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Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

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Type: House of Commons
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EP constituency: [[{{{EP}}} (European Parliament constituency)|{{{EP}}}]]

Huntingdonshire was a Parliamentary constituency covering the county of Huntingdonshire in England. It was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then in the House of Commons the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.

It was reconstituted as a single-member seat in 1918 and abolished once again in 1983.

History

Huntingdonshire returned two Knights of the Shire from 1290 to 1885 (apart from 1654 to 1659, when it returned three); when elections were contested, the bloc vote system was used.

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, it was divided between the two single-seat county divisions of Huntingdon and Ramsey, with effect from the 1885 general election.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, Huntingdon and Ramsey were re-united and the constituency was reconstituted, returning a single Member of Parliament (MP). Subject to boundary changes for the 1983 general election, the constituency was succeeded by the re-established constituency of Huntingdon. Its MP at the time, John Major, continued to represent it.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1918–1974

  • The administrative county of Huntingdonshire.

1974–1983

In 1965 Huntingdonshire was merged into the new administrative county of Huntingdon and Peterborough and in the next redistribution of parliamentary seats, which took effect for the February 1974 general election, the constituency was defined as comprising:

  • The Municipal Boroughs of Huntingdon and Godmanchester, and St Ives:
  • The Urban Districts of Old Fletton, Ramsey, and St Neots; and
  • The Rural Districts of Huntingdon, Norman Cross, St Ives, and St Neots.

Eaton Socon in Bedfordshire had been absorbed by the Urban District of St Neots and was transferred from the County Constituency of Mid Bedfordshire.  There were other marginal adjustments due to changes in county borders.

As a result of the Local Government Act 1972, the two counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, and Huntingdon and Peterborough were merged to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. However, the next redistribution did not come into effect until the 1983 general election, when the majority of the constituency, including Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Ramsey and St Ives, formed the bulk of the re-established onstituency of Huntingdon. Areas to the south of the River Nene, including Fletton and the Ortons, which were now part of the expanded City of Peterborough, were transferred to Peterborough, and southernmost areas, including St Neots, were transferred to the new constituency of South West Cambridgeshire.

Members of Parliament

  • Constituency created (1290)

1290–1660

Parliament First member Second member Third Member (1654 & 1656 only)
1302 Sir John Swinford
1305
1306
1318
1319
1377 John Herlyngton
1384
1385 Sir Nicholas Stukeley Sir William Papworth
1386 Sir William Moigne Robert Lovetot
1388 (Feb) Robert Waryn Richard Botiller
1388 (Sep) John Herlyngton
1390 (Jan) Sir William Moigne Sir Henry Green
1390 (Nov) Robert Waryn
1391 Robert Lovetot
1393 Sir John Peckbridge Sir Robert Stokes
1394 John Herlyngton John Waweton
1395
1397 (Jan) John Stukeley Sir Thomas Waweton
1397 (Sep) John Knyvet
1399 John Herlyngton Robert Beville
1401 Robert Scott Sir Thomas Waweton
1402
1404 (Jan) Sir John Tiptoft
1404 (Oct)
1406 John Botiller
1407 Roger Hunt John Burton
1410
1411 Nicholas Stukeley Robert Scott
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) Roger Hunt Thomas Beville
1414 (Apr) John Botiller
1414 (Nov) Nicholas Stukeley Sir Thomas Waweton
1415 Thomas Beville
1416 (Mar) Henry Waryn
1416 (Oct) Sir Nicholas Stukeley John Hore
1417 Roger Hunt Thomas Beville
1419 Robert Scott
1420 Sir Nicholas Stukeley Sir Thomas Waweton
1421 (May) Roger Hunt
1421 (Dec) Robert Stonham Henry Hethe
1422 Sir Thomas Waweton
1422 Roger Hunt
1423
1425 Robert Scott
1426
1427
1429 ?Robert Stonham
1431
1432 Robert Stonham
1433
1439 Robert Stonham
1442
1445
1447
1449 Thomas Tresham
1449 (Nov) Robert Stonham
1450
1453
1472 John Sapcote
1510 John Wynde John Taylard
1512
1515
1523
1529 Nicholas Harvey Lawrence Taylard
1536
1539 Richard Cromwell alias Williams Oliver Leder
1542 (Sir) Richard Cromwell alias Williams Robert ap Rice
1545
1547 Sir John Baker Robert ap Rice
1553 (Mar)  ? Thomas Audley
1553 (Oct) (Sir) Lawrence Taylard Oliver Leder
1554 (Apr) Sir Robert Tyrwhitt Thomas Cotton
1554 (Nov) William Lawrence Henry Mannock
1555 Thomas Maria Wingfield William Mallory
1558 Thomas Cotton William Lawrence
1559 (Jan) Sir Robert Tyrwhitt Simon Throckmorton
1562–1563 Henry Cromwell alias Williams Richard Dorrington
1571 Sir Henry Darcy
1572 (Apr) Richard Dorrington, died
and replaced 1576 by
Sir Henry Darcy
Francis Cromwell alias Williams
1584 (Nov) Sir Robert Bevill John Dorrington
1586 Edward Wingfield George Walton
1588 (Oct) Oliver Cromwell
1593
1597 (Oct) Sir Gervase Clifton
1601 (Oct)
1604 Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington Sir Oliver Cromwell
1614 Sir Robert Payne
1621–1622 Robert Bevill Sir Robert Payne
1624 Edward Montagu Sir Oliver Cromwell
1625
1626 Sir Robert Payne
1628 Sir Robert Payne Sir Capel Bedel
1629–1640 No Parliaments convened
Apr 1640 Thomas Cotton Sir Capel Bedel
Nov 1640 Sir Sidney Montagu, disabled 1642
replaced by Edward Montagu October 1645
Valentine Walton
1653 Edward Montagu Stephen Pheasant
1654 Henry Cromwell Stephen Pheasant
1656 Nicholas Pedley
1659 Henry Cromwell Nicholas Pedley
1659 Edward Montagu Valentine Walton

MPs 1660–1885

Year First member First party Second member Second party
1660 Viscount Mandeville Henry Cromwell
February 1673 Sir Nicholas Pedley
November 1673 Robert Apreece
February 1679 Hon. Ralph Montagu
August 1679 Sir Thomas Proby, Bt Silius Titus
1685 Sir John Cotton, Bt Sir Lionel Walden
1689 Robert Montagu Sir Robert Bernard, Bt
1690 John Dryden
1693 John Proby
1695 Heneage Montagu Anthony Hammond
June 1698 Robert Apreece
July 1698 John Proby Robert Throckmorton
1699 John Dryden
1702 William Naylor
1705 John Pocklington
1708 John Proby
1710 Sir John Cotton, Bt
1713 Sir Matthew Dudley, Bt Whig Robert Pigott Whig
1715 John Bigg
April 1722 Viscount Hinchingbrooke
October 1722 John Proby
1727 Marquess of Hartington Whig
1730 Robert Pigott
1734 Lord Robert Montagu
1739 Charles Clarke
1741 William Mitchell Coulson Fellowes
1745 William Montagu
1747 Edward Wortley-Montagu
1754 The Lord Carysfort
1761 Viscount Mandeville
1762 Lord Charles Montagu
1765 Robert Bernard
1768 Viscount Hinchingbrooke Tory The Earl Ludlow
1792 Lancelot Brown
1794 Viscount Hinchingbrooke
1796 Lord Frederick Montagu
1806 Lord Proby
1807 William Henry Fellowes Tory
1814 Lord Proby
1818 Lord Frederick Montagu Tory
1820 Lord John Russell Whig
1826 Viscount Mandeville Tory
1830 Lord Strathavon Tory
1831 John Bonfoy Rooper Whig
1834 Conservative
1837 Edward Fellowes Conservative George Thornhill Conservative
1852 Viscount Mandeville Conservative
1855 James Rust
1857 John Heathcoate Whig
1859 Lord Robert Montagu
1874 Sir Henry Pelly, 3rd Baronet
1877 Viscount Mandeville
1880 William Fellowes Conservative Lord Douglas Gordon Liberal
1885 constituency abolished, Huntingdon and Ramsey from 1885

MPs 1918–1983

Year Member Party
Huntingdon and Ramsey prior to 1918
1918 Oliver Locker-Lampson Conservative
1922 Charles Murchison
1923 Leonard Costello Liberal
1924 Sir Charles Murchison Conservative
1929 Sidney Peters Liberal
1931 National Liberal
1945 David Renton Liberal National
1950 National Liberal and Conservative
1964 Conservative and National Liberal
1970 Conservative
1979 John Major
1983 constituency abolished, Huntingdon and parts of Peterborough and SW Cambs from 1983

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory George Montagu 1,068 37.3
Tory Charles Gordon 990 34.6
Whig John Bonfoy Rooper 804 28.1
Majority 186 6.5
Turnout c. 1,431 c. 75.3
Registered electors c. 1,900
Tory hold Swing
Tory hold Swing
General election 1831: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Bonfoy Rooper 841 37.8 +9.7
Tory George Montagu 812 36.5 −0.8
Whig Charles Gordon 573 25.7 −8.9
Turnout c. 1,113 c. 58.6 c. −16.7
Registered electors c. 1,900
Majority 29 1.3 N/A
Whig gain from Tory Swing +5.1
Majority 239 10.8 +4.3
Tory hold Swing −0.8
General election 1832: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig John Bonfoy Rooper Unopposed
Tory George Montagu Unopposed
Registered electors 2,647
Whig hold
Tory hold
General election 1835: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig John Bonfoy Rooper Unopposed
Conservative George Montagu Unopposed
Registered electors 2,653
Whig hold
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Edward Fellowes 1,392 37.5
Conservative George Thornhill 1,332 35.9
Whig John Bonfoy Rooper 990 26.7
Majority 342 9.2
Turnout 2,284 81.4
Registered electors 2,805
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes Unopposed
Conservative George Thornhill Unopposed
Registered electors 3,054
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes Unopposed
Conservative George Thornhill Unopposed
Registered electors 3,074
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

Thornhill's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 11 June 1852: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Montagu Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes Unopposed
Conservative William Montagu Unopposed
Registered electors 2,852
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Montagu succeeded to the peerage, becoming 7th Duke of Manchester and causing a by-election.

By-election, 23 October 1855: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Rust Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Rust 1,192 35.0 N/A
Conservative Edward Fellowes 1,106 32.5 N/A
Whig John Heathcote 1,106 32.5 New
Majority 0 0.0 N/A
Turnout 2,255 (est) 77.3 (est) N/A
Registered electors 2,918
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Whig win

Securing the same number of votes, both Fellowes and Heathcote were returned alongside Rust as Members of Parliament. However, after scrutiny, Rust and Fellowes lost one vote, while Heathcote lost two, causing Heathcote to be declared unduly elected on 31 July 1857.

General election 1859: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes 1,404 37.1 +4.6
Conservative Robert Montagu 1,314 34.7 −0.3
Liberal John Heathcote 1,068 28.2 −4.3
Majority 246 6.5 +6.5
Turnout 2,427 (est) 80.3 (est) +3.0
Registered electors 3,024
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.9

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes Unopposed
Conservative Robert Montagu Unopposed
Registered electors 2,999
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Montagu's appointment as Vice-President of the Committee of the Council on Education required a by-election.

1867 Huntingdonshire by-election(1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Montagu Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes Unopposed
Conservative Robert Montagu Unopposed
Registered electors 3,748
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Fellowes 1,648 38.1 N/A
Conservative Henry Pelly 1,482 34.3 N/A
Liberal Douglas Gordon 1,192 27.6 New
Majority 290 6.7 N/A
Turnout 2,757 (est) 76.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 3,592
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Pelly's death caused a by-election.

1877 Huntingdonshire by-election (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Montagu 1,468 51.0 −21.4
Liberal Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam 1,410 49.0 +21.4
Majority 58 2.0 −4.7
Turnout 2,878 76.8 0.0
Registered electors 3,748
Conservative hold Swing −21.4

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Huntingdonshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Fellowes 1,786 35.7 −2.4
Liberal Douglas Gordon 1,617 32.3 +4.7
Conservative George Montagu 1,596 31.9 −2.4
Turnout 3,403 (est) 86.0 (est) +9.2
Registered electors 3,955
Majority 169 3.4 −3.3
Conservative hold Swing −2.4
Majority 21 0.4 N/A
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing −2.4

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Oliver Locker-Lampson 10,760 62.6
Liberal Robert Christopher Grey 6,416 37.4
Majority 4,344 25.2
Turnout 17,176 62.8
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

Lina Scott Gatty
Lina Scott Gatty
General election 1922: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Murchison 10,079 50.7 −11.9
Liberal Lina Scott Gatty 5,123 25.7 −11.7
Labour Dermot Freyer 4,697 23.6 New
Majority 4,956 25.0 −0.2
Turnout 19,899 70.7 +7.9
Unionist hold Swing −0.1
1922 Leonard Costello
Leonard Costello
General election 1923: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leonard Costello 10,465 52.7 +27.0
Unionist Charles Murchison 9,404 47.3 −3.4
Majority 1,061 5.4 N/A
Turnout 19,869 69.6 −1.1
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +15.2
General election 1924: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Murchison 12,827 56.9 +9.6
Liberal Leonard Costello 9,703 43.1 −9.6
Majority 3,124 13.8 N/A
Turnout 22,530 77.8 +8.2
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +9.6
General election 1929: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sidney Peters 12,889 45.6 +2.5
Unionist Charles Murchison 11,935 42.1 −14.8
Labour C S Giddins 3,493 12.3 New
Majority 954 3.5 N/A
Turnout 28,317 77.2 −0.6
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +8.7

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Sidney Peters 23,102 83.3 +37.7
Labour Maurice Orbach 4,624 16.7 +4.4
Majority 18,478 66.6 +63.1
Turnout 27,726 74.2 −3.0
National Liberal Party hold Swing +16.7
General election 1935: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Sidney Peters 17,287 68.7 −14.6
Labour James Lievsley George 7,861 31.3 +14.6
Majority 9,426 37.4 −29.2
Turnout 25,148 66.2 −8.0
National Liberal Party hold Swing −14.6

General Election 1939–40

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

  • Liberal National: Sidney Peters
  • Labour: James Lunnon

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 15,389 50.1 −18.6
Labour W A Waters 9,458 30.8 −0.5
Liberal Henry Walston 5,869 19.1 New
Majority 5,931 19.3 −18.1
Turnout 30,716 65.7 −0.5
National Liberal Party hold Swing −9.1

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 18,551 51.4 +1.3
Labour Francis Robert Macdonald 13,096 36.3 +5.5
Liberal William George F Thompson 4,442 12.3 −6.8
Majority 5,455 15.1 −4.2
Turnout 36,089 82.6 +16.9
National Liberal and Conservative hold Swing −2.1
General election 1951: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 20,845 57.4 +6.0
Labour Francis Robert Macdonald 15,487 42.6 +6.3
Majority 5,358 14.8 −0.3
Turnout 36,332 80.8 −1.8
National Liberal and Conservative hold Swing −0.2
General election 1955: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 20,609 58.4 +1.0
Labour John Albert Franks 14,670 41.6 −1.0
Majority 5,939 16.8 +2.0
Turnout 35,279 77.1 −3.7
National Liberal and Conservative hold Swing +1.0
General election 1959: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 20,254 53.9 −4.5
Labour John Wilson Fear 11,983 31.8 −9.8
Liberal Richard Edward Walter Vanderplank 5,389 14.3 New
Majority 8,271 22.1 +5.3
Turnout 37,626 80.4 +3.3
National Liberal and Conservative hold Swing +2.7

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 20,320 51.1 −2.8
Labour Leslie J Potter 12,456 31.3 −0.5
Liberal Peter G H Thorold 6,992 17.6 +3.3
Majority 7,864 19.8 −2.3
Turnout 39,768 78.8 −1.6
Conservative and National Liberal hold Swing −1.2
General election 1966: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal David Renton 20,504 49.1 −2.0
Labour Martin Lawn 15,276 36.7 +5.4
Liberal David Ralph Antony Spreckley 5,900 14.2 −3.4
Majority 5,228 12.4 −7.4
Turnout 41,680 77.6 −1.2
Conservative and National Liberal hold Swing −3.7

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Renton 27,398 54.7 +5.6
Labour James P P Curran 17,588 35.1 −1.6
Liberal Michael Wilfrid B O'Loughlin 5,082 10.2 −4.0
Majority 9,810 19.6 +7.2
Turnout 50,068 75.3 −2.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General election February 1974: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Renton 29,042 44.6 −10.1
Liberal Dennis Graham Rowe 19,040 29.2 +19.0
Labour Paul Andrew Ormerod 17,066 26.2 −8.9
Majority 10,002 15.4 −4.2
Turnout 65,148 82.4 +7.1
Conservative hold Swing −14.6
General election October 1974: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Renton 26,989 45.1 +0.5
Labour Alan G Dowson 17,745 29.6 +3.4
Liberal Dennis Graham Rowe 15,152 25.3 −3.9
Majority 9,244 15.5 +0.1
Turnout 59,886 75.1 −7.3
Conservative hold Swing −2.9
General election 1979: Huntingdonshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Major 40,193 55.3 +10.2
Labour Julian G H Fulbrook 18,630 25.7 −3.9
Liberal Dennis Graham Rowe 12,812 17.6 −7.7
National Front K T Robinson 983 1.4 New
Majority 21,563 29.6 +14.1
Turnout 72.618 77.4 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing +7.1

See also

  • Parliamentary representation from Huntingdonshire
  • List of former United Kingdom Parliament constituencies
  • Unreformed House of Commons

Sources

  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 4)
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