Gravesend (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Gravesend
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Gravesend1974Constituency.svg
Gravesend in Kent, showing boundaries used from 1974-1983
1868–1983
Seatsone
Created from West Kent
Replaced by Gravesham and Medway [1]

Gravesend was a county constituency centred on the town of Gravesend, Kent which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election. It is most notable for being a bellwether, with the winner of Gravesend (and its successor Gravesham) winning every election from 1918 through to the present day except for 1929, 1951, and 2005.

Contents

Boundaries

1868–1885: The parishes of Gravesend, Milton, and Northfleet. [2]

1918–1950: The Borough of Gravesend, the Urban District of Northfleet, and the Rural Districts of Hoo and Strood.

1950–1955: The Borough of Gravesend, the Urban Districts of Northfleet and Swanscombe, [3] and the Rural District of Strood.

1955–1983: The Borough of Gravesend, the Urban District of Northfleet, and the Rural District of Strood.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1868 Sir Charles John Wingfield Liberal
1874 Bedford Pim Conservative
1880 Thomas Bevan Liberal
1880 by-election Sir Sydney Waterlow Liberal
1885 John Bazley White Conservative
1892 James Dampier Palmer Conservative
1898 by-election John Ryder Conservative
1900 Sir Gilbert Parker Conservative
1918 by-election Sir Alexander Richardson Conservative
1923 George Isaacs Labour
1924 Sir Irving Albery Conservative
1945 Garry Allighan Labour
1947 by-election Sir Richard Acland Labour
1955 Peter Kirk Conservative
1964 Albert Murray Labour
1970 Roger White Conservative
Feb 1974 John Ovenden Labour
1979 Tim Brinton Conservative
1983 constituency abolished: see Gravesham

Election results

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Gravesend [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Charles John Wingfield 1,237 53.6
Conservative Bedford Pim 1,06946.4
Majority1687.2
Turnout 2,30684.7
Registered electors 2,722
Liberal win (new seat)

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Gravesend [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bedford Pim 1,355 54.3 +7.9
Liberal Charles John Wingfield 1,14245.7−7.9
Majority2148.6N/A
Turnout 2,49787.4+2.7
Registered electors 2,856
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.9

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Gravesend [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Bevan 1,544 52.1 +6.4
Conservative Francis Wyatt Truscott 1,42247.9−6.4
Majority1224.2N/A
Turnout 2,96690.3+2.9
Registered electors 3,286
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.4

The 1880 election was declared void on account of bribery, whereby Bevan had "given his men a holiday and paid them their wages". [5]

1880 Gravesend by-election: Gravesend [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Sydney Waterlow 1,504 53.9 +1.8
Conservative Robert Peel 1,28446.1−1.8
Majority2207.8+3.6
Turnout 2,78884.8-5.5
Registered electors 3,286
Liberal hold Swing +1.8
General election 1885: Gravesend [6] [7] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Bazley White 1,916 50.9 +3.0
Liberal Thomas Bevan 1,85049.1−3.0
Majority661.8N/A
Turnout 3,76689.7−0.6
Registered electors 4,200
Conservative hold Swing +3.0
General election 1886: Gravesend [6] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Bazley White 1,938 57.5 +6.6
Liberal Edward Smyth Pryce1,43042.5-6.6
Majority50815.0+13.2
Turnout 3,36880.2-9.5
Registered electors 4,200
Conservative hold Swing +6.6

Elections in the 1890s

Shipman John Greenwood Shipman.jpg
Shipman
General election 1892: Gravesend [6] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Dampier Palmer 2,370 59.4 +1.9
Liberal John Greenwood Shipman 1,61940.6-1.9
Majority75118.8+3.8
Turnout 3,98982.7+2.5
Registered electors 4,821
Conservative hold Swing +1.9
Palmer James Dampier Palmer.jpg
Palmer
General election 1895: Gravesend [6] [7] [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Dampier Palmer 2,405 66.4 +7.0
Lib-Lab Leslie Morton Johnson1,21833.6-7.0
Majority1,18732.8+14.0
Turnout 3,62372.4-10.3
Registered electors 5,001
Conservative hold Swing +7.0

Palmer resigned, causing a by-election.

Runciman 1905 Walter Runciman.jpg
Runciman

1898 Gravesend by-election [6] [7] [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Ryder 2,372 54.8 -11.6
Liberal Walter Runciman 1,95545.2+11.6
Majority4179.6-23.2
Turnout 4,32782.0+9.6
Registered electors 5,276
Conservative hold Swing -11.6

Elections in the 1900s

Harmsworth Hildebrand Aubrey Harmsworth.jpg
Harmsworth
General election 1900: Gravesend [6] [7] [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Parker 2,542 58.5 −7.9
Liberal Hildebrand Harmsworth 1,80441.5+7.9
Majority73817.0−15.8
Turnout 4,34677.6+5.2
Registered electors 5,600
Conservative hold Swing −7.9
Parker Portrait of Gilbert Parker.jpg
Parker
General election 1906: Gravesend [6] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Parker 3,102 57.6 −0.9
Liberal Sir William Nevill Montgomerie Geary, 5th Baronet1,41326.2−15.3
Labour Repr. Cmte. James Macpherson87316.2New
Majority1,68931.4+14.4
Turnout 5,38882.0+4.4
Registered electors 6,568
Conservative hold Swing +7.2

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Gravesend [6] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Parker 3,286 55.7 -1.9
Liberal Samuel Roberts Jenkins2,61244.3+18.1
Majority67411.4-20.0
Turnout 5,89887.6+5.6
Conservative hold Swing -10.0
General election December 1910: Gravesend [6] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gilbert Parker 3,108 55.4 -0.3
Liberal Samuel Roberts Jenkins2,50644.6+0.3
Majority60210.8-0.6
Turnout 5,61483.4-4.2
Conservative hold Swing -0.3

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;

1918 Gravesend by-election [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Alexander Richardson 1,312 44.0 -11.4
Ind. Unionist Henry Edward Davis1,10637.1New
Independent Labour Harry Hinkley56218.9New
Majority2066.9-3.9
Turnout 2,98036.6-46.8
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1918: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Alexander Richardson 7,84151.6−3.8
Labour James Butts3,25421.5New
Ind. Unionist Henry Edward Davis1,81712.0N/A
Liberal Charles Edward Best1,2718.4−36.2
National Harry Hinkley9856.5New
Majority4,58730.1+19.3
Turnout 15,16848.8−34.6
Registered electors 31,070
Unionist hold Swing +21.6
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Alexander Richardson 8,166 40.6 −11.0
Labour George Isaacs 7,18035.6+14.1
Ind. Unionist *Henry Edward Davies4,79623.8+11.8
Majority9865.0−25.1
Turnout 20,14263.0+14.2
Registered electors 31,972
Unionist hold Swing −12.6

* Davies stood for election as an 'Anti-Waste' candidate, but was not officially supported by the Anti-Waste League

General election 1923: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour George Isaacs 9,776 43.4 +7.8
Unionist Alexander Richardson 9,65742.8+2.2
Liberal Laurence Harry Duniam Jones3,12313.8New
Majority1190.6N/A
Turnout 22,55668.8+5.8
Registered electors 32,781
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +2.9
General election 1924: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Irving Albery 15,410 58.4 +15.6
Labour George Isaacs 10,96941.6−1.8
Majority4,44116.8N/A
Turnout 26,37978.0+9.2
Registered electors 33,840
Unionist gain from Labour Swing +8.7
General election 1929: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Irving Albery 14,644 46.1 −12.3
Labour William James Humphreys12,87140.6−1.0
Liberal Frederick William Kershaw4,22013.3New
Majority1,7735.5−13.3
Turnout 31,73571.8−6.2
Registered electors 44,226
Unionist hold Swing −5.7

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Irving Albery 22,410 64.2 +18.1
Labour Ben Greene 12,48835.8−4.8
Majority9,92228.4+22.9
Turnout 34,89875.7+3.9
Conservative hold Swing +11.5
General election 1935: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Irving Albery 20,438 56.1 −8.1
Labour Ben Greene 15,99443.9+8.1
Majority4,44412.2−16.2
Turnout 36,43272.4−3.3
Conservative hold Swing −8.1

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Garry Allighan 21,609 52.5 +8.6
Conservative Irving Albery 14,55335.3−20.8
Liberal Reginald Edwin Goodfellow5,03312.2New
Majority7,05617.2N/A
Turnout 41,19574.5+2.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 14.7
1947 Gravesend by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Richard Acland 24,692 51.8 −0.7
Conservative Frank K. Taylor23,01748.2+12.9
Majority1,6753.6−13.6
Turnout 47,709
Labour hold Swing −6.1

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Richard Acland 28,297 53.07
Conservative John Gerrard Lowe22,72642.62
Liberal Mavis Doreen Ayliffe2,2984.31New
Majority5,57110.45
Turnout 53,32186.29
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Richard Acland 30,055 55.29
Conservative Charles P T Burke24,30044.71
Majority5,75510.58
Turnout 54,35585.74
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Kirk 22,058 46.22
Labour Victor Mishcon 19,14940.13
Independent Richard Acland 6,51413.65New
Majority2,9096.09N/A
Turnout 47,72180.75
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1959: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Kirk 27,124 52.08 +5.86
Labour Victor Mishcon 24,96247.92+7.79
Majority2,1624.16-1.93
Turnout 52,08682.29
Conservative hold Swing -1.0

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Albert Murray 26,074 45.41 -3.81
Conservative Peter Kirk 25,32644.11-7.97
Liberal Jack Harris Barnett6,01510.48New
Majority7481.30N/A
Turnout 57,41580.40
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +2.1
General election 1966: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Albert Murray 30,276 49.75 +4.34
Conservative Roger White 25,48441.88-2.23
Liberal Jack Harris Barnett5,0928.37-2.11
Majority4,7927.87+6.57
Turnout 60,85282.04
Labour hold Swing +3.3

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Roger White 29,924 46.85 +4.97
Labour Albert Murray 28,71144.95-4.80
Liberal Michael J Dunn5,2348.19-0.18
Majority1,2131.90N/A
Turnout 63,86975.93
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.9
General election February 1974: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Ovenden 29,571 40.83
Conservative Roger White 27,98938.65
Liberal DC Mumford13,13618.14
National Front JD Turner1,7262.38New
Majority1,5822.18N/A
Turnout 72,42283.73
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election October 1974: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Ovenden 29,569 43.09
Conservative Richard Needham 27,26439.73
Liberal L Cartier10,24414.93
National Front JD Turner1,3041.90
More Prosperous Britain Tom Keen2390.35New
Majority2,3053.36
Turnout 68,62078.63
Labour hold Swing
General election 1979: Gravesend
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tim Brinton 37,592 51.95
Labour John Ovenden 28,24639.04
Liberal Ian Goodwin5,9178.18
National Front George Willden6030.83
Majority9,34612.91N/A
Turnout 72,35881.40
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "'Gravesend', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Representation of the People Act 1867" (PDF). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  3. ↑ In 1955 Swanscombe was returned to the westerly Dartford seat where it was temporarily removed from and where it remains.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   978-1-349-02349-3.
  5. ↑ "The Week" . Eddowes's Journal, and General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality of Wales. 16 June 1880. p. 8. Retrieved 27 November 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  8. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  9. 1 2 3 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  10. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916

Bibliography

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