Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)

This article is about the electoral district in the United Kingdom. For the electoral district of the same name in Canada, see Colchester (provincial electoral district).

Colchester
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Colchester in the East of England
County	Essex
Electorate	76,843 (2023) [1]
Major settlements	Colchester, The Hythe
Current constituency
Created	1997
Member of Parliament	Pam Cox (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Colchester North, South Colchester and Maldon
1918–1983
Seats	One
Type of constituency	County constituency
Created from	Colchester (Parliamentary Borough), Harwich (part)
Replaced by	Colchester North and Colchester South & Maldon
1295–1918
Seats	Two to 1885, one from 1885 to 1918
Type of constituency	Borough constituency
Replaced by	Colchester (county constituency)

Colchester is a constituency ^{[n 1]} in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Pam Cox, of the Labour party. ^{[n 2]}

The seat was previously held by Conservative MP Will Quince who announced in June 2023 that he would not be standing for re-election. ^[2]

Constituency profile

Once the basis for one or two semi-rural seats, the modern-day Colchester constituency is a compact, urban core, containing the town centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.

The present Colchester constituency most closely resembles the old seat of Colchester North, which was held by the Conservative Bernard Jenkin from 1992 to 1997.

The seat has one of Britain's largest residential military populations.

History

The Parliamentary Borough of Colchester had sent two members to the Parliament of England since the Model Parliament of 1295 ^[3] until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. In 1885, it was one of 36 English boroughs and three Irish boroughs to have its representation reduced to one under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. ^[4] Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the Parliamentary Borough was abolished and replaced with a Division of the County of Essex (later a County Constituency). ^[5]

The revised constituency remained virtually unchanged until it was briefly abolished for the 1983 general election following the Third Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies, but re-established for the 1997 general election as a Borough Constituency by the Fourth Review.

In 1997, the vote was split three ways with the Liberal Democrat candidate Bob Russell winning with a small majority. Russell increased his votes and percentage share in next three elections. In the 2010 election this was the only non-Conservative seat in Essex. Russell was defeated in the 2015 general election by Conservative Will Quince, by an 11.5% majority. In the 2017 election Quince was re-elected by a slightly decreased margin by percentage (10.6%), with Labour moving into 2nd place after a substantial increase in their vote. In the 2019 election, Quince increased his majority to 9,423 or 17.6% in percentage terms. The seat lost the ward of Old Heath and The Hythe in the 2023 Boundary Commission review but despite this, Colchester was won by Labour for the first time since 1945 in the 2024 United Kingdom general election with Pam Cox as the new MP. The Liberal Democrats came fourth, narrowly behind Reform UK.

Boundaries and boundary changes

Colchester in Essex 1918-1983

1918–1950

• The Borough of Colchester; and
• The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree except the detached part of the parish of Inworth which was wholly surrounded by the parishes of Great Braxted and Kelvedon. ^[5]

The area comprising the Rural District of Lexden and Winstree had largely been part of the Harwich Division.

1950–1983

• The Borough of Colchester;
• The Urban District of West Mersea; and
• The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree. ^[6]

No changes (the Urban District of West Mersea had been formed as a separate local authority in 1926).

For the 1983 general election, the constituency was abolished, with the northern parts (comprising the majority) forming the bulk of the new constituency of North Colchester. Southern areas were included in the new constituency of South Colchester and Maldon.

1997–2010

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

• The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Harbour, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, St Mary's, Shrub End, and Stanway. ^[7]

Re-established as a Borough Constituency from parts of the abolished constituencies of South Colchester and Maldon (Berechurch, Harbour, New Town, Prettygate and Shrub End wards) and North Colchester (remaining wards).

2010–2024

• The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Christ Church, Harbour, Highwoods, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, and Shrub End. ^[8]

Local authority wards redistributed. Minor reduction in electorate, with Stanway ward being included in the new constituency of Witham.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The City of Colchester wards of: Castle; Greenstead; Highwoods; Lexden & Braiswick (polling districts AQ, AS and AT); Mile End; New Town & Christ Church; Prettygate; St. Anne’s & St. John’s; Shrub End. ^[9]

The revised contents closely correspond to the previous boundaries, with the exception of the Old Heath and The Hythe areas to the south east of the city centre, which are now included in Harwich and North Essex.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1640

Parliament	First member	Second member
1312	Joseph Elianore
1386	Thomas Francis	Ralph Algar [10]
1388 (Feb)	Thomas Francis	Simon Fordham [10]
1388 (Sep)	Ralph Algar	Simon Fordham [10]
1390 (Jan)	Thomas Francis	Simon Fordham [10]
1390 (Nov)
1391	Thomas Francis	John Christian [10]
1393	William Mate	John Christian [10]
1394
1395	Thomas Francis	John Christian [10]
1397 (Jan)	Henry Boss	John Seaburgh [10]
1397 (Sep)
1399	Thomas Francis	Thomas Godstone [10]
1401
1402	Henry Boss	Thomas Godstone [10]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	Henry Boss	William Mate [10]
1407	Thomas Godstone	William Mate [10]
1410
1411	Thomas Godstone	John Pod [10]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	Thomas Godstone	Thomas Francis [10]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov)	Thomas Godstone	Simon Mate [10]
1415
1416 (Mar)	John Ford	John Sumpter [10]
1416 (Oct)
1417	Thomas Godstone	John Ford [10]
1419	Thomas Godstone	John Sumpter [10]
1420	Thomas Godstone	John Kimberley [10]
1421 (May)	Thomas Godstone	John Kimberley [10]
1421 (Dec)	Thomas Godstone	William Nottingham [10]
1485	Thomas Christmas	John Vertue [11]
1510	No names known [12]
1512	?John Clere	?John Makin [12]
1515	?John Clere	?John Makin [12]
1523	Thomas Audley	Ambrose Lowth [12]
1529	Sir John Raynsford	Richard Rich [12]
1536	?
1539	?
1542	?
1545	John Lucas	Benjamin Clere [12]
1547	John Ryther	John Lucas [12]
1553 (Mar)	Sir Francis Jobson	?John Lucas [12]
1553 (Oct)	John Lucas	John Best [12]
1554 (Apr)	Sir Francis Jobson	William Cardinall [12]
1554 (Nov)	George Sayer	Robert Browne [12]
1555	Sir Francis Jobson	John Hering [12]
1558	George Christmas	Thomas Lucas [12]
1559	Sir Francis Jobson	William Cardinall [13]
1562/3	Sir Francis Jobson	William Cardinall [13]
1571	Henry Golding	Francis Harvey [13]
1572	Robert Christmas	Henry Golding, died and repl, 1576 by Nicholas Clere, who alao died and was repl. 1579 by Robert Middleton [13]
1584	James Morice	Francis Harvey [13]
1586	James Morice	Francis Harvey [13]
1588	James Morice	Arthur Throckmorton [13]
1593	James Morice	Martin Bessell [13]
1597	Richard Symnell	Robert Barker [13]
1601	Robert Barker	Richard Symnell [13]
1604–1611	Robert Barker	Edward Alford
1614	Robert Barker	Edward Alford
1621–1622	Edward Alford	William Towse
1624	Edward Alford	William Towse
1625	Sir Robert Quarles	William Towse
1626	Edward Alford	William Towse
1628	Sir Thomas Cheek	Edward Alford repl. on petition by Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet
1639–1640	No Parliaments summoned

MPs 1640–1885

Year		First member [14]	First party		Second member [14]	Second party
April 1640		(Sir) Harbottle Grimston [mpnotes 1]	Parliamentarian		Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet
November 1640					Sir Thomas Barrington	Parliamentarian
September 1644				Barrington died September 1644 - seat vacant
1645					John Sayer
December 1648	Grimston excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant			Sayer not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge
1653	Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
1654		Colonel John Barkstead			John Maidstone
1656		Henry Lawrence
January 1659		Abraham Johnson			John Shaw
May 1659		Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660		Sir Harbottle Grimston			John Shaw
1679					Sir Walter Clarges, Bt
1681					Samuel Reynolds
1685		Sir Walter Clarges			Nathaniel Lawrence
1689		Samuel Reynolds			Isaac Rebow
1690					Edward Cary
1692					Sir Isaac Rebow
1694		Sir Thomas Cooke
1695		Sir John Morden, Bt
1698		Sir Thomas Cooke
May 1705		Edward Bullock
December 1705		Sir Thomas Webster, Bt [mpnotes 2]
1711		William Gore
1713		Sir Thomas Webster, Bt
1714 [mpnotes 3]		William Gore			Nicholas Corsellis
1715		Richard Du Cane	Whig		Sir Isaac Rebow	Whig
1722		Sir Thomas Webster	Whig		Matthew Martin	Whig
1727		Stamp Brooksbank	Whig		Samuel Tufnell	Whig
1734		Isaac Lemyng Rebow	Whig		Matthew Martin	Whig
1735		Jacob Houblon	Tory
1741		John Olmius	Whig
1742 [mpnotes 4]		Samuel Savill			Charles Gray [mpnotes 5]	Tory
1747		Richard Savage Nassau
1754		John Olmius	Whig
1755					Isaac Martin Rebow	Whig
1761		Charles Gray	Tory
1780		Sir Robert Smyth, Bt	Radical Whig
1781					Christopher Potter [mpnotes 6]
1782 [mpnotes 6]					Sir Edmund Affleck, Bt [mpnotes 7]
April 1784		Christopher Potter [mpnotes 8]
July 1784		Sir Robert Smyth, Bt	Radical
1788					George Tierney	Radical
1790		Robert Thornton	Tory [15]		George Jackson	Tory
1796					The Lord Muncaster	Tory
1802					John Denison	Tory
1806					William Tufnell	Whig
1807					Richard Hart Davis	Tory [15]
1812					Hart Davis	Tory
1817		Sir William Burroughs, Bt	Tory
February 1818					James Beckford Wildman	Tory [15]
June 1818		Daniel Whittle Harvey [mpnotes 9]	Radical [15]
1820		Henry Baring	Tory
1826		Daniel Whittle Harvey	Radical [15]		Sir George Smyth, Bt	Tory [15]
1829					Richard Sanderson	Tory [15]
1830					Andrew Spottiswoode [mpnotes 10]	Tory [15]
1831					William Mayhew	Whig [15]
1832					Richard Sanderson	Tory [15]
1834						Conservative [15]
1835		Sir George Smyth, Bt	Conservative [15]
1847					Joseph Hardcastle	Whig [16] [17] [18]
1850		Lord John Manners	Conservative
1852					William Warwick Hawkins	Conservative
February 1857		John Gurdon Rebow	Radical [19] [20] [21]
March 1857					Taverner John Miller	Conservative
1859		Philip Oxenden Papillon	Conservative
1865		John Gurdon Rebow	Liberal
1867					Edward Karslake	Conservative
1868					William Brewer	Liberal
1870		Alexander Learmonth	Conservative
1874					Herbert Mackworth-Praed	Conservative
1880		Richard Causton	Liberal		William Willis	Liberal
1885	Representation reduced to one member

Notes

1. Succeeded to a baronetcy, April 1648
2. Webster and Rebow were re-elected in 1714, but on petition the result was reversed and Gore declared to have been duly elected instead, following a dispute over whether foreigners could be made freemen of the borough and thereby acquire voting rights
3. Webster was re-elected in 1710, but on petition the result was reversed and Gore and Corsellis declared to have been duly elected instead, following a further dispute over foreign freemen's voting rights
4. At the election of 1741, Olmius and Martin were returned as elected, but on petition their election was declared void and their opponents, Savill and Gray, declared elected in their place
5. At the election of 1754, Gray was re- elected, but on petition his election was declared void and his opponent, Rebow, declared elected in his place
6. On petition, Potter's election was declared void on the grounds of defective qualification and his opponent, Affleck, declared duly elected
7. Admiral from 1784
8. On petition, Potter was declared ineligible on the grounds of bankruptcy, and a writ for a new election was issued
9. Harvey was re-elected in 1820 but on petition his election was declared void on the grounds of defective qualification and a by-election was held
10. On petition, Spottiswoode's election was declared void and a by-election was held

MPs 1885–1983

See also: List of MPs of Colchester, 1885–1983

Election		Member [14]	Party
	1885	Henry John Trotter	Conservative
	1888 by-election	Lord Brooke	Conservative
	1892	Herbert Naylor-Leyland	Conservative
	1895 by-election	Weetman Pearson	Liberal
	1910	Laming Worthington-Evans	Conservative
	1929	Oswald Lewis	Conservative
	1945	George Smith	Labour
	1950	Cuthbert Alport	Conservative
	1961 by-election	Antony Buck	Conservative
	1983	Constituency abolished

MPs since 1997

Colchester North and South Colchester & Maldon prior to 1997

Election		Member [14]	Party
	1997	Bob Russell	Liberal Democrat
	2015	Will Quince	Conservative
	2024	Pam Cox	Labour

Elections

Graph of election results in Colchester since 1997 (minor parties that never got 2% of the vote or didn't run consistently are omitted)

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Pam Cox [22]	18,804	41.9	+11.8
	Conservative	James Cracknell [23]	10,554	23.5	−28.8
	Reform UK	Terence Longstaff [24]	6,664	14.8	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Goss [25]	6,393	14.2	−0.5
	Green	Sara Ruth [26]	2,414	5.4	+2.5
	Climate	James Rolfe [27]	74	0.2	N/A
Majority			8,250	18.4	N/A
Turnout			44,903	57.0	–6.8
Registered electors			78,662
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	20.3

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election notional result [28]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	25,693	52.3
	Labour	14,753	30.1
	Liberal Democrats	7,209	14.7
	Green	1,436	2.9
Turnout		49,091	63.9
Electorate		76,843

General election 2019: Colchester ^{[29] [30]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Will Quince	26,917	50.4	+4.5
	Labour	Tina McKay	17,494	32.8	−2.5
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Goss	7,432	13.9	−3.1
	Green	Mark Goacher	1,530	2.9	+1.4
Majority			9,423	17.6	+7.0
Turnout			53,373	64.6	−2.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.5

General election 2017: Colchester ^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Will Quince	24,565	45.9	+7.0
	Labour	Tim Young	18,888	35.3	+19.1
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Russell	9,087	17.0	−10.5
	Green	Mark Goacher	828	1.5	−3.6
	CPA	Robin Rennie [32]	177	0.3	+0.1
Majority			5,677	10.6	−0.8
Turnout			53,545	66.9	+1.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	- 6.1

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Colchester

General election 2015: Colchester ^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Will Quince	18,919	38.9	+6.0
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Russell	13,344	27.5	−20.5
	Labour	Jordan Newell	7,852	16.2	+3.9
	UKIP	John Pitts	5,870	12.1	+9.2
	Green	Mark Goacher	2,499	5.1	+3.6
	CPA	Ken Scrimshaw	109	0.2	New
Majority			5,575	11.4	N/A
Turnout			48,593	65.5	+3.2
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	+7.2

General election 2010: Colchester ^{[34] [35]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Russell	22,151	48.0	+0.3
	Conservative	Will Quince	15,169	32.9	+0.8
	Labour	Jordan Newell	5,680	12.3	−7.9
	UKIP	John Pitts	1,350	2.9	New
	BNP	Sidney Chaney	705	1.5	New
	Green	Peter Lynn	694	1.5	New
	English Democrat	Eddie Bone	335	0.7	New
	Peoples Party Essex	Garryck Noble	35	0.1	New
	Independent	Paul Shaw	20	0.0	New
Majority			6,982	15.1	−0.5
Turnout			46,139	62.3	+5.8
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	−0.2

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Colchester ^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Russell	21,145	47.1	+4.5
	Conservative	Kevin Bentley	14,868	33.1	+3.2
	Labour	Laura Bruni	8,886	19.8	−5.2
Majority			6,277	14.0	+1.3
Turnout			44,899	56.8	+0.7
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	+0.6

General election 2001: Colchester ^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Russell	18,627	42.6	+8.2
	Conservative	Kevin Bentley	13,074	29.9	−1.5
	Labour	Christopher Fegan	10,925	25.0	−5.5
	UKIP	Roger Lord	631	1.4	New
	Grey Party	Leonard Overy-Owen	479	1.1	New
Majority			5,553	12.7	+9.7
Turnout			43,736	56.1	−13.1
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	+4.9

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Colchester ^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Bob Russell	17,886	34.4	+1.7
	Conservative	Stephan Shakespeare	16,335	31.4	−10.6
	Labour	Rod Green	15,891	30.5	+6.4
	Referendum	John Hazell	1,776	3.4	New
	Natural Law	Loretta Basker	148	0.3	New
Majority			1,551	3.0	N/A
Turnout			52,036	69.2
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	36,740	52.93
	Labour	Bob Russell	22,877	32.96
	Liberal	M Gage	9,794	14.11
Majority			13,863	19.97
Turnout			69,411	76.62
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	27,693	44.45
	Labour	David Whytock	22,193	35.62
	Liberal	D Christian	12,421	19.94
Majority			5,500	8.83
Turnout			62,307	76.14
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	29,072	43.38
	Labour	David Whytock	22,210	33.14
	Liberal	DW Thomas	15,737	23.48
Majority			6,862	10.24
Turnout			67,019	82.60
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	30,562	52.57
	Labour	John G Bartlett	20,325	34.96
	Liberal	Peter S Watts	7,248	12.47
Majority			10,237	17.61
Turnout			58,135	77.57
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	24,320	45.60
	Labour	Michael Meacher	23,305	43.69
	Liberal	Peter S Watts	5,714	10.71
Majority			1,015	1.91
Turnout			53,339	82.26
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1964: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	23,319	46.03
	Labour	Charles Williams	19,780	39.04
	Liberal	Eric W Rodnight	7,566	14.93
Majority			3,539	6.99
Turnout			50,665	82.06
	Conservative hold		Swing

By Election 1961: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Buck	17,891	47.14	−4.46
	Labour	John Wilson Fear	12,547	33.06	−2.81
	Liberal	Howard Fry	7,487	19.74	+7.26
Majority			5,344	14.08	−1.66
Turnout			37,925
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.8

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cuthbert Alport	24,592	51.63
	Labour	Joan I. Edmonson	17,096	35.89
	Liberal	Peter M Linfoot	5,942	12.48	New
Majority			7,496	15.74
Turnout			47,630	82.44
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Colchester ^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cuthbert Alport	24,796	55.48
	Labour Co-op	Norman R Thomas	19,898	44.52
Majority			4,898	10.96
Turnout			44,694	80.49
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cuthbert Alport	25,063	54.16
	Labour	Xenia Field	21,217	45.84
Majority			3,846	8.32
Turnout			46,280	84.84
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Cuthbert Alport	21,403	46.50
	Labour	Charles Delacourt-Smith	20,472	44.47
	Liberal	David Goldblatt	4,157	9.03
Majority			931	2.03	N/A
Turnout			46,032	86.77
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Charles Delacourt-Smith	16,587	45.31
	Conservative	Oswald Lewis	14,123	38.58
	Liberal	George Alexander Routledge	5,899	16.11	New
Majority			2,464	6.73	N/A
Turnout			36,609	73.87
	Labour gain from Conservative		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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: Oswald Lewis
• Labour: Charles Delacourt-Smith

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Oswald Lewis	19,915	58.65
	Labour	Hubert Beaumont	14,039	41.35
Majority			5,876	17.30
Turnout			33,954	74.63
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Colchester

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Oswald Lewis	22,285	67.51
	Labour	Edward Aylmer Digby	10,725	32.49
Majority			11,560	35.02
Turnout			33,010	76.38
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Colchester ^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Oswald Lewis	13,411	40.3	−16.3
	Labour	Richard Reiss	12,809	38.5	−4.9
	Liberal	William Elliston	6,896	20.7	New
	Ind. Unionist	C.C. Gray	172	0.5	New
Majority			602	1.8	−11.4
Turnout			33,288	79.4	+0.6
Registered electors			41,947
	Unionist hold		Swing	−5.7

General election 1924: Colchester ^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Laming Worthington-Evans	14,283	56.6	+13.2
	Labour	Richard Reiss	10,953	43.4	+9.2
Majority			3,330	13.2	+4.0
Turnout			25,236	78.8	+0.6
Registered electors			32,009
	Unionist hold		Swing	+2.0

General election 1923: Colchester ^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Laming Worthington-Evans	10,535	43.4	−13.3
	Labour	Richard Reiss	8,316	34.2	−9.1
	Liberal	Arthur Horne Goldfinch	5,430	22.4	New
Majority			2,219	9.2	−4.2
Turnout			24,281	78.2	+0.3
Registered electors			31,058
	Unionist hold		Swing	−2.1

Worthington-Evans

General election 1922: Colchester ^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Laming Worthington-Evans	13,142	56.7	−4.4
	Labour	Richard Reiss	10,045	43.3	+4.4
Majority			3,097	13.4	−8.8
Turnout			23,187	77.9	+17.7
Registered electors			29,779
	Unionist hold		Swing	−4.4

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

Causton

General election 1885: Colchester ^{[41] [42] [43]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry John Trotter	2,044	52.1	+3.7
	Liberal	Richard Causton	1,878	47.9	−3.7
Majority			166	4.2	N/A
Turnout			3,922	92.5	+4.1 (est)
Registered electors			4,241
	Conservative win (new seat)

General election 1886: Colchester ^{[41] [42]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry John Trotter	1,996	54.0	+1.9
	Liberal	Richard Causton	1,701	46.0	−1.9
Majority			295	8.0	+2.8
Turnout			3,697	87.2	−5.3
Registered electors			4,241
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.9

Trotter's death a caused a by-election.

By-election, 18 Dec 1888: Colchester ^{[41] [42]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Francis Greville	2,126	55.8	+1.8
	Liberal	William Brampton Gurdon	1,687	44.2	−1.8
Majority			439	11.6	+3.6
Turnout			3,813	86.3	−0.9
Registered electors			4,417
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.8

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Colchester ^{[41] [42]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Herbert Naylor-Leyland	2,173	50.7	−3.3
	Liberal	Weetman Pearson	2,112	49.3	+3.3
Majority			61	1.4	−6.6
Turnout			4,285	85.7	−1.5
Registered electors			5,000
	Conservative hold		Swing	−3.3

Pearson

1895 Colchester by-election ^{[41] [42] [44]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Weetman Pearson	2,559	52.7	+3.4
	Conservative	John Medlicott Vereker	2,296	47.3	−3.4
Majority			263	5.4	N/A
Turnout			4,855	92.4	+6.7
Registered electors			5,257
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+3.4

General election 1895: Colchester ^{[41] [42] [44]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Weetman Pearson	2,475	52.2	+2.9
	Conservative	Edward Samuel Norris	2,270	47.8	−2.9
Majority			205	4.4	N/A
Turnout			4,745	90.3	+4.6
Registered electors			5,257
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.9

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Colchester ^{[41] [42] [44]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Weetman Pearson	2,548	52.8	+0.6
	Conservative	Trevenen Holland	2,274	47.2	−0.6
Majority			274	5.6	+1.2
Turnout			4,822	85.1	−5.2
Registered electors			5,663
	Liberal hold		Swing	+0.6

General election 1906: Colchester ^{[41] [42]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Weetman Pearson	3,122	52.6	−0.2
	Conservative	Laming Worthington-Evans	2,812	47.4	+0.2
Majority			310	5.2	−0.4
Turnout			5,934	92.3	+7.2
Registered electors			6,426
	Liberal hold		Swing	−0.2

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Colchester ^{[41] [45]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Laming Worthington-Evans	3,717	56.0	+8.6
	Liberal	Frederick Whitley-Thomson	2,926	44.0	−8.6
Majority			791	12.0	N/A
Turnout			6,643	91.9	−0.4
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+8.6

General election December 1910: Colchester ^{[41] [45]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Laming Worthington-Evans	3,489	54.8	−1.2
	Liberal	Edgar Vincent	2,874	45.2	+1.2
Majority			615	9.6	−2.4
Turnout			6,363	88.1	−3.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.2

General Election 1914/15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Unionist: Laming Worthington-Evans
• Liberal: Arthur Horne Goldfinch ^[46]
• Labour: Robert Morley ^[47]

General election 1918: Colchester ^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Laming Worthington-Evans	11,186	61.1	+6.3
	Labour	Andrew Conley	7,112	38.9	New
Majority			4,074	22.2	+12.6
Turnout			18,298	60.2	−27.9
Registered electors			30,372
	Unionist hold		Swing
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Election results 1832–1885

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Colchester ^{[48] [15]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Richard Sanderson	648	48.7	+18.5
	Radical	Daniel Whittle Harvey	411	30.9	−4.6
	Whig	William Mayhew	272	20.4	−13.9
Turnout			991	90.2	c. +16.3
Registered electors			1,099
Majority			376	28.3	N/A
	Tory gain from Whig
Majority			139	10.5	+9.3
	Radical hold		Swing	−11.6

General election 1835: Colchester ^{[48] [15]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Sanderson	637	37.3	+13.0
	Conservative	George Smyth	568	33.2	+8.9
	Whig	Henry Tufnell	505	29.5	+9.1
Majority			63	3.7	−24.6
Turnout			1,040	90.3	+0.1
Registered electors			1,152
	Conservative hold
	Conservative gain from Radical		Swing	+2.2

General election 1837: Colchester ^{[48] [15]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Sanderson	472	38.9	+1.6
	Conservative	George Smyth	435	35.9	+2.7
	Radical	James Ruddell-Todd	306	25.2	N/A
Majority			129	10.7	+7.0
Turnout			739	62.9	−27.4
Registered electors			1,175
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Colchester ^{[48] [15]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Sanderson	Unopposed
	Conservative	George Smyth	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,176
	Conservative hold
	Conservative hold

General election 1847: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Smyth	678	37.6	N/A
	Whig	Joseph Hardcastle	596	33.0	New
	Conservative	Richard Sanderson	531	29.4	N/A
Turnout			903 (est)	71.7 (est)	N/A
Registered electors			1,258
Majority			82	4.6	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			65	3.6	N/A
	Whig gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1850s

Smyth's resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 9 February 1850: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Manners	622	61.5	−5.5
	Whig	George Wingrove Cooke [49] [50] [51]	389	38.5	+5.5
Majority			233	23.0	+18.4
Turnout			1,011 (est)	80.9 (est)	+9.2
Registered electors			1,250
	Conservative hold		Swing	−5.5

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

By-election, 4 March 1852: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Manners	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1852: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Warwick Hawkins	686	36.7	−0.9
	Conservative	John Manners	615	32.9	+3.5
	Whig	Joseph Hardcastle	468	25.1	−7.9
	Conservative	Henry Thoby Prinsep [52]	98	5.2	N/A
Majority			147	7.8	+3.2
Turnout			934 (est)	74.2 (est)	+2.5
Registered electors			1,258
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.5
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+3.7

Manners resigned to contest the 1852 by-election in North Leicestershire, causing a by-election.

By-election, 24 February 1857: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Radical	John Gurdon Rebow	563	54.6	N/A
	Conservative	Taverner John Miller	462	44.8	N/A
	Radical	William Rawdon Havens [53] [54] [55]	7	0.7	N/A
Majority			101	9.8	N/A
Turnout			1,032 (est)	80.5 (est)	+6.3
Registered electors			1,282
	Radical gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

General election 1857: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Taverner John Miller	599	48.8	N/A
	Radical	John Gurdon Rebow	581	47.3	N/A
	Radical	William Rawdon Havens	48	3.9	N/A
Majority			18	1.5	−6.3
Turnout			614 (est)	47.9 (est)	−26.3
Registered electors			1,282
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A
	Radical gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

General election 1859: Colchester ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Taverner John Miller	651	36.8	+12.4
	Conservative	Philip Oxenden Papillon	598	33.8	+9.4
	Liberal	John Gurdon Rebow	518	29.3	−18.0
Majority			80	4.5	+3.0
Turnout			884 (est)	70.3 (est)	+22.4
Registered electors			1,257
	Conservative hold		Swing	+10.7
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+9.2

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Colchester (2 seats) ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Gurdon Rebow	691	36.5	+7.2
	Conservative	Taverner John Miller	640	33.8	−3.0
	Conservative	Philip Oxenden Papillon [56]	561	29.7	−4.1
Majority			130	6.8	N/A
Turnout			1,292 (est)	91.9 (est)	+21.6
Registered electors			1,405
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+7.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	−3.3

Miller resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 15 Feb 1867: Colchester (1 seat) ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Karslake	675	53.0	−10.5
	Liberal	William Brewer	598	47.0	+10.5
Majority			77	6.0	N/A
Turnout			1,273	90.6	−1.3
Registered electors			1,405
	Conservative hold		Swing	−10.5

General election 1868: Colchester (2 seats) ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Gurdon Rebow	1,467	27.2	+8.9
	Liberal	William Brewer	1,417	26.3	+8.0
	Conservative	Edward Karslake	1,284	23.8	−10.0
	Conservative	Alexander Learmonth	1,217	22.6	−7.1
Majority			133	2.5	−4.3
Turnout			2,693 (est)	90.7 (est)	−1.2
Registered electors			3,183
	Liberal hold		Swing	+8.0
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+9.0

Elections in the 1870s

Rebow's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 3 Nov 1870: Colchester (1 seat) ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander Learmonth	1,363	61.5	+15.1
	Liberal	Henry Knight Storks [57]	853	38.5	−15.0
Majority			510	23.0	N/A
Turnout			2,216	70.5	−20.2
Registered electors			3,145
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+15.1

General election 1874: Colchester (2 seats) ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander Learmonth	1,515	28.0	+5.4
	Conservative	Herbert Mackworth-Praed	1,407	26.0	+2.2
	Liberal	William Brewer	1,279	23.6	−2.7
	Liberal	Richard Causton	1,218	22.5	−4.7
Majority			128	2.4	N/A
Turnout			2,710 (est)	85.1 (est)	−5.6
Registered electors			3,183
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+4.1
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+3.5

Elections in the 1880s

Causton

General election 1880: Colchester (2 seats) ^[48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Richard Causton	1,738	26.5	+4.0
	Liberal	William Willis	1,650	25.1	+1.5
	Conservative	Alexander Learmonth	1,648	25.1	−2.9
	Conservative	Francis Jeune [58]	1,529	23.3	−2.7
Majority			2	0.0	N/A
Turnout			3,283 (est)	88.4 (est)	−0.7
Registered electors			3,713
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+3.5
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.1

Elections before 1832

General election 1831: Colchester ^{[15] [59]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Radical	Daniel Whittle Harvey	617	35.5	−4.8
	Whig	William Mayhew	595	34.3	+10.0
	Tory	Richard Sanderson	524	30.2	−5.2
Turnout			1,109	c. 73.9
Registered electors			c. 1,500
Majority			22	1.2	−3.7
	Radical hold		Swing	−7.4
Majority			71	4.1	N/A
	Whig gain from Tory		Swing	+7.6

By-election, 9 April 1831: Colchester ^{[15] [59]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	William Mayhew	604	55.2	+30.9
	Tory	Sir William Curtis, 2nd Baronet	490	44.8	+9.4
Majority			114	10.4	N/A
Turnout			1,094	c. 72.9
Registered electors			c. 1,500
	Whig gain from Tory		Swing	+10.8

• Caused by Spottiswoode being unseated on petition

General election 1830: Colchester ^{[15] [59]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Radical	Daniel Whittle Harvey	650	40.3
	Tory	Andrew Spottiswoode	571	35.4
	Whig	William Mayhew	393	24.3
Turnout			1,614
Registered electors			c. 1,500
Majority			79	4.9
	Radical hold		Swing
Majority			178	11.1	'
	Tory hold		Swing

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Essex

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
2. "Statement on the next General Election". 9 June 2023.
3. "Colchester | History of Parliament Online". www.histparl.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
4. Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, (48-49 Vict. Chapter 23), Schedule 2
5. Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.
6. Craig, F. W. S. (1972). Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-09-4.
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
10. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
11. Cavill. The English Parliaments of Henry VII 1485-1504.
12. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
13. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
14. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
15. Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp.  106–108. ISBN   0-900178-13-2.
16. "Reference: D/B 5 Pb1/1". Essex Record Office. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
17. "Neighbouring Counties" . Norfolk News. 7 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 21 April 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
18. Gardeners Chronicle & New Horticulturist, Volume 7. Haymarket Publishing. 1847. p. 233. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
19. "Election Intelligence" . Morning Post. 16 March 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
20. "The Coming Election". The Essex County Standard. 25 March 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
21. "The Dissolution" . Essex Standard. 18 March 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
22. "Pam Cox is Labour's Parliamentary choice for Colchester". Colchester Gazette. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
23. "James Cracknell: Olympic rowing champion chosen as Tory candidate for Colchester at next general election". Sky News. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
24. "Colchester constituency". Reform UK . Retrieved 31 March 2024.
25. "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack . Retrieved 21 December 2023.
26. "Introducing Your Green Parliamentary Candidates". Colchester Green Party. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
27. "Colchester". BBC News . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
28. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament . Retrieved 11 July 2024.
29. "Colchester Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
30. "Colchester parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
31. "Last night we selected our two candidates for the General Election. Mark Goacher will be standing in the Colchester constituency and Blake Roberts in Harwich and North Essex!". Colchester & District Green Party Facebook page. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
32. East Anglian Daily Times
33. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
34. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
35. "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Colchester". news.bbc.co.uk.
36. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
37. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
38. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
39. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
40. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
41. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
42. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
43. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
44. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
45. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
46. 'GOLDFINCH, Sir Arthur Horne', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 29 Nov 2016
47. Dictionary of Labour Biography
48. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   978-1-349-02349-3.
49. "Representation of Colchester" . Morning Advertiser. 8 February 1850. p. 2. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
50. "Colchester Election" . Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette. 14 February 1850. p. 4. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
51. "From our Private Correspondent" . Dublin Evening Mail. 11 February 1850. p. 2. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
52. "Colchester" . Chelsmford Chronicle. 9 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
53. "Colchester" . Bury Free Press. 14 February 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
54. "Colchester Election" . Essex Standard. 27 February 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
55. "Election Intelligence" . Bucks Herald. 28 February 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 5 May 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
56. "Colchester Election" . Essex Standard . 14 July 1865. p. 2. Retrieved 5 February 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
57. "Colchester Election" . Essex Standard . 4 November 1870. p. 4. Retrieved 28 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
58. "Essex" . Bury and Norwich Post. 21 February 1888. p. 8. Retrieved 25 November 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
59. Fisher, David R. "Colchester". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 10 April 2020.

Sources

• Robert Beatson, "A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament" (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) A Chronological Register of Both Houses of the British Parliament, from the Union in 1708, to the Third Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1807
• D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
• Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) titles A-Z
• F W S Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885" (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
• J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
• Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847 (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig - Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973)
• Victoria County History of Essex online at www.british-history.ac.uk

External links

• Colchester UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Colchester UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Colchester UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK