Petersfield (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Petersfield
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Petersfield1974Constituency.svg
Petersfield in Hampshire, showing boundaries used from 1974–1983
1547–1983
Seats1547–1832: two
1832–1983: one
Created from Hampshire
Replaced by East Hampshire, Winchester and Fareham [1]

Petersfield was an English Parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Petersfield in Hampshire. It existed for several hundred years until its abolition for the 1983 general election.

Contents

Until 1832, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Thereafter, its representation was reduced to one member until its abolition in 1983.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Alton, Droxford, and Petersfield, and part of the Sessional Division of Winchester.

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Alton and Petersfield, and the Rural Districts of Alresford, Alton, Catherington, Droxford, and Petersfield.

1950–1955: The Urban Districts of Alton and Petersfield, the Rural Districts of Alton, Droxford, and Petersfield, and in the Rural District of Winchester the parishes of Botley, Burlesdon, Hamble, Hedge End, Hound, and West End.

1955–1983: The Urban Districts of Alton and Petersfield, and the Rural Districts of Alton, Droxford, and Petersfield.

Members of Parliament

MPs for Petersfield borough (1547–1885)

MPs 1547–1660

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1547 George Tadlowe Lawrence Elveden alias Cattaneo [2]
1553 (Mar) Sir Anthony Browne John Vaughan [2]
1553 (Oct) Sir Anthony Browne George Rithe [2]
1554 (Apr) John Vaughan Henry Weston [2]
1554 (Nov) John Vaughan Henry Weston [2]
1555 Christopher Rithe Henry Weston [2]
1558 Henry Weston Christopher Rithe [2]
1559 Sir Henry Weston George Rithe [3]
1563 Sir Henry Weston Tomas Dering [3]
1571 John Cowper Robert Rithe [3]
1572 Richard Norton Ralph Bourchier, sat for Newcastle-under-Lyme
and repl. Apr 1572 by
Thomas Chatterton [3]
1584 Sir Henry Weston Edmund Marvyn [3]
1586 Edward Radclyffe Edmund Marvyn [3]
1588 Benjamin Tichborne Edmund Marvyn [3]
1593 Sir Walter Covert Richard Weston (MP for Petersfield) [3]
1597 William Kingswell Thomas Hanbury [3]
1601 William Kingswell John Swynnerton [3]
1604 Sir William Hervey Sir William Kingswell
1614 Sir Walter Tichborne Walter Savage
1621-1622 Richard Norton John Hippisley
1624 Sir John Jephson Sir John Hippisley
1625 Sir John Jephson William Uvedale
1626 Benjamin Tichborne William Uvedale
1628-1629 Benjamin Tichborne William Uvedale
1629–1640No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr) William Uvedale Sir William Lewis
1640 (Nov) William Uvedale, disabled Sir William Lewis
1645 Sir William Lewis,excluded 1648 William Uvedale
1653Petersfield not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654Petersfield not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament
1656Petersfield not represented in 2nd Protectorate Parliament
1659 Josias Child Sir Henry Norton

MPs 1660–1832

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
April 1660 Thomas Cole [4] Arthur Bold
1661 Sir Humphrey Bennet
1668 Thomas Neale
1677 Leonard Bilson
1679 Sir John Norton, Bt
1685 Thomas Bilson
1689 Robert Michell
1690 Richard Holt
1698 Peter Bettesworth
January 1701 Ralph Bucknall Richard Markes
November 1701 Robert Michell
1704 Leonard Bilson
1705 Norton Powlett Whig
1715 Samuel Pargiter-Fuller
1722 Edmund Miller
January 1727 Joseph Taylor [5] Tory
May 1727 Edmund Miller
August 1727 Joseph Taylor Tory
1734 Sir William Jolliffe Edward Gibbon
1741 John Jolliffe Francis Fane
1747 William Conolly Whig
February 1754 William Gerard Hamilton
April 1754 William Beckford [6]
December 1754 Sir John Philipps, Bt
1761 John Jolliffe Richard Pennant
1767 Richard Croftes
1768 William Jolliffe Welbore Ellis
1774 Sir Abraham Hume
1780 Tory [7] Thomas Samuel Jolliffe Tory [7]
1787 The Viscount Downe
June 1790 Hon. George North Whig [7]
December 1790 Marquess of Titchfield
1791 Welbore Ellis
1795 Hon. Charles Greville
1796 Hylton Jolliffe
1797 Sir John Sinclair, Bt
March 1802 Hylton Jolliffe
July 1802 Tory [7] William Best
1806 Hon. John Ward
1807 Booth Grey
October 1812 George Canning Tory [7]
December 1812 George Canning, junior Tory [7]
March 1820 The Lord Hotham [8] Tory [7]
June 1820 Sir Philip Musgrave, Bt Tory [7]
1825 James Lushington Tory [7]
1826 William Marshall Whig [7]
1830 Sir William Jolliffe, Bt Tory [7] Gilbert East Jolliffe Tory [7]
1831 Hylton Jolliffe Tory [7]
1832 Representation reduced to one member

MPs 1832–1885

ElectionMemberParty
1832 [9] John Shaw-Lefevre Whig [7]
1833 [9] Hylton Jolliffe Tory [7]
1834 Conservative Party [7]
1835 Cornthwaite Hector Radical [7] [10] [11]
1837 [12] Sir William Jolliffe, Bt Conservative Party [7]
1838 [12] Cornthwaite Hector Radical [7] [10] [11]
1841 Sir William Jolliffe Conservative Party [7]
1866 by-election William Nicholson Liberal Party
1874 [13] William Sydney Hylton Jolliffe Conservative Party
1880 William Nicholson Liberal Party
1885 Borough abolished - name transferred to county division

MPs for Petersfield county constituency (1885–1983)

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Viscount Wolmer Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1892 William Wickham Conservative
1897 William Graham Nicholson Conservative
1935 Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith Conservative
1941 Sir George Jeffreys Conservative
1951 Peter Legh Conservative
1960 Joan Quennell Conservative
1974 Michael Mates Conservative
1983 Constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Petersfield [7] [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory William Jolliffe 28 41.2
Tory Gilbert East Jolliffe 28 41.2
Nonpartisan Henry Herbert 68.8
Nonpartisan John Ogle68.8
Majority2232.4
Turnout c.34
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Petersfield [7] [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Tory William Jolliffe 29 41.4 +0.2
Tory Hylton Jolliffe 29 41.4 +0.2
Nonpartisan John Ogle68.60.2
Nonpartisan Charles Marsh 68.60.2
Majority 2332.8+0.4
Turnout c.35
Tory hold Swing +0.2
Tory hold Swing +0.2
General election 1832: Petersfield [7] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig John Shaw Lefevre 101 50.2 N/A
Tory William Jolliffe 100 49.8 33.0
Majority 10.4N/A
Turnout 20185.9
Registered electors 234
Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A

On petition, Shaw Lefevre was declared unelected, and Jolliffe was elected.

General election 1835: Petersfield [7] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Radical Cornthwaite Hector 103 54.2 N/A
Conservative William Jolliffe 87 45.8 4.0
Majority 168.4N/A
Turnout 19066.219.7
Registered electors 287
Radical gain from Whig Swing N/A
General election 1837: Petersfield [7] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe 125 50.2 +4.4
Radical Cornthwaite Hector 124 49.8 4.4
Majority 10.4N/A
Turnout 24977.8+11.6
Registered electors 320
Conservative gain from Radical Swing +4.4

On petition, Jolliffe was unseated and Hector declared elected.

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe Unopposed
Registered electors 352
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe Unopposed
Registered electors 380
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe Unopposed
Registered electors 353
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe Unopposed
Registered electors 331
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe Unopposed
Registered electors 332
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Jolliffe Unopposed
Registered electors 296
Conservative hold

Jolliffee was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Hylton and causing a by-election.

By-election, 23 July 1866: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Nicholson Unopposed
Liberal gain from Conservative
General election 1868: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Nicholson 370 62.5 N/A
Conservative Frederic Du Pré Thornton22237.5N/A
Majority 14825.0N/A
Turnout 59276.5N/A
Registered electors 774
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Sydney Hylton Jolliffe 372 50.8 +13.3
Liberal William Nicholson 36149.213.3
Majority 111.6N/A
Turnout 73384.3+7.8
Registered electors 870
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +13.3

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Petersfield [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Nicholson 406 55.9 +6.7
Conservative William Sydney Hylton Jolliffe 32044.16.7
Majority 8611.8N/A
Turnout 72690.6+6.3
Registered electors 801
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.7
General election 1885: Petersfield [16] [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Viscount Wolmer 3,414 49.9 6.0
Liberal-Conservative William Nicholson 3,25347.5+3.4
Ind. Conservative Douglas Henty1792.6New
Majority 1612.49.4
Turnout 6,84683.57.1
Registered electors 8,202
Liberal hold Swing 4.7
General election 1886: Petersfield [16] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Unionist Viscount Wolmer 3,188 50.9 +1.0
Liberal-ConservativeWilliam Nicholson3,07749.1+1.6
Majority 1111.8N/A
Turnout 6,26576.47.1
Registered electors 8,202
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

Wickham William Wickham (1831-1897).jpg
Wickham
General election 1892: Petersfield [16] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Wickham 3,912 56.5 +5.6
Liberal John Bonham-Carter3,00843.55.6
Majority 90413.0+11.2
Turnout 6,92082.1+5.7
Registered electors 8,431
Conservative hold Swing +5.6
General election 1895: Petersfield [16] [19] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Wickham Unopposed
Conservative hold
Nicholson William Graham Nicholson.jpg
Nicholson
1897 Petersfield by-election [20] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Nicholson 3,748 53.0 N/A
Liberal John Bonham-Carter3,32847.0New
Majority 4206.0N/A
Turnout 7,07683.5N/A
Registered electors 8,474
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Petersfield [16] [19] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Nicholson Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1906: Petersfield [16] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Nicholson 4,349 50.6 N/A
Liberal Hugh Money-Coutts 4,25349.4New
Majority 961.2N/A
Turnout 8,60286.2N/A
Registered electors 9,983
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Petersfield [21] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Nicholson 6,279 63.6 +13.0
Liberal Herbert Arthur Baker3,59436.413.0
Majority 2,68527.2+26.0
Turnout 9,87388.9+2.7
Registered electors 11,110
Conservative hold Swing +13.0
General election December 1910: Petersfield [21] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Nicholson Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1918: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist William Nicholson 10,73071.5N/A
Labour John Pile4,26728.5New
Majority 6,46343.0N/A
Turnout 14,99752.7N/A
Unionist hold Swing
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Nicholson 12,600 64.2 −7.3
Labour Dudley Aman 7,03635.8+7.3
Majority 5,56428.4−14.6
Turnout 19,63665.7+13.0
Unionist hold Swing -7.3
General election 1923: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Nicholson 12,195 65.6 +1.4
Labour Dudley Aman 6,40334.4−1.4
Majority 5,79231.2+2.8
Turnout 18,59860.6−5.1
Unionist hold Swing +1.4
General election 1924: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Nicholson 14,646 69.8 +4.2
Liberal George Spencer3,75517.9New
Labour George Gilbert Desmond 2,58212.3−22.1
Majority 10,89151.9+20.7
Turnout 20,98366.3+5.7
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1929: Petersfield [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist William Nicholson 15,605 55.0 −14.8
Liberal Gerald Bailey 9,33432.9+15.0
Labour Gertrude Speedwell Massingham3,41812.1−0.2
Majority 6,27122.1−29.8
Turnout 28,35768.2+1.9
Unionist hold Swing -14.9

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Nicholson 26,081 88.0 +33.0
Labour AE Albery3,55912.0−0.1
Majority 22,52276.0+53.9
Turnout 29,64067.8−0.4
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Reginald Dorman-Smith 22,877 79.1 −8.9
Labour John Ernest Lionel Birch6,06120.9+8.9
Majority 16,81658.1−17.9
Turnout 28,93863.4−4.4
Conservative hold Swing -8.9

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

1941 Petersfield by-election [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Jeffreys Unopposed N/AN/A
Conservative hold
General election 1945: Petersfield [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Jeffreys 20,838 58.4 −20.7
Liberal Basil Goldstone 8,26923.2New
Common Wealth Thomas Sargant6,60018.5New
Majority 12,56935.2−22.9
Turnout 35,70764.4+1.0
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Jeffreys 27,401 55.15
Labour I Candy15,47231.14New
Liberal Harold Hugh Lindsay Dickson6,81313.71
Majority 11,92924.01
Turnout 49,68678.36
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Legh 29,845 58.75
Labour Edward E Preidel15,77031.05
Liberal Harold Hugh Lindsay Dickson5,18210.20
Majority 14,07527.70
Turnout 50,79777.84
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Legh 24,826 69.81
Labour Frederick R Mason10,73630.19
Majority 14,09039.62
Turnout 35,56269.74
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Legh 23,687 60.93
Labour John Stuart Paul Davey8,27821.29
Liberal Richard Michael Digby6,91217.78New
Majority 15,40939.64
Turnout 38,87773.64
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

1960 Petersfield by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Joan Quennell 15,613 54.40 −6.53
Liberal Michael Digby8,31028.95+11.17
Labour William Royle4,77716.64−4.65
Majority 7,30325.45−14.19
Turnout 28,700
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Joan Quennell 23,603 54.00
Liberal Michael Digby11,33825.94
Labour M C Wilson8,47719.39
Independent Loyalist Rosine de Bounevialle 2920.67New
Majority 12,26528.06
Turnout 43,71075.50
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Joan Quennell 23,933 52.33
Liberal Michael Digby10,93123.90
Labour M C Wilson10,87423.77
Majority 13,00228.43
Turnout 45,73875.72
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Joan Quennell 30,414 60.50
Labour Kelvin Horrocks10,30720.50
Liberal Penelope Jessel 7,78315.48
IndependentMichael Digby1,7663.51New
Majority 20,10740.00
Turnout 50,27072.12
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Joan Quennell 30,732 51.49
Liberal Timothy Willatt Slack21,15235.44
Labour PF Whitely7,70312.91
Technical ConsultantPHH Bishop1010.17New
Majority 9,58016.05
Turnout 59,68881.13
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Michael Mates 28,689 50.50
Liberal Timothy Willatt Slack19,70234.68
Labour JM Bloom8,30114.61
United Democratic PartyPHH Bishop1170.21New
Majority 8,98715.82
Turnout 56,80976.50
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Petersfield
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Michael Mates 39,200 61.15
Liberal John Madeley16,82526.25
Labour BW Clough8,08212.61
Majority 22,37534.90
Turnout 64,10778.29
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. "'Petersfield', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  4. April 1660: Cole was also elected for Winchester, but appears never to have chosen which constituency he would sit for so as to allow a replacement to be elected for the other
  5. On petition (in a dispute over the franchise), Taylor's election was declared void and his opponent, Miller, was declared to have been duly elected
  6. Beckford was also elected for the City of London, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Petersfield
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp.  129–131. ISBN   0-900178-13-2.
  8. Hotham was also elected for Leominster, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Petersfield
  9. 1 2 In 1832 a petition was lodged against the result, and the election of John Shaw-Lefevre was declared void. After scrutiny of the ballots, Hylton Jolliffe was declared elected in 1833.
    F.W.S. Craig's British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 and Henry Stooks Smith's The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847 record the member seated after the petition as William Jolliffe. However, The History of Parliament's article on Petersfield borough note in footnote 42 that both the official returns (PP (1878), lxii, pt. ii, 348) and the 1833 petition (CJ, lxxxviii. 13-14) confirm that the member seated was Hylton Jolliffe. This is as reported in the Times article on the petition committee's report: "Petersfield Election Committee", The Times, 7 March 1833, page 4.
  10. 1 2 "Election Movements" . Berkshire Chronicle. 22 July 1837. p. 4. Retrieved 27 November 2018 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. 1 2 The Spectator, Volume 14. F. C. Westley. 1841. p. 514. Retrieved 27 November 2018 via Google Books.
  12. 1 2 In 1837 a petition was lodged against the result, and the election of Jolliffe was declared void. After scrutiny of the ballots, Hector was declared elected in 1838
  13. In 1874, a petition was lodged against the election of Jolliffe. Scrutiny of the results led to a referral to the Court of Common Pleas on the validity of 64 of Joliffe's votes and 11 of those for Nicholson. The votes were declared valid and the election upheld.
  14. 1 2 Salmon, Philip; Spencer, Howard. "Petersfield". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 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.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  17. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  19. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  20. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 145 (169 in web page), Hampshire
  21. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  23. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
  24. The Liberal Magazine, 1939
  25. Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939

Sources