of armed soldiers at an election of members to sit in Parliament, is a high infringement of the liberties of the subject, a manifest violation of the freedom of election and an open defiance of the laws and constitution of this kingdom".
By the eighteenth century it was normal for the members to be Irish peers, the sons of peers or baronets, as it was thought appropriate for them to be of high social standing so as to be worthy to represent the seat.
The Treasury spent the enormous sums of more than £8,000 in 1780 and £9,000 in 1784, in unsuccessful attempts to defeat the opposition Whig leader Charles James Fox. So expensive were these contests that for the next general election in 1790, the government and opposition leaders reached a formal agreement for each to have one member returned unopposed. However, in the event a second Whig candidate did appear, but the Tory (the famous Admiral Lord Hood) and Fox were re-elected without too much difficulty.
The last MP for this constituency, William Burdett-Coutts, was connected with a family prominent in City of Westminster politics since the eighteenth century. He himself was born in the United States in 1851, his grandparents on both sides having been British subjects. After he married Baroness Burdett-Coutts in 1881 he changed his surname from Bartlett to Burdett-Coutts. He represented the area from 1885 until 1918 and continued to sit for the Abbey division until his death in 1921.
Lists of Members of Parliament
The English civil year started on 25 March until 1752 (Scotland having changed to 1 January in 1600). The years used in this article have been converted to the new style where necessary. Old style dates would be a year earlier than the new style for days between 1 January and 24 March. No attempt has been made to compensate for the eleven days which did not occur in September 1752 in both England and Scotland as well as other British controlled territories (when the day after 2 September was 14 September), so as to bring the British Empire fully in line with the Gregorian calendar.
Members of Parliament 1545–1660
Some of the members elected during this period have been identified. The year first given is for the initial meeting of the Parliament, with the month added where there was more than one Parliament in the year. If a second year is given this is a date of dissolution. Early Parliaments sometimes only existed for a few days or weeks, so dissolutions in the same year as the first meeting are not recorded in this list If a specific date of election is known this is recorded in italic brackets. The Roman numerals in brackets, following some names, are those used to distinguish different politicians of the same name in 'The House of Commons' 1509–1558 and 1558–1603.
Members of Parliament 1660–1918
Fictional Member of Parliament
Westminster was the constituency of fraudulent businessman Augustus Melmotte, who gained election as a Conservative, in Anthony Trollope's satirical novel, The Way We Live Now (published 1875).
Elections
Dates of Westminster general and by-elections 1660–1918
- -2 Apr 1660 GE
- -- Apr 1661 GE
- 27 Feb 1679 GE
- 19 Sep 1679 GE
- 15 Nov 1680 BE
- 10 Feb 1681 GE
- 23 Mar 1685 GE
- 21 Jan 1689 GE
- 13 Mar 1690 GE
- -9 Nov 1691 BE
- 29 Oct 1695 GE
- 22 Jul 1698 GE
- 21 Jan 1701 GE
- -9 Dec 1701 GE
- -6 Aug 1702 GE
- 30 May 1705 GE
- -7 Jul 1708 GE
- -9 Oct 1710 GE
- -- --- 1713 GE
- 24 Jan 1715 GE
- 27 Mar 1722 GE (1)
- -3 Dec 1722 BE
|
- 15 Aug 1727 GE
- 22 Apr 1734 GE
- -8 May 1741 GE (1)
- 31 Dec 1741 BE
- -1 Jul 1747 GE
- 15 May 1750 BE
- 16 Jan 1753 BE
- 20 Apr 1754 GE
- 25 Mar 1761 GE
- 27 Apr 1762 BE
- 15 Mar 1763 BE
- 16 Mar 1768 GE
- 30 Apr 1770 BE
- 26 Oct 1774 GE
- 17 Dec 1776 BE
- 20 Apr 1779 BE
- 10 Oct 1780 GE
- -3 Apr 1782 BE
- 12 Jun 1782 BE
- -7 Apr 1783 BE
- 17 May 1784 GE
- -4 Aug 1788 BE
|
- -2 Jul 1790 GE
- 13 Jun 1796 GE
- 15 Jul 1802 GE
- 13 Feb 1806 BE
- -7 Oct 1806 BE
- 19 Nov 1806 GE
- 23 May 1807 GE
- -8 Oct 1812 GE
- -5 Jul 1814 (2)
- 16 Jul 1814 BE
- -4 Jul 1818 GE
- -3 Mar 1819 BE
- 25 Mar 1820 GE
- -- --- 1826 GE
- -- --- 1830 GE
- -- --- 1831 GE
- -- Feb 1832 BE
- -- --- 1832 GE
- -4 Apr 1833 BE
- 11 May 1833 BE
- -- --- 1835 GE
- 12 May 1837 BE
- 27 Jul 1837 GE
|
- -1 Jul 1841 GE
- 19 Feb 1846 BE
- 30 Jul 1847 GE
- -9 Jul 1852 GE
- -- --- 1857 GE
- -- --- 1859 GE
- 12 Jul 1865 GE
- 18 Nov 1868 GE
- -7 Feb 1874 GE
- 11 Aug 1877 BE
- -- --- 1880 GE
- 10 Feb 1882 BE
- 29 Jun 1885 BE
- 26 Nov 1885 GE
- -- --- 1886 GE
- -- --- 1892 GE
- -- --- 1895 GE
- -- --- 1900 GE
- -- --- 1906 GE
- -- Jan 1910 GE
- -- Dec 1910 GE
|
Notes:
- (1) Election declared void
- (2) Date of expulsion from the House of Lord Cochrane
Election results (Parliament of England) 1660–1690
- Note (1661): Vote totals unavailable
- Note (February 1679): Vote totals unavailable
- Note (September 1679): Vote totals unavailable
- On petition Wythens was unseated and William Waller seated on 15 November 1680
- Note (1681): Vote totals unavailable
| General election 23 March 1685: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Tory |
Charles Bonython |
Elected |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Michael Arnold |
Elected |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig |
Gilbert Gerard |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig |
William Dolbern |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
| General election 21 January 1689: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
William Pulteney |
Elected |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig |
Philip Howard |
Elected |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Roger Langley |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Charles Bonython |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Radical |
Philip Matthews |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Walter Clarges |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Radical |
James Dewey |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
- Note (1689): Vote totals unavailable. Matthews and Dewey are described by Henning as radical candidates, but should not be confused with the followers of John Wilkes in the late eighteenth century or the radicals of the nineteenth century.
Election results (Parliament of Great Britain) 1715–1800
| General election 24 January 1715: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Edward Wortley-Montagu |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Thomas Crosse |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
- Robert Molesworth (W) was proposed but withdrew before the poll.
- Election declared void 6 November 1722.
- Clayton created an Irish peer as 1st Baron Sundon 2 June 1735
- Election declared void 22 December 1741.
| By-Election 31 December 1741: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Tory |
John Perceval |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Charles Edwin |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
- Trentham appointed a Lord of the Admiralty
| By-Election 15 May 1750: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Granville Leveson-Gower |
4,811 |
50.8 |
+8.5 |
|
Tory |
George Vandeput |
4,654 |
49.2 |
+49.2 |
| Majority |
157 |
1.6 |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- After a scrutiny the member returned was unchanged and vote totals were amended to Trentham 4,103; Vandeput 3,933.
- Death of Warren 29 July 1752
| By-Election 16 January 1753: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Edward Cornwallis |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Death of Pulteney 11 February 1763
- Lord Warkworth became known by the courtesy title of Earl Percy from 1766, when his father was advanced in the peerage from Earl to Duke of Northumberland
- Succession of Sandys as 2nd Baron Sandys 21 April 1770
- Succession of Percy to his mother's title, as 3rd Baron Percy on 5 December 1776
- Succession of Petersham as 3rd Earl of Harrington 1 April 1779
- Pelham-Clinton was known by the courtesy title of Earl of Lincoln, following the death of his brother in 1779
| By-Election 3 April 1782: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Charles James Fox |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Creation of Rodney as 1st Baron Rodney 19 June 1782
| By-Election 12 June 1782: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Cecil Wray |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
| By-Election 7 April 1783: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Charles James Fox |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Note (1784): Poll 40 days; 12,301 voted. After a scrutiny the members returned were unchanged and vote totals were amended to the figures as above. Original votes Hood 6,694; Fox 6,234; Wray 5,998. (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Hood and Fox were declared elected 4 March 1785
- Appointment of Hood as a Commissioner of the Admiralty 16 July 1788
| By-Election 4 August 1788: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
John Townshend |
6,392 |
53.4 |
+53.4 |
|
Tory |
Samuel Hood |
5,569 |
46.6 |
+11.2 |
| Majority |
823 |
6.9 |
N/A |
|
Whig gain from Tory |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Note (1788): Poll 15 days. (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Note (1790): Poll 15 days. Mr Tooke proposed himself. (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Expulsion of Fox from the Privy Council 9 May 1798
- Creation of Gardner as an Irish peer, 1st Baron Gardner 29 December 1800
Election results (Parliament of the United Kingdom)
| General election 15 July 1802: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Charles James Fox |
2,671 |
39.3 |
-1.0 |
|
Tory |
Alan Gardner |
2,431 |
35.8 |
-1.9 |
|
Radical |
John Graham (Westminster candidate) |
1,693 |
24.9 |
New |
| Majority |
4,124 |
10.9 |
|
| Turnout |
6,795 |
|
|
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
|
|
|
Tory hold |
Swing |
|
|
| By-Election 13 February 1806: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Charles James Fox |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Death of Fox 13 September 1806
| By-Election 7 October 1806: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Hugh Percy |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
| General election 19 November 1806: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Tory |
Samuel Hood |
5,478 |
37.2 |
+1.4 |
|
Whig |
Richard Brinsley Sheridan |
4,758 |
32.3 |
-7.0 |
|
Radical |
James Paull |
4,481 |
30.5 |
+5.5 |
| Majority |
277 |
1.8 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
14,717 |
|
|
|
Tory hold |
Swing |
|
|
|
Whig gain from Radicals |
Swing |
|
|
- Note (1806): Poll 15 days; 10,277 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
| General election 23 May 1807: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Francis Burdett |
5,134 |
37.0 |
+37.0 |
|
Whig |
Thomas Cochrane |
3,708 |
26.8 |
+26.8 |
|
Whig |
Richard Brinsley Sheridan |
2,615 |
18.9 |
-13.5 |
|
Tory |
John Elliot (Westminster candidate) |
2,137 |
15.4 |
-21.8 |
|
Radical |
James Paull |
269 |
1.9 |
-28.5 |
| Majority |
93 |
11.4 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
13,594 |
|
|
|
Whig gain from Tory |
Swing |
|
|
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
|
|
- Note (1807): Poll 15 days; 8,622 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
| General election 8 October 1812: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Francis Burdett |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig |
Thomas Cochrane |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
- Expulsion of Cochrane from the House of Commons, after being convicted of conspiracy, 5 July 1814
| By-Election 16 July 1814: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Thomas Cochrane |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
| General election 4 July 1818: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Samuel Romilly |
5,339 |
34.3 |
N/A |
|
Whig |
Francis Burdett |
5,238 |
33.7 |
N/A |
|
Tory |
Murray Maxwell |
4,808 |
30.9 |
New |
|
Radical |
Henry Hunt |
84 |
0.5 |
New |
|
Whig |
Douglas Kinnaird |
65 |
0.4 |
N/A |
|
Radical |
John Cartwright |
23 |
0.2 |
New |
| Majority |
430 |
2.8 |
-8.6 |
| Turnout |
15,557 |
|
|
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
|
|
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
|
|
- Note (1818): Poll 15 days; 10,277 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Death of Romilly 2 November 1818
| By-Election 3 March 1819: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Tory |
George Lamb |
4,465 |
53.38 |
+22.47 |
|
Whig |
John Hobhouse |
3,861 |
46.2 |
+46.2 |
|
Radical |
John Cartwright |
38 |
0.5 |
+0.3 |
| Majority |
604 |
7.2 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
8,364 |
|
|
|
Tory gain from Whig |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Note (1819): Poll 15 days. (Source: Stooks Smith)
| General election 25 March 1820: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Francis Burdett |
5,327 |
36.4 |
+2.7 |
|
Whig |
John Hobhouse |
4,882 |
33.3 |
+33.3 |
|
Tory |
George Lamb |
4,436 |
30.3 |
-0.6 |
| Majority |
446 |
3.0 |
+0.2 |
| Turnout |
14,645 |
|
|
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
|
|
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
|
|
- Note (1820): Poll 15 days; 9,280 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
| General election 1826: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
Francis Burdett |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Whig |
John Hobhouse |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
| General election 1830: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radicals |
Francis Burdett |
Unopposed |
|
Radicals |
John Hobhouse |
Unopposed |
|
Radicals hold |
|
Radicals hold |
| General election 1831: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radicals |
Francis Burdett |
Unopposed |
|
Radicals |
John Hobhouse |
Unopposed |
|
Radicals hold |
|
Radicals hold |
| By-election, February 1832: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radicals |
John Hobhouse |
Unopposed |
|
Radicals hold |
| General election 1832: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radical |
Francis Burdett |
3,248 |
43.1 |
N/A |
|
Radical |
John Hobhouse |
3,214 |
42.6 |
N/A |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
1,076 |
14.3 |
N/A |
| Majority |
2,138 |
28.3 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
4,453 |
38.5 |
N/A |
| Registered electors |
11,576 |
|
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
| By-election, 4 April 1833: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radicals |
John Hobhouse |
Unopposed |
|
Radicals hold |
- Resignation of Hobhouse, by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, after he left the Ministry in opposition to the House and Window taxes.
| By-election, 11 May 1833: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
2,027 |
44.1 |
+29.8 |
|
Radical |
John Hobhouse |
1,835 |
39.9 |
−2.7 |
|
Tory |
Bickham Escott |
738 |
16.0 |
New |
| Majority |
1,097 |
23.8 |
-4.5 |
| Turnout |
4,600 |
39.7 |
+1.2 |
| Registered electors |
11,576 |
|
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
| General election 1835: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radical |
Francis Burdett |
2,747 |
40.0 |
−3.1 |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
2,588 |
37.7 |
+23.4 |
|
Conservative |
Thomas John Cochrane |
1,528 |
22.3 |
N/A |
| Majority |
1,060 |
15.4 |
-12.9 |
| Turnout |
4,254 |
32.1 |
−6.4 |
| Registered electors |
13,268 |
|
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Resignation of Burdett to seek re-election on changing parties.
| By-election, 12 May 1837: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Francis Burdett |
3,567 |
53.9 |
+31.6 |
|
Radical |
John Temple Leader |
3,052 |
46.1 |
−31.6 |
| Majority |
515 |
7.8 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
6,619 |
43.4 |
+11.3 |
| Registered electors |
15,262 |
|
|
|
Conservative gain from Radicals |
Swing |
+31.6 |
|
| General election 27 July 1837: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radical |
John Temple Leader |
3,793 |
37.5 |
−2.5 |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
3,715 |
36.7 |
−1.0 |
|
Conservative |
George Murray |
2,620 |
25.9 |
+3.6 |
| Majority |
1,095 |
10.8 |
−4.6 |
| Turnout |
6,350 |
41.6 |
+9.5 |
| Registered electors |
15,262 |
|
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
−2.2 |
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
−1.4 |
|
| General election 1 July 1841: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Henry John Rous |
3,338 |
33.8 |
+7.9 |
|
Radical |
John Temple Leader |
3,281 |
33.2 |
−4.3 |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
3,258 |
33.0 |
−3.7 |
| Majority |
57 |
0.6 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
6,596 |
47.9 |
+6.3 |
| Registered electors |
13,767 |
|
|
|
Conservative gain from Radicals |
Swing |
+7.9 |
|
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
−4.1 |
|
- Appointment of Rous as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty
| By-election, 19 February 1846: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
3,843 |
56.9 |
−10.7 |
|
Conservative |
Henry John Rous |
2,906 |
43.1 |
+10.6 |
| Majority |
937 |
13.8 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
6,749 |
45.6 |
−2.3 |
| Registered electors |
14,801 |
|
|
|
Radicals gain from Conservative |
Swing |
−10.7 |
|
- Note (1847): 14,125 registered (Craig's figure above used for the turnout calculation); 7,185 voted. Evans was classified as a Radical, Lushington and Cochrane as Whigs and Rous as a Tory. (Source: Stooks Smith)
| General election 9 July 1852: Westminster (2 seats) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Whig |
John Shelley |
4,199 |
32.2 |
−20.3 |
|
Radical |
De Lacy Evans |
3,756 |
28.8 |
−0.3 |
|
Conservative |
William Montagu |
3,373 |
25.9 |
+7.5 |
|
Radical |
William Coningham |
1,716 |
13.2 |
N/A |
| Turnout |
6,522 (est) |
43.8 (est) |
−5.5 |
| Registered electors |
14,883 |
|
|
| Majority |
443 |
3.4 |
−4.5 |
|
Whig hold |
Swing |
−10.0 |
|
| Majority |
383 |
2.9 |
— |
|
Radicals hold |
Swing |
−3.9 |
|
- William Henry Smith described himself as a 'Liberal-Conservative' in support of Liberal prime minister Lord Palmerston.
- Appointment of Smith as First Lord of the Admiralty
| By-Election 10 February 1882: Westminster |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Algernon Percy |
Unopposed |
|
Conservative hold |
- Constituency reduced to one seat and boundaries changed in the redistribution of 1885
Election results 1885–1918
Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
See also
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