Reading (UK Parliament constituency)

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Reading
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County Berkshire
1295–1950
SeatsTwo until 1885, then one until 1950
Replaced by Reading North and Reading South
19551974 (1974)
SeatsOne
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Created from Reading North and Reading South
Replaced by Reading North and Reading South

Reading was a parliamentary borough, and later a borough constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950 and 1955 to 1974. Until 1885, the constituency comprised the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire; after 1885, it was centred on the town but the exact boundaries differed.

Contents

From 1295, as a parliamentary borough, Reading elected two members of parliament (MPs). Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, this representation was reduced to a single MP.

History

Reading was one of the boroughs summoned to send members to the Model Parliament. The boundaries (encompassing the whole of one parish and parts of two others) were effectively unchanged from 1295 to 1918. In 1831, the population of the borough was 15,935, and contained 3,307 houses.

The right to vote was exercised by all inhabitants paying scot and lot, a relatively wide franchise for the period, and almost 2,000 votes were cast at the general election of 1826. Despite this high electorate, the corporation of the town was generally considered in practice to control elections to a large extent. In the second half of the 18th century, Reading was notoriously one of the most corrupt constituencies in England, bribery being both routine and expensive: Namier quotes the accounts kept for Prime Minister Newcastle of the 1754 election, which note that John Dodd, the government's candidate there, had already received £1000 and was promised £500 or £600 more to help him win the seat. [1] (Dodd lost by one vote, but had the result overturned on petition by a partisan vote in the House of Commons, and Newcastle's accounts show a continuing trickle of funds to him to nurse the constituency over the next few years.) A few years later, the nomination to one of Reading's seats was advertised for sale in a London newspaper, though Reading was not mentioned by name and no price was specified; the newspaper's printers were charged by the Commons with a breach of privilege, but the sale of seats remained legal if frowned-upon until 1809.

The Great Reform Act left Reading's representation and boundaries unchanged, and the reformed franchise far from increasing its electorate seems to have reduced it: it was estimated that there were 1,250 voters in 1831, but only 1,001 were registered for the first post-Reform election, that of 1832.

1923 UK general election map.svg
1923 UK general election map.svg
Context of 1923. Larger as town had grown, one of Labour's 191 of 615 seats: a supply and confidence government lasted for 10 months with Liberal support. 1929 was similar but better for Labour.
United Kingdom general election 1906.svg
United Kingdom general election 1906.svg
Context of 1906. The Liberal Landslide victory.

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, coming into effect at the 1885 general election, reduced the representation of the parliamentary borough to a single MP. The single-member Reading constituency continued to exist until it was split in 1950 into the separate constituencies of Reading North and Reading South. These two constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency in 1955, but again split apart in 1974; despite its name, the 1955 constituency did not contain the whole of the County Borough of Reading, with one ward being included in both of the Newbury and Wokingham seats.

After 1885, the constituency was marginal, regularly changing hands between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party up to 1918, then between the Conservatives and Labour.

Today the area formerly covered by the Reading constituency is within the constituencies of Reading East and Reading West, which will be replaced by the constituencies of Reading Central, Reading West and Mid Berkshire, and Earley and Woodley at the 2024 general election.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

Minor expansion - see map on Vision of Britain website. [3]

1918–1950

Boundaries extended to the south and west (gained from the Newbury and Wokingham Divisions), and to the north of the River Thames with the annexation of the Urban District of Caversham (part of the Henley Division of Oxfordshire) by Reading County Borough.

For the 1950 general election, Reading was abolished as a single-member Parliamentary borough and split between the two new borough constituencies of Reading North and Reading South.

1955–1974

For the 1955 general election, Reading was re-established, replacing Reading North and Reading South and comprising:

The East and Tilehurst wards were included in the Wokingham and Newbury constituencies respectively.

From the 1964 general election, a revision to the County Borough wards resulted in minor changes. The constituency now comprised:

The constituency was abolished once again for the 1974 general election. The Christchurch, Redlands and Whitley wards were included in the re-established constituency of Reading South, with remaining wards being included in Reading North.

Members of Parliament

1295–1660

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1369 William Catour [5]
1371 William Catour [5]
1378 David atte Hacche [6]
1385 John Doublet [7]
1386 William Stapper Robert atte Lee [8]
1388 (Feb) David atte Hacche Richard Bedull [8]
1388 (Sep) John Balet Nicholas Vachell [8]
1390 (Jan) John Kent Robert Capellade [8]
1390 (Nov)
1391 Henry Barbour John Doublet [8]
1393 William Catour David atte Hacche [8]
1394 William Saville William Tho... [8]
1395 William Shortwade John Ede [8]
1397 (Jan) John White Richard Pernecote [8]
1397 (Sep) Thomas Selham Robert Godewyn [8]
1399 Roger Hay John Hunt [8]
1401
1402
1404 (Jan) John Kent William Derby [8]
1404 (Oct)
1406 John Hunt Philip Richard [8]
1407 John Merehan William Kenelme [8]
1410 John White Alexander Colshull [8]
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) William Wilton Richard Farle [8]
1414 (Apr) John Hastyng John Clerk [8]
1414 (Nov) Stephen Stapper John Pernecote [8]
1415
1416 (Mar) Walter Mustard Thomas Lavyngton 1 [8]
1416 (Oct)
1417 Alexander Colshull Thomas Lavyngton [8]
1419 Robert Morys Richard Cross [8]
1420 Thomas Lavyngton John Veyr [8]
1421 (May) Thomas Lavyngton Simon Porter alias Kent [8]
1421 (Dec) John Hunt William Kyng [8]
1422 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1425 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1432 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1433 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1435 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1437 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1447 Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1449 (Feb) Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1449 (Nov) Simon Porter alias Kent [9]
1510 Richard Cleche William Justice [10]
1512 William Gifford Richard Smith [10]
1515 Edmund Knightley John Pownsar [10]
1523 Nicholas Hyde William Edmonds [10]
1529 Thomas Vachell I John Raymond [10]
1536 Thomas Vachell I John Raymond [10]
1539 ?Thomas Vachell I ?John Raymond [10]
1542 Thomas Vachell I Richard Justice [10]
1545 Thomas Vachell I Roger Amyce [10]
1547 William Grey, died May 1551
repl. 1552 by Sir John Mason
John Marshe [10]
1553 (Mar) John Bourne John Winchcombe [10]
1553 (Oct) Thomas Vachell I John Bell [10]
1554 (Apr) Robert Bowyer III John Lovelace [10]
1554 (Nov) John Bourne Edmund Plowden [10]
1555 Thomas Vachell II John Bell [10]
1558 Thomas Aldworth John Bell [10]
1558–9 Thomas Aldworth Thomas Turner [11]
1562–3 Henry Knollys Robert Rowbotham [11]
1571 Henry Knollys John Hastings [11]
1572 Robert Knollys Francis Alford [11]
1584 Robert Knollys Robert Harris [11]
1586 Robert Knollys Robert Harris [11]
1588 Robert Knollys, sat for Breconshire,
repl. Feb 1589 by Thomas Egerton
Robert Harris [11]
1593 Humphrey Donatt Charles Wednester [11]
1597 Sir Humphrey Forster Francis Moore [11]
1601 Francis Moore Anthony Blagrave [11]
1604 Francis Moore Jerome Bowes
1614 Francis Moore Robert Knollys
1621–1622 Anthony Barker John Saunders
1624 Francis Knollys III John Saunders
1625 Francis Knollys III John Saunders
1626 Francis Knollys III John Saunders
1628 Francis Knollys III John Saunders
1629–1640No Parliaments summoned

1640–1885

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
April 1640 Francis Knollys III Adm. Francis Knollys [12]
November 1640 Francis Knollys III (died 1643) Adm. Francis Knollys (died 1648)
1645 Daniel Blagrave
1648 Tanfield Vachell
1653Not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 Robert Hammond
1656 Daniel Blagrave
1659 Henry Neville Daniel Blagrave
1660 Thomas Rich John Blagrave
1661 Sir Thomas Dolman Richard Aldworth
1679 Nathan Knight John Blagrave
March 1685 Thomas Coates John Breedon
November 1685 William Aldworth
1689 Sir Henry Fane Whig Sir William Rich
1698 Sir Owen Buckingham John Dalby
January 1701 Francis Knollys
November 1701 Anthony Blagrave Tanfield Vachell
1702 Sir Owen Buckingham
1705 Sir William Rich
1708 Owen Buckingham Anthony Blagrave
1710 John Dalby
1713 Robert Clarges Felix Calvert
1716 Charles Cadogan Owen Buckingham
1720 Richard Thompson Whig
1722 Anthony Blagrave Clement Kent
1727 Richard Potenger Richard Thompson Whig
1734 Henry Grey Whig
1739 John Blagrave
1740 William Strode
February 1741 John Dodd Whig
May 1741 William Strode
1747 John Conyers Richard Neville Aldworth Neville
1754 William Strode Charles Fane Opposition Whig
1755 John Dodd Whig
1761 Sir Francis Knollys
1768 Henry Vansittart
1774 Francis Annesley Tory [13]
1782 Richard Aldworth-Neville Whig [13]
1797 John Simeon Tory [13]
1802 Charles Shaw-Lefevre Whig [13]
1806 John Simeon Tory [13]
1818 Charles Fyshe Palmer Whig [13] [14] [15]
1820 John Monck Whig [13]
1826 George Spence Tory [13]
1827 Charles Fyshe Palmer Whig [13] [14] [15]
1830 Charles Russell Tory [13]
1834 Conservative [13]
1835 Thomas Talfourd Radical [16] [17] [18]
1837 Charles Fyshe Palmer Whig [13] [14] [15]
1841 Charles Russell Conservative [13] Henry Cadogan Conservative [13]
1847 Francis Pigott Whig [19] Thomas Talfourd Radical [16] [17] [18]
1849 John Frederick Stanford Conservative
1852 Sir Henry Singer Keating Whig [19]
1859 Liberal Liberal
January 1860 Sir Francis Goldsmid Liberal
November 1860 Gillery Pigott Liberal
1863 George Shaw-Lefevre Liberal
1878 George Palmer Liberal
1885 Representation reduced to one member

1885–1950

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Charles Townshend Murdoch Conservative
1892 George William Palmer Liberal
1895 Charles Townshend Murdoch Conservative
1898 by-election George William Palmer Liberal
1904 by-election Rufus Isaacs Liberal
1913 by-election Leslie Orme Wilson Conservative
1922 Edward Cadogan Conservative
1923 Somerville Hastings Labour
1924 Herbert Williams Conservative
1929 Somerville Hastings Labour
1931 Alfred Howitt Conservative
1945 Ian Mikardo Labour
1950 Constituency divided into Reading North and Reading South

1955–1974

ElectionMemberParty
1955 Constituency recreated
1955 Ian Mikardo Labour
1959 Peter Emery Conservative
1966 John Lee Labour
1970 Gerard Vaughan Conservative
Feb 1974 Constituency redivided into Reading North and Reading South

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Reading (2 seats) [13] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Charles Fyshe Palmer 522 36.1
Tory Charles Russell 471 32.6
Whig Stephen Lushington 45231.3
Turnout 907c.72.6
Registered electors c.1,250
Majority513.5
Whig hold Swing
Majority191.3
Tory hold Swing
General election 1831: Reading (2 seats) [13] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Charles Fyshe PalmerUnopposed
Tory Charles Russell Unopposed
Registered electors c.1,250
Whig hold
Tory hold
General election 1832: Reading (2 seats) [13] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Charles Fyshe PalmerUnopposed
Tory Charles Russell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,001
Whig hold
Tory hold
General election 1835: Reading (2 seats) [13] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Radical Thomas Talfourd 643 43.8
Conservative Charles Russell 441 30.0
Whig Benjamin Oliveira 38426.2
Turnout 96095.8
Registered electors 1,002
Majority20213.8
Radical gain from Whig
Majority573.8
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Reading (2 seats) [13] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Radical Thomas Talfourd 468 34.1 9.7
Whig Charles Fyshe Palmer 457 33.3 +7.1
Conservative Charles Russell 44832.6+2.6
Turnout 87584.511.3
Registered electors 1,035
Majority110.813.0
Radical hold Swing 5.5
Majority90.7N/A
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +2.9

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Reading (2 seats) [21] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Russell 570 29.4 +13.1
Conservative Henry Cadogan 564 29.1 +12.8
Whig Thomas Mills 41021.1+4.5
Whig William Tooke 39720.5+3.9
Majority1548.0N/A
Turnout 98482.42.1
Registered electors 1,194
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +4.5
Conservative gain from Radical Swing +4.3
General election 1847: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Francis Pigott 614 29.1 +8.0
Radical Thomas Talfourd 596 28.3 +7.8
Conservative Charles Russell 52124.74.7
Conservative Henry Cadogan 37617.811.3
Turnout 1,054 (est)84.2 (est)+1.8
Registered electors 1,251
Majority23811.3N/A
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +8.0
Majority753.6N/A
Radical gain from Conservative Swing +7.9

Talfourd resigned after being appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, causing a by-election.

By-election, 8 August 1849: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Frederick Stanford 507 51.8 +9.3
Whig George Bowyer [22] 36437.2+8.1
Radical Thomas Norton [23] [24] 10710.917.4
Majority14314.6N/A
Turnout 97874.79.5
Registered electors 1,309
Conservative gain from Radical Swing +13.4

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Francis Pigott 753 39.6 +10.5
Whig Henry Singer Keating 631 33.2 +4.9
Conservative Samuel Auchmuty Dickson [25] 51827.215.3
Majority1136.0N/A
Turnout 951 (est)68.0 (est)16.2
Registered electors 1,399
Whig hold Swing +9.1
Whig gain from Radical Swing +6.3
General election 1857: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Francis Pigott Unopposed
Whig Henry Singer Keating Unopposed
Registered electors 1,431
Whig hold
Whig hold

Keating was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 2 June 1857: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Singer Keating Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1859: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Liberal Francis Pigott 761 38.6
Liberal Henry Singer Keating 666 33.8
Conservative Ralph Augustus Benson54427.6
Majority1226.2
Turnout 986 (est)67.9 (est)
Registered electors 1,451
Liberal hold
Liberal hold

Keating was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 27 June 1859: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry Singer Keating Unopposed
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

Keating resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, causing a by-election.

By-election, 11 January 1860: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Francis Goldsmid 661 54.5 17.9
Conservative Ralph Augustus Benson [26] 55145.5+17.9
Majority1109.0+2.8
Turnout 1,21280.5+12.6
Registered electors 1,506
Liberal hold Swing 17.9

Pigott resigned after being appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, causing a by-election.

By-election, 21 November 1860: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Gillery Pigott 586 57.4 15.0
Conservative Edward Walter [27] 43542.6+15.0
Majority15114.8+8.6
Turnout 1,02167.80.1
Registered electors 1,506
Liberal hold Swing 15.0

Pigott resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of the Exchequer, causing a by-election.

By-election, 17 October 1863: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1865: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Francis Goldsmid 727 38.6 0.0
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre 714 37.9 +4.1
Conservative Stephen Tucker [28] 44423.64.0
Majority27014.3+8.1
Turnout 1,165 (est)65.8 (est)2.1
Registered electors 1,769
Liberal hold Swing +2.0
Liberal hold Swing +2.1

Shaw-Lefevre was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 5 May 1866: Reading [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Francis Goldsmid 1,629 38.5 0.1
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre 1,618 38.3 +0.4
Conservative Robert Carden 97923.20.4
Majority63915.1+0.8
Turnout 2,603 (est)80.6 (est)+14.8
Registered electors 3,228
Liberal hold Swing +0.1
Liberal hold Swing +0.3

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre 1,794 26.1 12.2
Liberal Francis Goldsmid 1,791 26.1 12.4
Conservative Richard Attenborough [29] 1,65224.1+12.5
Conservative William Dalziel Mackenzie [30] 1,63123.7+12.1
Majority1392.013.1
Turnout 3,434 (est)83.4 (est)+2.8
Registered electors 4,118
Liberal hold Swing 12.3
Liberal hold Swing 12.4

Goldsmid's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 18 May 1878: Reading (1 seat) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Palmer 2,223 58.7 +6.5
Conservative Richard Attenborough1,56541.36.5
Majority65817.4+15.4
Turnout 3,78880.23.2
Registered electors 4,721
Liberal hold Swing +6.5

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Reading (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Palmer 2,513 36.6 +10.5
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre 2,286 33.3 +7.2
Conservative Albert George Sandeman [31] 2,06730.117.7
Majority2193.2+1.2
Turnout 4,580 (est)89.7 (est)+6.3
Registered electors 5,107
Liberal hold Swing +9.7
Liberal hold Swing +8.1

Lefevre was appointed First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 15 Dec 1880: Reading (1 seat) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1885: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Townshend Murdoch 3,518 50.9 +20.8
Liberal George Shaw-Lefevre 3,38949.120.8
Majority1291.8N/A
Turnout 6,90791.9+2.2 (est)
Registered electors 7,515
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +20.8
General election 1886: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Townshend Murdoch 3,378 50.9 0.0
Liberal William Berkeley Monck [33] 3,26249.10.0
Majority1161.80.0
Turnout 6,64088.43.5
Registered electors 7,515
Conservative hold Swing 0.0

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Palmer 3,990 51.9 +2.8
Conservative Charles Townshend Murdoch 3,70048.12.8
Majority2903.8N/A
Turnout 7,69091.1+2.7
Registered electors 8,438
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.8
General election 1895: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Townshend Murdoch 4,278 52.1 +4.0
Liberal George Palmer 3,92747.94.0
Majority3514.2N/A
Turnout 8,20590.11.0
Registered electors 9,104
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.0

Murdoch's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 25 Jul 1898: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Palmer 4,600 52.4 +4.5
Conservative Charles Edward Keyser 3,90644.57.6
Social Democratic Federation Harry Quelch 2703.1New
Majority6947.9N/A
Turnout 8,77691.7+1.6
Registered electors 9,573
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.1

Elections in the 1900s

Keyser Cekeyser2.jpg
Keyser
General election 1900: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Palmer 4,592 51.3 +3.4
Conservative Charles Edward Keyser 4,35348.73.4
Majority2392.6N/A
Turnout 8,94588.12.0
Registered electors 10,152
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.4
Isaacs Rufus Isaacs - portrait.jpg
Isaacs
1904 Reading by-election [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Rufus Isaacs 4,770 51.2 -0.1
Conservative Charles Edward Keyser 4,54048.8+0.1
Majority2302.4-0.2
Turnout 9,31083.54.6
Registered electors 11,151
Liberal hold Swing -0.1
General election 1906: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Rufus Isaacs 5,407 53.4 +2.1
Conservative George Horace Johnstone4,71046.6-2.1
Majority6976.8+ +4.2
Turnout 10,11791.6+3.5
Registered electors 11,041
Liberal hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Rufus Isaacs 5,264 51.0 2.4
Liberal Unionist Leslie Renton 5,05749.0+2.4
Majority2072.04.8
Turnout 10,32193.7+2.1
Registered electors 11,016
Liberal hold Swing 2.4

Isaacs is appointed Solicitor General of England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, March 1910 [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Rufus Isaacs Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election December 1910: Reading [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Rufus Isaacs 5,094 50.5 0.5
Conservative Leslie Orme Wilson 4,99549.5+0.5
Majority991.01.0
Turnout 10,08991.62.1
Registered electors 11,016
Liberal hold Swing 0.5

Issacs is appointed Lord Chief Justice of England and is elevated to the peerage as Lord Reading, requiring a by-election.

1913 Reading by-election [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Leslie Orme Wilson 5,144 50.3 +0.8
Liberal George Peabody Gooch 4,01339.311.2
British Socialist Party Joseph George Butler 1,06310.4New
Majority1,13111.0N/A
Turnout 10,22092.2+0.6
Registered electors 11,088
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +6.0

A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the summer of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.

General election 14 December 1918: Reading
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Leslie Orme Wilson 15,20453.9+4.4
Labour Thomas Charles Morris 8,41029.8New
Liberal Frederick Thoresby3,14311.139.4
National Socialist Party Lorenzo Quelch 1,4625.2New
Majority6,79424.1N/A
Turnout 28,21962.229.4
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +21.9
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

H.D. Roome Henry Delacombe Roome.jpg
H.D. Roome
General election 1922: Reading [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Edward Cadogan 16,082 42.7 -11.2
Labour Derwent Hall Caine 14,32238.1+8.3
Liberal Henry Delacombe Roome7,21219.2+8.1
Majority1,7604.6-19.5
Turnout 37,616
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1923: Reading [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Somerville Hastings 16,657 44.8 +6.7
Unionist Edward Cadogan 15,11540.7-2.0
Liberal Frederick Maddison 5,40614.5-4.7
Majority1,5424.1N/A
Turnout 37,17882.1
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +4.3
General election 1924: Reading [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Herbert Williams 21,338 53.8 +13.1
Labour Somerville Hastings 18,33746.2+1.4
Majority3,0017.6N/A
Turnout 39,67585.8+3.7
Unionist gain from Labour Swing
General election 1929: Reading [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Somerville Hastings 23,281 43.5 -2.7
Unionist Herbert Williams 22,42942.0-11.8
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 7,73314.5New
Majority8521.5N/A
Turnout 53,44385.0-0.8
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +4.5

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Reading [36] Electorate 65,009
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alfred Howitt 34,439 63.1 +21.1
Labour Somerville Hastings 19,27735.3-8.2
New Party ER Troward8611.6New
Majority15,16227.8N/A
Turnout 54,57783.9-1.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1935: Reading [36] Electorate 67,181
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alfred Howitt 27,540 51.8 -9.3
Labour Somerville Hastings 22,94943.2+7.9
Liberal John William Todd2,6855.0New
Majority4,5918.6-19.2
Turnout 53,17479.1-4.8
Conservative hold Swing

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;

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Reading [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ian Mikardo 30,465 48.8 +5.6
Conservative William Ewart Clarke McIlroy24,07538.6-13.2
Liberal Robert Nevill Tronchin James7,83412.6+7.6
Majority6,39010.2N/A
Turnout 62,37473.5-5.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1955: Reading [38]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ian Mikardo 25,228 50.24
Conservative Frederic Bennett 24,99049.76
Majority2380.48
Turnout 50,21884.15
Registered electors 59,678
Labour win (new seat)
General election 1959: Reading [39]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Emery 26,314 54.05 +4.29
Labour Ian Mikardo 22,37245.95-4.29
Majority3,9428.10N/A
Turnout 48,68682.84-1.31
Registered electors 58,772
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.29

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Reading [40]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Emery 20,815 43.93 -10.12
Labour John Lee 20,80543.91-2.04
Liberal Michael F Burns5,75912.16New
Majority100.02-8.08
Turnout 47,37979.80-3.04
Registered electors 59,371
Conservative hold Swing -4.04
General election 1966: Reading [41]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Lee 25,338 51.01 +7.10
Conservative Peter Emery 21,20542.69-1.24
Liberal Ernest H Palfrey3,1276.30-5.86
Majority4,1338.32N/A
Turnout 49,67084.00+4.20
Registered electors 59,132
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +4.17

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Reading [42]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gerard Vaughan 23,598 50.31 +7.62
Labour John Lee 22,44447.85-3.16
Democratic Party Alec Boothroyd8671.85New
Majority1,1542.46N/A
Turnout 46,90974.04-9.96
Registered electors 63,359
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +5.39

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References

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See also