Beaumaris (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Beaumaris was a parliamentary borough
in Anglesey
, which returned one Member of Parliament
(MP) to the House of Commons
of the Parliament of England
from 1553, then to the Parliament of Great Britain
from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom
from 1801 to 1885, when the constituency was abolished. After 1832, the constituency was usually known as the Beaumaris District of Boroughs or simply the Beaumaris Boroughs.
, the Act of Union 1536 provided Anglesey with two members of parliament, one representing the county and the other representing a borough constituency named after the county town but including other "contributory boroughs" who were jointly responsible for providing for the upkeep of the MP and, in return, were granted a say in his election. However, at this period two towns, Beaumaris and Newborough
, were disputing the right to be considered Anglesey's county town: under Henry VIII
, Newborough was the assize town, but early in the reign of Edward VI
(1547-1553) this function was transferred to Beaumaris. The new constituency was designated as Beaumaris, with Newborough as its only contributory borough, and first returned an MP in 1542; but at the same time as the assize was transferred, Newborough was also relieved of the obligation to contribute to the wages of the MP for Beaumaris which, under the terms of the relevant statute, also extinguished its right to vote in his election. Porritt, the early 20th century expert on the history of the Unreformed House of Commons
, concludes that "the probability is that Newborough broke the connection in a fit of ill-humour" rather than that it was contrived by Beaumaris; but within a few decades, as the desirability of being directly represented in Parliament became more widely recognised, Newborough was trying unsuccessfully to regain its former status. On several occasions until the early 18th century, Newborough's inhabitants attempted to vote, but had their votes refused by the returning officer
and his decision was upheld by Parliament whenever they petitioned in objection.
The franchise was further restricted in 1562, when Elizabeth I
granted Beaumaris a new municipal charter, which reserved the right to vote in parliamentary elections to members of the town corporation. Thereafter until 1832, Beaumaris was a closed "corporation borough" of a type common in England but unknown elsewhere in Wales; its only voters were the mayor, two bailiffs and 21 "capital burgesses", and since they had the sole right to fill any vacancies arising in their number their power was entirely self-perpetuating, making the constituency a completely safe pocket borough. For the best part of two centuries before the Great Reform Act of 1832, the nomination was in the hands of the Bulkeley family
of Baron Hill
, and the elections were never contested.
By 1831, the borough of Beaumaris had a population of 2,497 (though, still, only 24 voters). The Reform Act extended the franchise, and also added three contributory boroughs - Amlwch
, Holyhead
and Llangefni
. This raised the population of the revised Beaumaris Boroughs constituency to 8,547, though the number of qualified voters on the register in 1832 was only 329. This was still in practice a pocket borough, and the first contested election did not take place until the further extension of the franchise by the Second Reform Act, which brought the electorate up to almost 2,000 in the elections from 1868.
The constituency was abolished in the redistribution of seats in 1885
, being merged into the Anglesey county constituency.
Notes
Parliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
in Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, which returned one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
from 1553, then to the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from 1801 to 1885, when the constituency was abolished. After 1832, the constituency was usually known as the Beaumaris District of Boroughs or simply the Beaumaris Boroughs.
History
As elsewhere in WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the Act of Union 1536 provided Anglesey with two members of parliament, one representing the county and the other representing a borough constituency named after the county town but including other "contributory boroughs" who were jointly responsible for providing for the upkeep of the MP and, in return, were granted a say in his election. However, at this period two towns, Beaumaris and Newborough
Newborough, Anglesey
Newborough is a village in the south-western corner of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales; it is in the community of Rhosyr, which has a population of 2,169.-History:Newborough was a commotal centre of medieval Anglesey...
, were disputing the right to be considered Anglesey's county town: under Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, Newborough was the assize town, but early in the reign of Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
(1547-1553) this function was transferred to Beaumaris. The new constituency was designated as Beaumaris, with Newborough as its only contributory borough, and first returned an MP in 1542; but at the same time as the assize was transferred, Newborough was also relieved of the obligation to contribute to the wages of the MP for Beaumaris which, under the terms of the relevant statute, also extinguished its right to vote in his election. Porritt, the early 20th century expert on the history of the Unreformed House of Commons
Unreformed House of Commons
The unreformed House of Commons is the name generally given to the British House of Commons as it existed before the Reform Act 1832.Until the Act of Union of 1707 joining the Kingdoms of Scotland and England , Scotland had its own Parliament, and the term refers to the House of Commons of England...
, concludes that "the probability is that Newborough broke the connection in a fit of ill-humour" rather than that it was contrived by Beaumaris; but within a few decades, as the desirability of being directly represented in Parliament became more widely recognised, Newborough was trying unsuccessfully to regain its former status. On several occasions until the early 18th century, Newborough's inhabitants attempted to vote, but had their votes refused by the returning officer
Returning Officer
In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.-Australia:In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a State Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office...
and his decision was upheld by Parliament whenever they petitioned in objection.
The franchise was further restricted in 1562, when Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
granted Beaumaris a new municipal charter, which reserved the right to vote in parliamentary elections to members of the town corporation. Thereafter until 1832, Beaumaris was a closed "corporation borough" of a type common in England but unknown elsewhere in Wales; its only voters were the mayor, two bailiffs and 21 "capital burgesses", and since they had the sole right to fill any vacancies arising in their number their power was entirely self-perpetuating, making the constituency a completely safe pocket borough. For the best part of two centuries before the Great Reform Act of 1832, the nomination was in the hands of the Bulkeley family
Viscount Bulkeley
Viscount Bulkeley, of Cashel in the County of Tipperary, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 19 January 1644 for Thomas Bulkeley, the son of Sir Richard Bulkeley of Beaumaris and a supporter of King Charles I of England. The title descended from father to son until the death of...
of Baron Hill
Baron Hill (house)
Baron Hill is an estate in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales, named after the hill on which it stands. It was established in 1618, in preparation for Prince Henry of Wales's progress to Ireland, by Sir Richard Bulkeley as the family seat of the influential Bulkeley family.During the English Civil War,...
, and the elections were never contested.
By 1831, the borough of Beaumaris had a population of 2,497 (though, still, only 24 voters). The Reform Act extended the franchise, and also added three contributory boroughs - Amlwch
Amlwch
Amlwch is the most northerly town in Wales. It is situated on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey, on the A5025 which connects it to Holyhead and to Menai Bridge. The town has no beach, but it has impressive coastal cliffs. Tourism is an important element of the local economy. At one time it...
, Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
and Llangefni
Llangefni
Llangefni is the county town of Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llangefni was 4,662 people and it is the second largest settlement on the island...
. This raised the population of the revised Beaumaris Boroughs constituency to 8,547, though the number of qualified voters on the register in 1832 was only 329. This was still in practice a pocket borough, and the first contested election did not take place until the further extension of the franchise by the Second Reform Act, which brought the electorate up to almost 2,000 in the elections from 1868.
The constituency was abolished in the redistribution of seats in 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, being merged into the Anglesey county constituency.
Members for Newborough
| Parliament | Member |
|---|---|
| 1541 | Richard ap Rhydderch, of Myfyrion |
| 1545 | Owen ap Hugh |
| 1547 | John ap Robert Lloid |
Members for Beaumaris
| Parliament | Member |
|---|---|
| 1553 (Mar) | Maurice Griffith |
| 1553 (Sep) | Rowland Bulkeley |
| 1554 (Nov) | William Bulkeley II? Goodman? (name damaged) |
| 1555 | Hugh Goodman |
| 1558–1567 | William Price |
| 1571 | William Bulkeley II |
| 1572 | Rowland Kenrick |
| 1584–1593 | Thomas Bulkeley |
| 1597–1598 | William Jones William Jones (Beaumaris) Sir William Jones was a Welsh judge, and a Member of Parliament for the Welsh Borough of Beaumaris.-Life:From a family settled in North Wales, he was eldest son of William Jones of Castellmarch, Carnarvonshire, by Margaret, daughter of Humphry Wynn ap Meredith of Hyssoilfarch... |
| 1601 | William Maurice |
| 1604 | William Jones William Jones (Beaumaris) Sir William Jones was a Welsh judge, and a Member of Parliament for the Welsh Borough of Beaumaris.-Life:From a family settled in North Wales, he was eldest son of William Jones of Castellmarch, Carnarvonshire, by Margaret, daughter of Humphry Wynn ap Meredith of Hyssoilfarch... |
| 1614 | William Jones William Jones (Beaumaris) Sir William Jones was a Welsh judge, and a Member of Parliament for the Welsh Borough of Beaumaris.-Life:From a family settled in North Wales, he was eldest son of William Jones of Castellmarch, Carnarvonshire, by Margaret, daughter of Humphry Wynn ap Meredith of Hyssoilfarch... |
| 1621-1622 | Sampson Eure Sampson Eure Sir Sampson Eure was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1643. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.Eure was the son of Sir Francis Eure, whose second wife was Ellin Clennenau... |
| 1624 | Charles Jones Charles Jones (MP for Beaumaris) Charles Jones was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1640.Jones was the son of Sir William Jones and his wife Margaret Griffith, daughter of Griffith ap John Griffith of Kevenamulch, Carnarvonshire. His father was a judge and MP. Jones... |
| 1625 | Charles Jones Charles Jones (MP for Beaumaris) Charles Jones was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1640.Jones was the son of Sir William Jones and his wife Margaret Griffith, daughter of Griffith ap John Griffith of Kevenamulch, Carnarvonshire. His father was a judge and MP. Jones... |
| 1626 | Charles Jones Charles Jones (MP for Beaumaris) Charles Jones was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1640.Jones was the son of Sir William Jones and his wife Margaret Griffith, daughter of Griffith ap John Griffith of Kevenamulch, Carnarvonshire. His father was a judge and MP. Jones... |
| 1628 | Charles Jones Charles Jones (MP for Beaumaris) Charles Jones was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1640.Jones was the son of Sir William Jones and his wife Margaret Griffith, daughter of Griffith ap John Griffith of Kevenamulch, Carnarvonshire. His father was a judge and MP. Jones... |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned |
1640-1885
| Year | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1640 (Apr) | Charles Jones Charles Jones (MP for Beaumaris) Charles Jones was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1640.Jones was the son of Sir William Jones and his wife Margaret Griffith, daughter of Griffith ap John Griffith of Kevenamulch, Carnarvonshire. His father was a judge and MP. Jones... |
||
| November 1640 Long Parliament The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and... |
John Griffith John Griffith (MP for Beaumaris) John Griffith was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1642.Griffith was the son of John Griffith , Llyn... |
Royalist | |
| August 1642 | Griffith died - seat vacant | ||
| 1646 | William Jones William Jones (Parliamentarian) William Jones was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1647 and 1648.Jones was the son of Sir William Jones and his wife Margaret Griffith, daughter of Griffith ap John Griffith of Kevenamulch, Carnarvonshire. His father was a judge and MP... |
||
| December 1648 | Jones excluded in Pride's Purge Pride's Purge Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents... - seat vacant |
||
| 1653 | Beaumaris was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament Barebones Parliament Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector... and the First First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House.... and Second Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons... Parliaments of the Protectorate |
||
| January 1659 Third Protectorate Parliament The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons... |
Griffith Bodwrda Griffith Bodwrda Griffith Bodwrda was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1656 and 1660.Bodwrda was the son of Hugh Bodwrda of Bodwrda Carnarvonshire. Before 1646 he was granted the Wine Licence Office which had an income of £300 pa... |
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| May 1659 Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... |
Unrepresented in the restored Rump Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... |
||
| April 1660 | Griffith Bodwrda Griffith Bodwrda Griffith Bodwrda was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1656 and 1660.Bodwrda was the son of Hugh Bodwrda of Bodwrda Carnarvonshire. Before 1646 he was granted the Wine Licence Office which had an income of £300 pa... |
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| April 1661 | Heneage Finch Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of... |
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| July 1661 | John Robinson | ||
| February 1679 | Richard Bulkeley | ||
| August 1679 | Hon. Henry Bulkeley Henry Bulkeley Henry Bulkeley was an English courtier and politician.Henry Bulkeley was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge and admitted at Gray's Inn in 1654... |
Tory | |
| 1689 | William Williams | ||
| 1690 | Thomas Bulkeley | ||
| 1695 | Sir William Williams | ||
| 1698 | Owen Hughes | ||
| January 1701 | Coningsby Williams | ||
| December 1701 | Robert Bulkeley | ||
| 1703 | Coningsby Williams | ||
| 1705 | Hon. Henry Bertie Henry Bertie (proprietor) Henry Bertie , English politician, was the third son of James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon and his wife Eleanora Lee.... |
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| 1727 | Watkin Williams-Wynn | ||
| 1730 | The Viscount Bulkeley | ||
| 1739 | The Viscount Bulkeley | ||
| 1753 | John Owen John Owen (died 1754) John Owen was a Welsh Whig politician.He was appointed High Sheriff of Anglesey for 1725. He was a Member of Parliament for Anglesey 28 May 1741-16 Jul 1747 and Beaumaris 29 Jan 1753 - 22 Apr 1754.... |
Opposition Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1754 | Richard Thelwall Price | ||
| 1768 | Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hugh Williams | ||
| 1780 | Sir George Warren George Warren (MP) Sir George Warren KB , of Poynton Lodge in Cheshire, was a British Member of Parliament.Warren set out initially on an army career, being promoted to Captain in 1756... |
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| 1784 | Hon. Hugh Fortescue Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue was a British peer, the son of Matthew Fortescue, 2nd Baron Fortescue, younger half-brother of an earlier Hugh Fortescue , 1st Baron Fortescue, 14th Baron Clinton and 1st Earl Clinton.He married Hester Grenville , daughter of George Grenville, on 10 May 1782... |
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| 1785 | Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hugh Williams | ||
| 1794 | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1794 to 1840.... |
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| 1796 | The Lord Newborough Thomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough Thomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough , known as Sir Thomas Wynn, 3rd Baronet, from 1773 to 1776, was a British Member of Parliament.Wynn was the son of Sir John Wynn, 2nd Baronet... |
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| 1807 | Sir Edward Pryce Lloyd | ||
| 1812 | Thomas Frankland Lewis | ||
| 1826 | Sir Robert Williams Sir Robert Williams, 9th Baronet Sir Robert Williams, 9th Baronet was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1790 to 1830.Williams was the son of Sir Hugh Williams, 8th Baronet and his wife Emma Rowland.... |
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| 1831 | Sir Richard Bulkeley Williams-Bulkeley Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet Sir Richard Bulkeley Williams-Bulkeley, 10th baronet was an English Whig and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1831 and 1868.... |
Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1832 | Frederick Paget Frederick Paget Colonel Frederick Paget was a British soldier and politician.-Background:Paget was the son of the Honourable Berkeley Paget, sixth son of Henry Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge. His mother was Sophia, daughter of the Hon. William Bucknall... |
Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1847 | Lord George Paget | Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1857 | Hon. William Owen Stanley William Owen Stanley Hon. William Owen Stanley was a British Liberal politician.Stanley was a twin son of John Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley of Alderley, and Lady Maria Josepha, daughter of John Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield. His brother was Edward Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley... |
Whig British Whig Party The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule... |
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| 1859 | Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1874 | Morgan Lloyd Morgan Lloyd Morgan Lloyd was a Welsh Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.Lloyd was the son of Morris Lloyd of Cefngellgwm, Merionethshire. He was educated at Edinburgh University and was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1847. He became a QC in February 1873 and became a... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
Constituency abolished | ||
Notes