Frome (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Frome
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County Somerset
Major settlements Frome
18851950
SeatsOne
Replaced by North Somerset and Wells
18321885
SeatsOne
Type of constituency Borough constituency

Frome was a constituency centred on the town of Frome in Somerset. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832, until it was abolished for the 1950 general election. Between 1832 and 1885, it was a parliamentary borough; after 1885 it was a county constituency, a division of Somerset.

Contents

History

Frome was one of the boroughs created by the Great Reform Act of 1832, [1] as the town was at that point one of the bigger towns in England which was not already represented, and its then-flourishing woollen manufacturing industry made it seem likely to grow further. The new borough consisted only of the town of Frome, and had a population (according to the 1831 census) of approximately 11,240. The registered electorate at the 1832 election was 322. Frome was near to Longleat, and the Marquess of Bath was influential in election outcomes throughout its life as a borough.

However, the town did not increase dramatically in size in the next few years, and the electorate was still only just over 400 by 1865, although the extension of the franchise at the 1868 election trebled this. By the time of the Third Reform Act, Frome was too small to continue as a constituency in itself and the borough was abolished with effect from the 1885 election.

The new county division into which the town was placed consisted of the whole north-eastern corner of Somerset, except for Bath, and was named after the town, as The Frome Division of Somerset. Nevertheless, Frome contributed only a minority of the voters in the constituency, which also included Weston (Bath), Radstock, Bathampton and Batheaston, to say nothing of the freeholders of Bath, who voted in this division under the arrangements that gave property owners in boroughs a vote in the adjoining county constituency; by the time of the First World War, the population was around 60,000. This constituency was a mixed one, with suburban voters at Weston and in the Bath suburbs, agricultural villages between Bath and Frome, growing mining interests round Radstock and some industry at Twerton. This made the constituency marginal between the Conservatives and Liberals, and the victor's majority was rarely more than a few hundred votes.

There were further boundary changes in 1918, when the number of constituencies in Somerset was reduced from nine to seven. Frome's boundaries were extended westwards to the fringes of Bristol, bringing in Midsomer Norton and the areas round Clutton, Chew Magna and Keynsham (previously in the Northern division): the revised constituency consisted of the urban districts of Frome, Midsomer Norton and Radstock, the Bath, Clutton and Keynsham rural districts and all but six parishes of Frome Rural District. This, too, was a marginal constituency, and except in 1923 was always won at general elections by the party which was successful nationally.

The Frome constituency was abolished in the boundary changes which came into effect at the 1950 election, Frome itself being transferred to the Wells division but most of the remainder of the constituency forming the bulk of the new Somerset North.

Members of Parliament

Frome parliamentary borough

ElectionMemberPartyNotes
1832 Thomas Sheppard [2] Whig [3]
1835 Conservative [3]
1847 Hon. Robert Boyle [2] Whig [4] [5] 4th son of Edmund Boyle, 8th Earl of Cork
1854 by-election Richard Boyle, Viscount Dungarvan [2] Whig [6] [7] later 9th Earl of Cork
1856 by-election Hon. William Boyle [2] Whig [8] [9] younger brother of Richard Boyle, Viscount Dungarvan
1857 Donald Nicoll [2] Radical [8] [9] [10] [11]
1859 Lord Edward Thynne [2] Conservative previously MP for Weobley 1826–32
1865 Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt. [2] Liberal noted orientalist, previously MP for Reigate
1868 Thomas Hughes [2] Liberal author of Tom Brown's Schooldays
1874 Henry Lopes [2] Conservative previously MP for Launceston, later a Lord Justice of Appeal
1876 by-election Henry Samuelson [2] Liberal previously MP for Cheltenham
1885 parliamentary borough constituency abolished, name transferred to a new county division

Frome division of Somerset

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Lawrence James Baker Liberal
1886 Thomas Thynne, Viscount Weymouth Conservative
1892 John Barlow Liberal
1895 Thomas Thynne, Viscount Weymouth Conservative
1896 Sir John Barlow Liberal
1918 Percy Hurd Unionist
1923 Frederick Gould Labour
1924 Geoffrey Peto Unionist
1929 Frederick Gould Labour
1931 Henry Thynne, Viscount Weymouth Conservative
1935 Mavis Tate Conservative
1945 Walter Farthing Labour
1950 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Frome [12] [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Thomas Sheppard 163 62.0
Whig Sir Thomas Swymmer Mostyn-Champneys, 2nd Baronet10038.0
Majority6324.0
Turnout 26381.7
Registered electors 322
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: Frome [12] [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Thomas Sheppard 100 43.7 New
Radical Matthew Bridges [13] 7834.1N/A
Whig Courtenay Boyle 5122.315.7
Majority229.614.4
Turnout 22980.41.3
Registered electors 285
Conservative gain from Whig Swing 1.3
General election 1837: Frome [12] [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Thomas Sheppard 124 50.8 +7.1
Whig Courtenay Boyle 12049.2+26.9
Majority41.68.0
Turnout 24483.8+3.4
Registered electors 291
Conservative hold Swing 9.9

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Frome [12] [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Thomas Sheppard 154 54.4 +3.6
Whig William Jesser Sturch12945.63.6
Majority258.8+7.2
Turnout 28383.20.6
Registered electors 340
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General election 1847: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Robert Edward Boyle Unopposed
Registered electors 412
Whig gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Robert Edward Boyle Unopposed
Registered electors 383
Whig hold

The election was declared void on petition after Boyle was declared ineligible due to his holding of the office of Secretary to the Order of St Patrick. Ahead of the ensuing by-election, Boyle resigned this position. [14]

By-election, 7 March 1853: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Robert Edward Boyle Unopposed
Whig hold

Boyle's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 24 October 1854: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Richard Boyle 181 58.4 N/A
Radical Donald Nicoll 12941.6N/A
Majority5216.8N/A
Turnout 31084.9N/A
Registered electors 365
Whig hold Swing N/A

Boyle succeeded to the peerage, becoming 9th Earl of Cork and Orrery, causing a by-election.

By-election, 23 July 1856: Frome [12] [8] [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig William George Boyle 158 50.2 N/A
Radical Donald Nicoll 15749.8N/A
Majority10.4N/A
Turnout 31586.1N/A
Registered electors 366
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1857: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Radical Donald Nicoll 162 49.7 N/A
Whig William George Boyle 9228.2N/A
Conservative Edward Thynne 7222.1New
Majority7021.5N/A
Turnout 32689.8N/A
Registered electors 363
Radical gain from Whig Swing N/A
General election 1859: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Thynne 194 56.9 +34.8
Liberal Donald Nicoll 14743.134.8
Majority4713.8N/A
Turnout 34188.61.2
Registered electors 385
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +34.8

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry Rawlinson 206 53.0 +9.9
Conservative James Whalley Dawe Thomas Wickham [15] 18347.09.9
Majority236.0N/A
Turnout 38994.0+5.4
Registered electors 414
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +9.9
General election 1868: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Hughes 571 54.5 +1.5
Conservative William Campbell Sleigh 47645.51.5
Majority959.0+3.0
Turnout 1,04782.611.4
Registered electors 1,267
Liberal hold Swing +1.5

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Lopes 642 53.5 +8.0
Liberal William Henry Willans [16] 55746.58.0
Majority857.0N/A
Turnout 1,19990.4+7.8
Registered electors 1,327
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.0

Lopes resigned after being appointed a judge of the Common Pleas Division of the High Court of Justice.

By-election, 24 Nov 1876: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry Samuelson 661 53.8 +7.3
Conservative James Fergusson 56846.27.3
Majority937.6N/A
Turnout 1,22991.0+0.6
Registered electors 1,351
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +7.3

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Frome [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry Samuelson Unopposed
Registered electors 1,383
Liberal gain from Conservative
General election 1885: Frome [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Lawrence James Baker 4,735 54.4 N/A
Conservative Thomas Thynne 3,97245.6New
Majority7638.8N/A
Turnout 8,70782.9N/A
Registered electors 10,498
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1886: Frome [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Thomas Thynne 4,348 54.4 +8.8
Liberal Godfrey Samuelson 3,64545.6−8.8
Majority7038.8N/A
Turnout 7,99376.1−6.8
Registered electors 10,498
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.8

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Frome [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Barlow 4,747 52.7 +7.1
Conservative Thomas Thynne 4,26047.3−7.1
Majority4875.4N/A
Turnout 9,00781.7+5.6
Registered electors 11,031
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +7.1
General election 1895: Frome [17] [18] [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Thomas Thynne 5,043 52.0 +4.7
Liberal John Barlow 4,66048.0−4.7
Majority3834.0N/A
Turnout 9,70383.4+1.7
Registered electors 11,633
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.7
Barlow John Emmott Barlow.jpg
Barlow
1896 Frome by-election [17] [18] [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Barlow 5,062 51.5 +3.5
Conservative Alexander Thynne 4,76348.5−3.5
Majority2993.0N/A
Turnout 9,82583.7+0.3
Registered electors 11,736
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.5

Elections in the 1900s

Barlow 1906 John Barlow.jpg
Barlow
General election 1900: Frome [17] [18] [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Barlow 5,066 51.8 +3.8
Conservative Ellis Hume-Williams 4,70848.23.8
Majority3583.6N/A
Turnout 9,77479.44.0
Registered electors 12,317
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.8
General election 1906: Frome [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Barlow 6,297 58.0 +6.2
Conservative Charles Foxcroft 4,55242.06.2
Majority1,74516.0+12.4
Turnout 10,84986.0+6.6
Registered electors 12,612
Liberal hold Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Frome [17] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Barlow 6,248 53.3 −4.7
Conservative Charles Foxcroft 5,46946.7+4.7
Majority7796.6−9.4
Turnout 11,71789.0+3.0
Liberal hold Swing -4.7
General election December 1910: Frome [17] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Barlow 5,944 52.6 −0.7
Conservative Charles Foxcroft 5,36647.4+0.7
Majority5785.2−1.4
Turnout 11,31085.9−3.1
Liberal hold Swing -0.7

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;

General election December 1918: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Percy Hurd 11,11846.60.8
Labour Edward Gill 10,45443.9New
Liberal John Barlow 2,0048.444.2
National Thomas Kincaid-Smith 2581.1New
Majority6642.7N/A
Turnout 23,83467.718.2
Registered electors 35,222
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +21.7
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Percy Hurd 15,017 51.2 +4.6
Labour Edward Gill 14,31148.8+4.9
Majority7062.40.3
Turnout 29,32882.2+14.5
Registered electors 35,698
Unionist hold Swing 0.2
General election 1923: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frederick Gould 15,902 54.4 +5.6
Unionist Percy Hurd 13,30645.65.6
Majority2,5968.8N/A
Turnout 29,20879.72.5
Registered electors 36,628
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +5.6
General election 1924: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Geoffrey Peto 16,397 52.8 +7.2
Labour Frederick Gould 14,65247.27.2
Majority1,7455.6N/A
Turnout 31,04982.9+3.2
Registered electors 37,438
Unionist gain from Labour Swing +7.2
General election 1929: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frederick Gould 18,524 45.5 1.7
Unionist Geoffrey Peto 16,37840.312.5
Liberal Colin Stratton-Hallett5,77414.2New
Majority2,1465.2N/A
Turnout 40,67686.5+3.6
Registered electors 47,039
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +5.4

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Thynne 24,858 58.3 +18.0
Labour Frederick Gould 17,74841.7−3.8
Majority7,11016.6N/A
Turnout 42,60687.3+0.8
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +10.9
General election 1935: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Mavis Tate 19,684 46.3 −12.0
Labour Kim Mackay 18,69043.9+2.2
Liberal Philip William Hopkins4,1779.8New
Majority9942.4−14.2
Turnout 42,55182.5−4.8
Conservative hold Swing -7.1

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: Frome [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Walter Farthing 29,735 55.1 +11.2
Conservative Mavis Tate 24,22844.9−1.4
Majority5,50710.2N/A
Turnout 53,96378.4−4.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.8

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