Cambridge University (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Cambridge University was a university constituency
electing two members to the British House of Commons
, from 1603 to 1950.
.
The constituency was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the University. Before 1918 the franchise was restricted to male graduates with a Doctorate or MA degree. Sedgwick records that the electors numbered 377, in 1727. For the 1754-1790 period Namier and Brooke estimated the electorate at about 500.
The constituency returned two Members of Parliament
. Before 1918 they were elected using the bloc vote
. From 1918, the MPs were elected by the Single Transferable Vote
method.
were able to persuade the King to use the royal prerogative power to confer doctorates, so from 1727 the University returned Whig representatives. Oxford University
, where the King did not have the same prerogative power, remained safely Tory (indeed often Jacobite
) in sympathies.
The leading mid-18th century Whig politician, the Duke of Newcastle, was for many years (1748–1768) Chancellor of the University. He "recommended" suitable candidates to represent the institution in Parliament. This practice continued under his successor, another Whig Duke and Prime Minister (1768–1770), the Duke of Grafton
(Chancellor 1768-1811). However Grafton was less prominent as a politician than Newcastle had been and less attentive to the University. As a result some of Grafton's choices were criticised, notably that of the Duke's friend Richard Croftes.
Croftes lacked the sort of characteristics a University MP usually had. He was neither the son of a peer (like the Hon. John Townshend, the Marquess of Granby or Grafton's own son the Earl of Euston), a distinguished lawyer-politician (such as William de Grey, James Mansfield or Sir Vicary Gibbs) nor a prominent political figure (like William Pitt or Lord Henry Petty).
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Pittite/Tory candidates began to be elected. At the start of this political development some of the Pittite MPs, like William Pitt himself (MP for the University 1784-1806), called themselves Whigs. As time passed the division between the 19th century Tory and Whig parties became clearer.
The future Prime Minister, the Viscount Palmerston
, retained his seat as a Whig after he left the Tory ranks. However by 1831 he was defeated. After the Viscount ceased to represent the University he was elected by a territorial constituency. No further non Tory/Conservative MP was to represent the University until the 1920s.
Even after the introduction of the single transferable vote in 1918, most Cambridge University MPs continued to be Conservatives.
.
Notes:-
University constituency
A university constituency is a constituency, used in elections to a legislature, that represents a university rather than a geographical area. University constituencies may involve plural voting, in which eligible voters are permitted to vote in both a university constituency and a geographical...
electing two members to the British 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...
, from 1603 to 1950.
Boundaries, Electorate and Election Systems
This university constituency was created by a Royal Charter of 1603. It was abolished in 1950 by the Representation of the People Act 1948Representation of the People Act 1948
The Representation of the People Act 1948 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the law relating to parliamentary and local elections...
.
The constituency was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the University. Before 1918 the franchise was restricted to male graduates with a Doctorate or MA degree. Sedgwick records that the electors numbered 377, in 1727. For the 1754-1790 period Namier and Brooke estimated the electorate at about 500.
The constituency returned two Members 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,...
. Before 1918 they were elected using the bloc vote
Plurality-at-large voting
Plurality-at-large voting is a non-proportional voting system for electing several representatives from a single multimember electoral district using a series of check boxes and tallying votes similar to a plurality election...
. From 1918, the MPs were elected by the Single Transferable Vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
method.
History
In the early 18th century the University electorate were mostly Tory. However the Whig ministers of King George IGeorge I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
were able to persuade the King to use the royal prerogative power to confer doctorates, so from 1727 the University returned Whig representatives. Oxford University
Oxford University (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxford University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Electoral System:...
, where the King did not have the same prerogative power, remained safely Tory (indeed often Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
) in sympathies.
The leading mid-18th century Whig politician, the Duke of Newcastle, was for many years (1748–1768) Chancellor of the University. He "recommended" suitable candidates to represent the institution in Parliament. This practice continued under his successor, another Whig Duke and Prime Minister (1768–1770), the Duke of Grafton
Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, KG, PC , styled Earl of Euston between 1747 and 1757, was a British Whig statesman of the Georgian era...
(Chancellor 1768-1811). However Grafton was less prominent as a politician than Newcastle had been and less attentive to the University. As a result some of Grafton's choices were criticised, notably that of the Duke's friend Richard Croftes.
Croftes lacked the sort of characteristics a University MP usually had. He was neither the son of a peer (like the Hon. John Townshend, the Marquess of Granby or Grafton's own son the Earl of Euston), a distinguished lawyer-politician (such as William de Grey, James Mansfield or Sir Vicary Gibbs) nor a prominent political figure (like William Pitt or Lord Henry Petty).
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Pittite/Tory candidates began to be elected. At the start of this political development some of the Pittite MPs, like William Pitt himself (MP for the University 1784-1806), called themselves Whigs. As time passed the division between the 19th century Tory and Whig parties became clearer.
The future Prime Minister, the Viscount Palmerston
Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century...
, retained his seat as a Whig after he left the Tory ranks. However by 1831 he was defeated. After the Viscount ceased to represent the University he was elected by a territorial constituency. No further non Tory/Conservative MP was to represent the University until the 1920s.
Even after the introduction of the single transferable vote in 1918, most Cambridge University MPs continued to be Conservatives.
Members of Parliament
This is a list of people who have been elected to represent this University in the Parliament of the United KingdomParliament 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...
.
1603 to 1660
- Constituency created 1603
| Year | First member | Second member |
|---|---|---|
| 1604 | Nicholas Styward | Henry Mountlow |
| Styward replaced by Barnaby Gough | ||
| 1614 | Sir Miles Sandys Sir Miles Sandys, 1st Baronet Sir Miles Sandys, 1st Baronet , of Wilberton in Cambridgeshire was an English Member of Parliament . The son of Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York, he was knighted in 1603 and created a baronet on 25 November 1611. He served as MP for Cambridge University , Huntingdon and Cambridgeshire... |
Sir Francis Bacon |
| 1621 | Robert Naunton Robert Naunton Sir Robert Naunton was an English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1606 and 1626.-Life:... |
Barnaby Gough |
| 1624 | Sir Robert Naunton Robert Naunton Sir Robert Naunton was an English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1606 and 1626.-Life:... |
Barnaby Gough |
| 1625 | Sir Robert Naunton Robert Naunton Sir Robert Naunton was an English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1606 and 1626.-Life:... |
Sir Albert Morton Albertus Morton Sir Albertus Morton was an English diplomat and Secretary of State.-Life:Born about 1584, he was youngest of the three sons of George Morton of Eshere in Chilham, Kent, by Mary, daughter of Robert Honywood of Charing in the same county... |
| 1626 | Thomas Eden Thomas Eden Thomas Eden was an English jurist, academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645.-Life:Eden was the youngest son of Richard Eden of South Hanningfield, Essex and his wife Margaret Payton, daughter of Christopher Payton of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and was born in the... |
Sir John Coke John Coke Sir John Coke was an English politician.Coke, the son of Richard and Mary Coke of Trusley, Derbyshire, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge... |
| 1628-1629 | Thomas Eden Thomas Eden Thomas Eden was an English jurist, academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645.-Life:Eden was the youngest son of Richard Eden of South Hanningfield, Essex and his wife Margaret Payton, daughter of Christopher Payton of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and was born in the... |
Sir John Coke John Coke Sir John Coke was an English politician.Coke, the son of Richard and Mary Coke of Trusley, Derbyshire, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge... |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | |
| Apr 1640 | Thomas Eden Thomas Eden Thomas Eden was an English jurist, academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645.-Life:Eden was the youngest son of Richard Eden of South Hanningfield, Essex and his wife Margaret Payton, daughter of Christopher Payton of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and was born in the... |
Henry Lucas |
| Nov 1640 | Thomas Eden Thomas Eden Thomas Eden was an English jurist, academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645.-Life:Eden was the youngest son of Richard Eden of South Hanningfield, Essex and his wife Margaret Payton, daughter of Christopher Payton of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and was born in the... |
Henry Lucas |
| Eden died 1644 replaced by Nathaniel Bacon Nathaniel Bacon (politician) -Life:Nathaniel Bacon was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge.In 1617 he was called to the bar. A Parliamentarian, active in support of the New Model Army from 1644, Bacon became M.P. for Cambridge University in 1645, during the Long Parliament... |
||
| 1648 | Lucas secluded in Pride's Purge | |
| 1654 | Henry Cromwell Henry Cromwell Henry Cromwell was the fourth son of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier, and an important figure in the Parliamentarian regime in Ireland.-Life:... |
(one seat only) |
| 1656 | Richard Cromwell Richard Cromwell At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's... |
(one seat only) |
| 1659 | John Thurloe John Thurloe John Thurloe was a secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell.-Life:... |
Thomas Slater |
1660 to 1784
| Year | Member | Party | Member | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1660 Apr | George Monck George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:... |
Thomas Crouch Thomas Crouch Thomas Crouch was an English academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1679.Crouch was the son of Thomas Crouch of Letchworth, Hertfordshire and was baptised in St Bartholomew’s Church Layston on 18 October 1607. He was educated at Eton College and was admitted as a... |
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| 1660 Jun | William Montagu William Montagu (judge) Sir William Montagu was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1676.... |
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| 1661 | Sir Richard Fanshawe | |||
| 1667 | Sir Charles Wheler | |||
| 1679 | Sir Thomas Exton | James Vernon James Vernon James Vernon was an English politician and Secretary of State for both the Northern and the Southern Departments during the reign of William III.-Origins and education:... |
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| 1681 | Robert Brady | |||
| 1689 | Sir Robert Sawyer | Isaac Newton Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."... |
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| 1690 | Edward Finch Edward Finch (composer) Edward Finch , was an English composer.Finch was born in 1664, was the fifth son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, proceeding M.A. in 1679, and becoming a fellow of Christ's. He represented the university of Cambridge in the parliament of... |
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| 1692 | Henry Boyle Henry Boyle, 1st Baron Carleton Henry Boyle, 1st Baron Carleton, PC , was an Anglo-Irish politician of the early eighteenth century.-Biography:... |
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| 1695 | George Oxenden George Oxenden (MP) George Oxenden was an English academic, lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1685 to 1689.... |
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| 1698 | Anthony Hammond Anthony Hammond -Life:Born 1 September 1668, he was the son and heir of Anthony Hammond of Somersham Place, Huntingdonshire, who was the third son of Anthony Hammond of St. Alban's Court, Kent, elder brother of William Hammond. His mother was a Miss Amy Browne of Gloucestershire. He was educated at St Paul's... |
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| 1701 | Isaac Newton Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."... |
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| 1702 | Arthur Annesley Arthur Annesley, 5th Earl of Anglesey Arthur Annesley, 5th Earl of Anglesey PC, PC was an Anglo-Irish politician. He was a Member of Parliament in both the British and Irish lower houses before succeeding as 6th Viscount Valentia and 5th Earl of Anglesey, joining both the upper houses... |
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| 1705 | Dixie Windsor | |||
| 1710 | Thomas Paske Thomas Paske -Life:He was perhaps son of William Paske, vicar of Hendon, Middlesex, and may have been born there, but the registers do not begin until 1653. William Paske left Hendon for the living of Ashdon, Essex, in 1611; he died before 15 February 1639-40. Thomas was a scholar of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and... |
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| 1720 | Thomas Willoughby Thomas Willoughby (MP) Thomas Willoughby , English politician, was the second son of Thomas Willoughby, 1st Baron Middleton and Elizabeth Rothwell. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge. He was MP for the university in 1720 and from 1721 to 1727; from 1727 to 1730 he was MP for Tamworth.He married Elizabeth Southby... |
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| 1727 | Edward Finch Edward Finch Edward Finch-Hatton was a diplomat and politician.He was born Hon. Edward Finch, 5th son of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham and of Hon. Anne Hatton daughter and in her issue sole heiress of Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton. He was educated at a school at Isleworth and at Trinity... |
Thomas Townshend Thomas Townshend (MP) The Honourable Thomas Townshend was a long-standing British Member of Parliament.Townshend was the second son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, from his first marriage to the Hon. Elizabeth Pelham... |
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| 1768 | Charles Yorke Charles Yorke Charles Yorke was Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.-Life:The second son of Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, he was born in London, and was educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. His literary abilities were shown at an early age by his collaboration with his brother Philip in the... |
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| 1770 | William de Grey William de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham William de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas between 1771 and 1780.... |
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| 1771 | Richard Croftes | |||
| 1774 | Charles Manners, Marquess of Granby Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland KG, PC was a British politician and nobleman, the eldest legitimate son of John Manners, Marquess of Granby... |
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| 1779 | James Mansfield James Mansfield Sir James Mansfield , SL, KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He was twice Solicitor General and served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1799 to 1814.-Early life and career:... |
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| 1780 | Lord John Townshend Lord John Townshend Lord John Townshend PC , styled The Honourable John Townshend until 1787, was a British Whig politician.-Background:... |
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1784 to 1950
| Year | Member | Party | Member | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1784 | William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806... |
1 | Earl of Euston George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton George Henry FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton, KG was a British peer and Whig politician, known as Earl of Euston from birth until 1811.... |
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... |
| 1806 | Lord Henry Petty Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Henry Petty from 1784 to 1809 and then as The Earl of Kerry to 1818, was a British statesman... |
Whig | ||
| 1807 United Kingdom general election, 1807 The election to the 4th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1807 was the third general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Sir Vicary Gibbs Vicary Gibbs Sir Vicary Gibbs, KC was an English judge and politician. He was known for his caustic wit, which won for him the sobriquet of "Vinegar Gibbs".-Early life and education :... |
Tory | ||
| 1811 | The 3rd Viscount Palmerston Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century... |
Tory | ||
| 1812 | John Henry Smyth | Whig | ||
| 1822 | William John Bankes William John Bankes William John Bankes , the second, but first surviving son of Henry Bankes, was a notable explorer, Egyptologist and adventurer. He was a member of the Bankes family of Dorset and he had Sir Charles Barry recase Kingston Lacy in stone as it is today... |
Tory | ||
| 1826 United Kingdom general election, 1826 The 1826 United Kingdom general election saw the Tories under the Earl of Liverpool win a substantial and increased majority over the Whigs. In Ireland, Home Rule candidates, working with the Whigs, won large gains from Unionist candidates.... |
Sir John Singleton Copley John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst John Singleton Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst PC KS FRS , was a British lawyer and politician. He was three times Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.-Background and education:... |
Tory | Whig | |
| 1827 | Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Sir Nicolas Conyngham Tindal was a celebrated English lawyer who successfully defended Queen Caroline at her trial for adultery in 1820... |
Tory | ||
| 1829 | William Cavendish William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire KG, PC , styled as Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1831 and 1834 and known as The Earl of Burlington between 1834 and 1858, was a British landowner, benefactor and politician.-Background and education:Cavendish was the son of William Cavendish, eldest... |
Whig | ||
| 1831 United Kingdom general election, 1831 The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to... |
Henry Goulburn Henry Goulburn Henry Goulburn PC FRS was an English Conservative statesman and a member of the Peelite faction after 1846.-Background and education:... |
Tory | William Yates Peel William Yates Peel William Yates Peel , was a British Tory politician.Peel was the second son of Sir Robert Peel, 1st Baronet, and his first wife Ellen . He was the younger brother of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, and the elder brother of Jonathan Peel. He was educated at Harrow and St John's College,... |
Tory |
| 1832 United Kingdom general election, 1832 -Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Charles Manners-Sutton Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury GCB, PC was a British Tory politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1817 to 1835.-Background and education:... |
Conservative | |
| 1835 | Hon. Charles Law Charles Law (British politician) The Honourable Charles Ewan Law QC , was a British judge and Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:... |
Conservative | ||
| 1850 | Loftus Wigram Loftus Wigram Loftus Tottenham Wigram QC , was a British barrister, businessman and Conservative politician.Wigram was a younger son of Sir Robert Wigram, 1st Baronet, by his second wife Eleanor, daughter of John Watts... |
Conservative | ||
| 1856 | Spencer Horatio Walpole Spencer Horatio Walpole Spencer Horatio Walpole, QC, LLD was a British Conservative politician who served three times as Home Secretary in the administrations of Lord Derby.-Background and education:... |
Conservative | ||
| 1859 United Kingdom general election, 1859 In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives... |
Charles Jasper Selwyn Charles Jasper Selwyn Sir Charles Jasper Selwyn PC, QC , was an English lawyer, politician and Lord Justice of Appeal.-Background and education:... |
Conservative | ||
| 1868 | Alexander Beresford Hope Alexander Beresford Hope Sir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope PC , known as Alexander Hope until 1854 Sir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope PC (25 January 1820 – 20 October 1887), known as Alexander Hope until 1854 Sir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope PC (25 January 1820 – 20 October 1887), known as... |
Conservative | ||
| 1882 | Henry Cecil Raikes Henry Cecil Raikes Henry Cecil Raikes PC was a British Conservative Party politician. He was Chairman of Ways and Means between 1874 and 1880 and served as Postmaster General between 1886 and 1891.-Background and education:... |
Conservative | ||
| 1887 | Sir George Stokes, Bt | Conservative | ||
| 1891 | Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb Richard Claverhouse Jebb Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb, OM, FBA was a British classical scholar and politician.He was born in Dundee, Scotland. His father was a well-known barrister, and his grandfather a judge... 2 |
Conservative | ||
| 1892 United Kingdom general election, 1892 The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election... |
Sir John Eldon Gorst John Eldon Gorst Sir John Eldon Gorst PC, QC, FRS was a British lawyer and politician. He served as Solicitor General for England and Wales from 1885 to 1886 and as Vice-President of the Committee on Education between 1895 and 1902.... |
Conservative | ||
| 1906 United Kingdom general election, 1906 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Samuel Henry Butcher Samuel Henry Butcher Samuel Henry Butcher was an Anglo-Irish classical scholar.Samuel Henry Butcher was born in Dublin to Samuel Butcher, Bishop of Meath. John Butcher, 1st Baron Danesfort was his younger brother. He became an eminent classical scholar and, in his final years, an English politician... |
Conservative | John Frederick Peel Rawlinson John Frederick Peel Rawlinson John Frederick Peel Rawlinson was an amateur English footballer who won the FA Cup with Old Etonians in 1882 and made one appearance for England in 1882 playing as a goalkeeper, before serving as a Member of Parliament for Cambridge University from 1906 to 1926.-Football:Rawlinson was born in New... |
Conservative |
| 1911 | Sir Joseph Larmor Joseph Larmor Sir Joseph Larmor , a physicist and mathematician who made innovations in the understanding of electricity, dynamics, thermodynamics, and the electron theory of matter... |
Conservative | ||
| 1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918 The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did... |
Co. Conservative 3 | Co. Conservative 3 | ||
| 1922 United Kingdom general election, 1922 The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John... |
James Ramsay Montagu Butler James Ramsay Montagu Butler Sir James Butler was a British politician and academic.Butler was born at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his father was master of the college. Butler attended Harrow School and then Trinity College... |
Ind. Liberal 4 | Conservative | |
| 1923 United Kingdom general election, 1923 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***... |
Sir George Geoffrey Gilbert Butler 5 | Conservative | ||
| 1926 | Sir John James Withers John James Withers Sir John James Withers was a British politician. He was Conservative Member of Parliament for Cambridge University from 1926 to 1939.- External links :... |
Conservative | ||
| 1929 United Kingdom general election, 1929 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***... |
Godfrey Harold Alfred Wilson Godfrey Harold Alfred Wilson Sir Godfrey Harold Alfred Wilson was an academic at Cambridge University, who was MP for the university from 1929 to 1935.-Life:... |
Conservative | ||
| 1935 | Sir Kenneth William Murray Pickthorn Kenneth William Murray Pickthorn Sir Kenneth William Murray Pickthorn, 1st Baronet PC LittD was a British academic intellect and politician.... |
Conservative | ||
| 1940 | Dr. Archibald Vivian Hill | Ind. Conservative 4 | ||
| 1945 United Kingdom general election, 1945 The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to... |
Henry Wilson Harris Henry Wilson Harris Henry Wilson Harris was editor of The Spectator from 1932-53, and independent MP for Cambridge University from 1945-50. He was in the last group of University MPs; these seats were abolished in 1950.As an educationalst, H... |
Independent | ||
Notes:-
- 1 Pitt called himself a Whig, but is usually retrospectively regarded as a Tory since most of his followers (whether their background was in the Whig or Tory tradition) came to call themselves the Tory Party in the decade after Pitt's death.
- 2 Jebb died on 10 December 1905 - seat vacant at dissolution.
- 3 Co. is an abbreviation for Coalition.
- 4 Ind. is an abbreviation for Independent.
- 5 Butler died on 2 May 1929 - seat vacant at dissolution.
Election by Block Vote 1715-1918
1710s – 1720s – 1730s – 1740s – 1750s – 1760s – 1770s – 1780s – 1790s – 1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s – 1840s – 1850s – 1860s – 1870s – 1880s – 1890s – 1900s – 1910s |
Elections in the 1710s
Elections in the 1720s
- Death of Paske
- Note (1722): Stooks Smith gives Willoughby 319 votes.
- Note (1727): Unusually, for a pre-1832 election, Stooks Smith records the total number of electors for the constituency as well as the number who voted; so a turnout figure can be calculated.
Elections in the 1730s
- Note (1734): Goodrick was an Opposition Whig
Elections in the 1740s
- Seat vacated when Finch was appointed a Groom of the Bedchamber
Elections in the 1750s
- Seat vacated when Finch was appointed to an office
Elections in the 1760s
- Seat vacated when Finch was appointed to an office
Elections in the 1770s
- Seat vacated on the appointment of Yorke as Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
- Seat vacated on the appointment of de Grey as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
- Succession of Granby as the 4th Duke of RutlandDuke of RutlandEarl of Rutland and Duke of Rutland are titles in the peerage of England, derived from Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England. The Earl of Rutland was elevated to the status of Duke in 1703 and the titles were merged....
Elections in the 1780s
- Note (1780): Stooks Smith records Townshend as getting 237 votes.
- Seat vacated on Townshend being appointed to an office
- Seat vacated on Townshend being appointed to an office
- Seat vacated on Mansfield being appointed as Solicitor General for England and WalesSolicitor General for England and WalesHer Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
- Note The 1784 election was broadly fought as a contest between the new government of Pitt and the ousted Fox-North CoalitionFox-North CoalitionThe Fox-North Coalition was a government in Great Britain that held office during 1783. As the name suggests, the ministry was a coalition of the groups supporting Charles James Fox and Lord North...
, in which boh Townshend and Mansfield had held office.
Elections in the 1790s
- Note (1790): Party labels in the 1790-1832 period follow Stooks Smith, who classifies Pitt and his Pittite supporters as Tories without regard to what they would have actually called themselves.
- Seat vacated on Pitt being appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque PortsLord Warden of the Cinque PortsThe Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century but may be older. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports was originally in charge of the Cinque Ports, a group of five port towns on the southeast coast of England...
- Seat vacated on Euston being appointed to an office
Elections in the 1800s
- Seat vacated on Pitt being appointed Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
- Death of Pitt
- Palmerston was a Peer of Ireland
Elections in the 1810s
- Succession of Euston as the 4th Duke of GraftonDuke of GraftonDuke of Grafton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1675 by Charles II of England for his 2nd illegitimate son by the Duchess of Cleveland, Henry FitzRoy...
- Seat vacated on Gibbs being appointed a Judge of the Court of Common PleasCourt of Common Pleas (England)The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
Elections in the 1820s
- Death of Smyth
- Seat vacated on the appointment of Copley as Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
and creation as 1st Baron Lyndhurst
- Note (1827): Unusually for a pre-1832 election Stooks Smith provides a total electorate figure, so a turnout percentage can be calculated. See the 1727 result above for another instance.
- Seat vacated on the appointment of Tindal as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
Elections in the 1830s
- Seat vacated on the appointment of Palmerston as Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsSecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsThe Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
- Note (1832): Manners-Sutton was the SpeakerSpeaker (politics)The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the House of Commons.
- Manners-Sutton created 'The 1st Viscount Canterbury'.
- Note (1837): McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book classifies Law as a Peelite between this election and that of 1847.
Elections in the 1840s
- Note (1841): McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book classifies Goulburn as a Liberal Conservative and Law as a Peelite for this election.
- Goulburn appointed Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
.
- Note 1 (1847): 3,800 registered electors; 4,682 votes cast; minimum possible turnout estimated by dividing votes by 2. To the extent that electors did not use both their votes, the figure will be an underestimate.
- Note 2 (1847): McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book classifies Goulburn as a Liberal Conservative and Law as a Peelite for this election.
Elections in the 1850s
- Death of Law.
- Note (1852): McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book classifies Goulburn as a Liberal Conservative for this election.
- Death of Goulburn.
- Appointment of Walpole as Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Elections in the 1860s
- Appointment of Walpole as Secretary of State for the Home Department.
- Appointment of Selwyn as Solicitor-General.
- Appointment of Selwyn as Judge of the Court of Appeal in ChanceryCourt of Appeal in ChanceryEngland’s Court of Appeal in Chancery was created in 1851 to hear appeals of decisions made by the Vice Chancellors and the Master of the Rolls in Chancery Court. The appeals in the court were heard by the Lord Chancellor and two Lords Justices of Appeal. Cases from the Court of Appeal in...
.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1880s
- Resignation of Walpole.
- Appointment of Raikes as Postmaster GeneralUnited Kingdom Postmaster GeneralThe Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
- Death of Beresford Hope.
Elections in the 1890s
- Death of Raikes.
Elections in the 1900s
- Death of Jebb - seat vacant at dissolution.
- Note (1906): Turnout is as in Craig.
Elections in the 1910s
- Death of Butcher.
Election by Single Transferable Vote 1918-1950
General Elections, from 1918 when most constituencies polled on the same day, were on different polling days than for territorial constituencies. The polls for university constituencies were open for five days.1910s – 1920s – 1930s – 1940s |
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1920s
- Death of Rawlinson.
- Death of Butler - seat vacant at dissolution.
Elections in the 1930s
- Resignation of Wilson.
- Death of Withers.
Elections in the 1940s
- Constituency abolished (1950)