Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Taunton
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
TauntonConstituency.svg
Boundary of Taunton in Somerset for the 1997-2010 general election
EnglandSomerset.svg
Location of Somerset within England
County Somerset
Major settlements Taunton
1918–2010
SeatsOne
Replaced by Taunton Deane
1295–1918
SeatsTwo (1295-1885), One (1885-1918)
Type of constituency Borough constituency

Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset. Until 1918, it was a parliamentary borough, electing two Member of Parliaments (MPs) between 1295 and 1885 and one from 1885 to 1918; the name was then transferred to a county constituency, electing one MP.

Contents

In the boundary changes that came into effect at the general election of 2010, the Boundary Commission for England replaced Taunton with a modified constituency called Taunton Deane, to reflect the district name. The new constituency's boundaries are coterminous with the local government district of the same name.

History

Famous MPs for the borough include Thomas Cromwell.

The 1754 by-election was so fiercely contested that rioting broke out in which two people died.

In the 2005 general election, the victorious Liberal Democrats candidate in Taunton required the smallest percentage swing from the Conservative MP for them to take the seat.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The Borough of Taunton, the Urban Districts of Wellington and Wiveliscombe, and the Rural Districts of Dulverton, Taunton, and Wellington.

1950–1974: As above less Wiveliscombe Urban District. This had been absorbed by Wellington Rural District in 1933. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.

1974–1983: As 1950 but with redrawn boundaries.

1983–2010: The Borough of Taunton Deane, and the District of West Somerset wards of Dulverton and Brushford, Exmoor, Haddon, and Quarme.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1640

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1362 William Portman  ?
1363, 1365, 1366,
1368, 1369, 1371		Unknown
1372 William Portman  ?
1373, 1376, 1377 (Jan),
1377 (Oct), 1378		Unknown
1379 William Portman  ?
1380 (Jan) ?
1380 (Nov), 1381, 1382 (May),
1382 (Oct), 1383 (Feb), 1383 (Oct),
1384 (Apr)		Unknown
1384 (Nov) William Portman  ?
1385 ?
1386 William Marchaunt
1388 (Feb)
1388 (Sep) William Damarle
1390 (Jan) John Porter
1390 (Nov)Unknown
1391 William Portman William Marchaunt
1393 John Porter
1394
1395 Walter Puryham
1397 (Jan) Robert Coullyng Robert Eysel
1397 (Sept) Richard Marchaunt John Northmore
1399 Walter Puryham Edmund Rokes
1401Unknown
1402 William Portman Ralph Sargor
1404 (Jan), 1404 (Oct)Unknown
1406 William Portman Robert Bathe
1407 Richard Marchaunt John Northmore
1410 Thomas Bacot Thomas Edward
1411, 1413 (Feb)Unknown
1413 (May) John Rydon Lewis John
1414 (Apr) John Marchaunt Edmund Dyer
1414 (Nov)
1415, 1416 (Mar), 1416 (Oct)Unknown
1417 John Rydon Walter Portman
1419 Walter Portman Robert Croke
1420 Robert Croke William Borde
1421 (May) Walter Portman
1421 (Dec) John Bowe
1422 ?
1423Unknown
1425 Walter Portman  ?
1426 ?
1427 ?
1429Unknown
1431 Walter Portman  ?
1432, 1433Unknown
1435 Walter Portman  ?
1437, 1439, 1442,
1445, 1447, 1449 (Feb),
1449 (Nov), 1450, 1453		Unknown
1455 Ralph Legh  ?
1459, 1460, 1461, 1463Unknown
1467 Sir William Danvers Robert Ashetill
1470 Sir William Danvers Edward Aysshton
1472 Sir William Danvers  ?
1478 Edward Aysshton Robert Lovelord
1483–1523Unknown
1529 Thomas Cromwell William Portman
1536?Richard Pollard ?William Portman
1547 Sir Nicholas Hare John Caryll
1553 (Mar) John Mason ?
1553 (Oct) James Basset Jacques Wingfield
1554 (Apr) William Barne Oliver Vachell
1554 (Nov) Thomas Eden John Norres
1555Dr Valentine Dale ?
1558 Richard Myrfield
1559?
1563–7 Miles Sandys Anthony Leigh
1571 Robert Hill Richard Blount
1572–81 Roger Hill Richard Blount [1]
Edmund Hodges
1584–5 Alexander Pym [2]
Maurice Horner 		William Goldwell
1586–7 Francis Bacon John Goldwell
1588–9 Thomas Fisher
1593 William Aubrey, DCL John Davidge
1597–8 Edward Barker Edward Hext
1601 John Bond Daniel Donne, DCL
1604–11 Edward Hext
Addled Parliament (1614) James Clarke John Donne
1621–2 Lewis Pope Thomas Brereton
Happy Parliament (1624–5) Roger Prowse
Useless Parliament (1625) Hugh Portman Thomas Brereton
1625–6Sir Robert Gorges George Browne
1628 Hugh Portman
1629–40No Parliament summoned

MPs 1640–1885

YearFirst member [3] First partySecond member [4] Second party
April 1640 Sir William Portman Royalist Roger Hill Parliamentarian
November 1640 George Searle Parliamentarian
February 1644Portman disabled from sitting — seat vacant
1645 John Palmer, MD [5]
1653Taunton was unrepresented in the Barebone's Parliament
1654 Colonel Thomas Gorges John Gorges
1656 Admiral Robert Blake
January 1659 Sir William Wyndham
May 1659 John Palmer, MD One seat vacant
March 1660 Thomas Gorges Sir William Wyndham
1661Sir William Portman
February 1679 John Trenchard Whig
September 1679Sir John Cutler Bt
1680 Edmund Prideaux
1685Sir William Portman Tory John Sanford Tory
March 1690 Edward Clarke Whig
April 1690 John Speke Whig
1698 Henry Seymour Portman Tory
1701 by-election Sir Francis Warre Tory
1710 Henry Seymour Portman Tory
1715 [6] William Pynsent Whig James Smith Whig
1722 John Trenchard Whig
1724 by-election Abraham Elton Whig
1727 George Speke Whig Francis Fane Whig
1734 Henry William Berkeley Portman Tory
1741Sir John Chapman Whig John Buck Tory
1745 Percy Wyndham-O'Brien Whig
1747Sir Charles Wyndham [7] Whig Robert Webb Whig
1750Admiral William Rowley Whig
1754 The Lord Carpenter [8] Whig John Halliday Whig
1754 by-election Robert Maxwell [9] Whig
1762 Laurence Sulivan Whig
1768 Alexander Popham Nathaniel Webb
1774 [10] Hon. Edward Stratford Whig
1775 John Halliday Alexander Popham
1780 Major-General John Roberts
1782 by-election (Sir) Benjamin Hammet
1784 Alexander Popham
1796 William Morland
1800 John Hammet
1806 Alexander Baring Whig [11]
1812 Henry Powell Collins Tory [11]
1818Sir William Burroughs, Bt Whig [11]
1819 Henry Powell Collins Tory [11]
1820 John Ashley Warre Whig [11]
1826 Henry Seymour Tory [11] William Peachey Tory [11]
1830 Henry Labouchere Whig [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] Edward Thomas Bainbridge Whig [11] [15]
1842 by-election Sir Edward Colebrooke Whig [11] [16] [17]
1852 Arthur Mills [18] Conservative
1853 by-election Sir John Ramsden Whig
1857 Arthur Mills Conservative
1859 Liberal
1859 by-election George Cavendish-Bentinck Conservative
1865 Alexander Charles Barclay Liberal Lord William Hay Liberal
1868 Edward William Cox [19] Conservative
1869 (Sir) Henry James Liberal
1873 by-election
1880Sir William Palliser Conservative
1882 by-election Samuel Allsopp Conservative
1885 Representation reduced to one Member

MPs since 1885

ElectionMemberParty
1885 Samuel Allsopp Conservative
1887 by-election Alfred Percy Allsopp Conservative
1895 Sir Alfred Welby Conservative
1906 Sir Edward Boyle Conservative
1909 by-election William Peel Conservative
1912 by-election Sir Gilbert Wills Unionist
1918 Dennis Boles Unionist
1921 by-election Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen Unionist
1922 Sir John Hope Simpson Liberal
1924 Hamilton Gault Unionist
1935 Edward Wickham Conservative
1945 Victor Collins Labour
1950 Henry Hopkinson Conservative
1956 by-election Sir Edward du Cann Conservative
1987 David Nicholson Conservative
1997 Jackie Ballard Liberal Democrat
2001 Adrian Flook Conservative
2005 Jeremy Browne Liberal Democrat
2010 Constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Taunton (2 seats) [11] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere 430 46.1 N/A
Whig Edward Thomas Bainbridge 280 30.0 N/A
Tory William Peachey 22323.9
Majority576.1N/A
Turnout 533c. 66.6
Registered electors c. 800
Whig gain from Tory Swing
Whig gain from Tory Swing
General election 1831: Taunton (2 seats) [11] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Henry Labouchere Unopposed
Whig Edward Thomas Bainbridge Unopposed
Registered electors c. 800
Whig hold
Whig hold

Labouchere was appointed as a Lord of the Admiralty, causing a by-election.

By-election, 12 June 1832: Taunton [11] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Henry Labouchere Unopposed
Registered electors c. 800
Whig hold
General election 1832: Taunton (2 seats) [11] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Henry Labouchere Unopposed
Whig Edward Thomas Bainbridge Unopposed
Registered electors 949
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1835: Taunton (2 seats) [11] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Henry Labouchere Unopposed
Whig Edward Thomas Bainbridge Unopposed
Registered electors 920
Whig hold
Whig hold

Labouchere was appointed as vice-president of the Board of Trade, and Master of the Mint, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 29 April 1835: Taunton [11] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Henry Labouchere 452 61.6
Conservative Benjamin Disraeli 28238.4
Majority17023.2
Turnout 73479.8
Registered electors 920
Whig hold
General election 1837: Taunton (2 seats) [11] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Henry Labouchere 469 36.3
Whig Edward Thomas Bainbridge 414 32.0
Conservative Robert Newton Lee40931.7
Majority50.3
Turnout 79884.6
Registered electors 943
Whig hold
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Taunton (2 seats) [11] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere 430 29.9 −6.4
Whig Edward Thomas Bainbridge 409 28.4 −3.6
Conservative William Wilberforce 38126.5+10.7
Conservative James Hall21815.2−0.7
Majority281.9+1.6
Turnout 75988.7+4.1
Registered electors 856
Whig hold Swing −5.7
Whig hold Swing −4.3

Bainbridge resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 11 February 1842: Taunton [11] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Edward Colebrooke 394 53.9 −4.4
Conservative James Hall33746.1+4.4
Majority577.8+5.9
Turnout 73172.4−16.3
Registered electors 1,010
Whig hold Swing −4.4

Labouchere was appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 10 July 1846: Taunton [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1847: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere 543 41.5 +11.6
Whig Edward Colebrooke 388 29.7 +1.3
Conservative Arthur Mills 37628.8−12.9
Majority120.9−1.0
Turnout 654 (est)71.7 (est)−17.0
Registered electors 911
Whig hold Swing +9.0
Whig hold Swing +3.9

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere 430 37.4 −4.1
Conservative Arthur Mills 361 31.4 +2.6
Whig Edward Colebrooke 35831.2+1.5
Turnout 575 (est)72.7 (est)+1.0
Registered electors 790
Majority696.0+5.1
Whig hold Swing −2.7
Majority30.2N/A
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +2.6

Mills' election was declared void on petition.

By-election, 4 May 1853: Taunton [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig John William Ramsden 372 50.3 −18.3
Conservative Henry Badcock [22] 36749.7+18.3
Majority50.6−5.4
Turnout 73983.4+10.7
Registered electors 886
Whig gain from Conservative Swing −18.3

Labouchere was appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 5 February 1856: Taunton [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1857: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Henry Labouchere 442 36.6 −0.8
Conservative Arthur Mills 401 33.2 +1.8
Whig William Campbell [23] 36630.3−0.9
Turnout 605 (est)68.2 (est)−4.5
Registered electors 887
Majority413.4−2.6
Whig hold Swing −0.9
Majority352.9+2.7
Conservative hold Swing +1.8
General election 1859: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Arthur Mills 415 30.0 +13.4
Liberal Henry Labouchere 388 28.1 −8.5
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 32523.5+6.9
Liberal William Beadon [24] 25518.4−11.9
Turnout 692 (est)83.1 (est)+14.9
Registered electors 832
Majority271.9−1.0
Conservative hold Swing +11.8
Majority634.6+1.2
Liberal hold Swing −9.3

Labouchere was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord 1st Baron Taunton and causing a by-election.

By-election, 9 August 1859: Taunton [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 382 53.1 −0.4
Liberal Alexander Charles Barclay 33746.9+0.4
Majority456.2N/A
Turnout 71986.4+3.3
Registered electors 832
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing −0.4

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Alexander Charles Barclay 478 31.9 +3.8
Liberal William Hay 470 31.3 +12.9
Conservative Edward William Cox 29219.5−10.5
Conservative Alfred Austin [25] 26017.3−6.2
Majority17811.8+7.2
Turnout 750 (est)89.4 (est)+6.3
Registered electors 839
Liberal hold Swing +6.1
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +10.6
General election 1868: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Alexander Charles Barclay 1,105 37.0 +5.1
Conservative Edward William Cox 988 33.1 −3.7
Liberal Henry James 89029.8−1.5
Turnout 1,492 (est)75.4 (est)−14.0
Registered electors 1,977
Majority1173.9−8.1
Liberal hold Swing +3.5
Majority983.3N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing −3.7

On petition, Cox's election was scrutinised, and some of his votes were found to have been acquired by bribery, and were then struck off. This caused him to be unseated on 8 March 1869 and James was declared elected. [26] While a petition was then lodged against James, the court ruled a petitioner who had been seated on petition could not then be petitioned against. [21]

Elections in the 1870s

James was appointed Solicitor-General for England and Wales, causing a by-election.

By-election, 14 Oct 1873: Taunton (1 seat) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry James 899 52.5 −14.3
Conservative Sir Alfred Frederic Adolphus Slade, 3rd Baronet81247.5+14.4
Majority875.0+1.1
Turnout 1,71189.4+14.0
Registered electors 1,913
Liberal hold Swing −14.4
General election 1874: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry James Unopposed
Liberal Alexander Charles Barclay Unopposed
Registered electors 1,999
Liberal hold
Liberal gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Taunton (2 seats) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Palliser 1,084 26.9 New
Liberal Henry James 1,000 24.9 N/A
Conservative William Cargill 97124.1New
Liberal Roger Eykyn [27] 96824.1N/A
Turnout 2,012 (est)90.4 (est)N/A
Registered electors 2,225
Majority842.8N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Majority290.8N/A
Liberal hold Swing

James was appointed Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 8 May 1880: Taunton (1 seat) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Henry James Unopposed
Liberal hold

Palliser's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 17 Feb 1882: Taunton (1 seat) [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Samuel Allsopp 1,144 55.5 +4.5
Liberal Frederick Lambart 91744.5−4.5
Majority22711.0+8.2
Turnout 2,06187.3−3.1 (est)
Registered electors 2,362
Conservative hold Swing +4.5
Jessel Charles Jessel.PNG
Jessel
General election 1885: Taunton (1 seat) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Samuel Allsopp 1,361 58.2 +7.2
Liberal Charles Jessel 97841.8−7.2
Majority38316.4+14.3
Turnout 2,33992.1+1.7 (est)
Registered electors 2,541
Conservative hold Swing +7.2
General election 1886: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Samuel Allsopp Unopposed
Conservative hold

Allsopp succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Hindlip, causing a by-election.

By-election, 23 Apr 1887: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alfred Allsopp 1,426 61.6 N/A
Liberal James Harris Sanders89038.4New
Majority53623.2N/A
Turnout 2,31689.4N/A
Registered electors 2,825
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alfred Allsopp 1,402 60.4 N/A
Liberal Henry Hewitt Bridgman92139.6N/A
Majority48120.8N/A
Turnout 2,32382.2N/A
Registered electors 2,825
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1895: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alfred Welby Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alfred Welby 1,387 57.5 N/A
Liberal Walker King1,02442.5New
Majority36315.0N/A
Turnout 2,41173.7N/A
Registered electors 3,272
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1906: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Boyle 1,842 55.1 −2.4
Liberal Arthur Ponsonby 1,50344.9+2.4
Majority33910.2−4.8
Turnout 3,34593.2+18.5
Registered electors 3,590
Conservative hold Swing -2.4
Smith Frank Smith 1908.JPG
Smith
1909 Taunton by-election [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Peel 1,976 64.6 +9.5
Labour Frank Smith 1,08535.4New
Majority89129.2+19.0
Turnout 3,06180.4−12.8
Registered electors 3,808
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

Peel William Peel.jpg
Peel
General election January 1910: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Peel 1,906 55.3 +0.2
Liberal William Arthur Addinsell1,53844.7−0.2
Majority36810.6+0.4
Turnout 3,44490.3−2.9
Registered electors 3,814
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
General election December 1910: Taunton [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Peel 1,806 53.4 −1.9
Liberal John Edward Schunck1,57346.6+1.9
Majority2336.8−3.8
Turnout 3,37988.6−1.7
Registered electors 3,814
Conservative hold Swing −1.9
Wills Gilbert Wills Lord Dulverton.jpg
Wills
1912 Taunton by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Gilbert Wills 1,882 54.1 +0.7
Liberal John Edward Schunk1,59745.9−0.7
Majority2858.2+1.4
Turnout 3,47988.7+0.1
Registered electors 3,921
Unionist 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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1918: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Dennis Boles 12,61972.4+19.0
Labour George Woods 4,81627.6New
Majority7,80344.8+38.0
Turnout 17,43560.4−28.2
Unionist hold Swing N/A
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

1921 Taunton by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C Unionist Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 12,99461.1−11.3
Labour James Lunnon 8,29038.9+11.3
Majority4,70422.2−22.6
Turnout 21,28473.5+13.1
Unionist hold Swing -11.3
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
John Simpson John Hope Simpson.jpg
John Simpson
General election 1922: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Hope Simpson 13,195 56.4 New
Unionist Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 10,18243.6−28.8
Majority3,00712.8N/A
Turnout 23,37779.1+18.7
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing N/A
Andrew Gault Andrew Hamilton Gault.jpg
Andrew Gault
General election 1923: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Hope Simpson 13,053 52.5 −3.9
Unionist Hamilton Gault 11,79847.5+3.9
Majority1,2555.0−7.8
Turnout 24,85182.6+3.5
Liberal hold Swing -3.9
General election 1924: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Hamilton Gault 13,930 52.1 +4.6
Liberal John Hope Simpson 10,38138.8−13.7
Labour George Woods 2,4419.1New
Majority3,54913.3N/A
Turnout 26,75285.6+3.0
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +9.1
General election 1929: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Unionist Hamilton Gault 15,083 45.9 −6.2
Liberal Walter Rea 11,12133.9−4.9
Labour Joseph Sparks 6,61520.2+11.1
Majority3,96212.0−1.3
Turnout 32,81982.2−3.4
Unionist hold Swing -0.6

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Hamilton Gault 22,564 72.95
Labour Frank George Bushnell8,36727.05
Majority14,19745.90
Turnout 30,93175.43
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Taunton [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward Wickham 19,443 63.41
Labour James Lunnon 11,21936.59
Majority8,22426.82
Turnout 30,72072.39
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

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;

General election 1945: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Victor Collins 19,976 52.80
Conservative Edward Wickham 17,85847.20
Majority2,1185.60N/A
Turnout 37,83472.98
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Hopkinson 20,724 46.43
Labour Victor Collins 19,35243.35
Liberal John Robert Phillipson4,56110.22New
Majority1,3723.08N/A
Turnout 44,63788.81
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1951: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Hopkinson 24,826 54.36
Labour Victor Collins 20,84545.64
Majority3,9818.72
Turnout 45,67189.00
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Hopkinson 22,962 52.11
Labour Reginald Wells-Pestell 17,42039.53
Liberal Guy Barrington3,6848.36New
Majority5,54212.58
Turnout 44,06685.46
Conservative hold Swing
1956 Taunton by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 19,820 50.84 −1.27
Labour Reginald Wells-Pestell 19,16349.16+9.63
Majority6571.68−10.90
Turnout 38,983
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 22,680 49.42
Labour Leonard V Pike16,18235.26
Liberal Charles Meddon Karslake Bruton7,03115.32
Majority6,49814.16
Turnout 45,89387.12
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 21,367 46.52
Labour Leonard V Pike16,61936.18
Liberal Margaret Irene Gaenor Heathcoat Amory7,94417.30
Majority4,74810.34
Turnout 45,93084.74
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 22,369 47.55
Labour Robin J Bradbury19,21640.85
Liberal Margaret Irene Gaenor Heathcoat Amory5,46011.61
Majority3,1536.70
Turnout 47,04585.27
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 26,158 53.55
Labour Steven Mama17,82336.48
Liberal Gerard O'Donnell4,8719.97
Majority8,33517.07
Turnout 48,85278.96
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 23,841 45.11
Labour D.W. Keene15,40129.14
Liberal M.E. Mann13,60725.75
Majority8,44015.97
Turnout 52,84983.88
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 22,542 44.61
Labour Barry Sheerman 15,72131.11
Liberal M.E. Mann11,98423.72
United Democratic PartyL.D. Bradford2830.56New
Majority6,82113.50
Turnout 50,53079.38
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Taunton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 28,483 53.17
Labour S. Horne15,75929.42
Liberal M. Lee7,92814.80
Ecology G. Garbett1,4032.62New
Majority12,72423.75
Turnout 53,57380.74
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Taunton [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edward du Cann 28,112 52.89
SDP Michael Cocks15,54529.24
Labour Jon Gray9,49817.87
Majority12,56723.65
Turnout 53,15575.55
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1987: Taunton [33]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Nicholson 30,248 51.38
SDP Michael Cocks19,86833.75
Labour Gary Reynolds8,75414.87
Majority10,38017.63
Turnout 58,87079.40
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Taunton [34] [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Nicholson 29,576 46.0 −5.4
Liberal Democrats Jackie Ballard 26,24040.8+7.1
Labour L. Jean Hole8,15112.7−2.2
Natural Law Philip A. Leavey2790.4New
Majority3,3365.2−12.4
Turnout 64,24682.3+2.9
Conservative hold Swing −6.2
General election 1997: Taunton [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Jackie Ballard 26,064 42.7 +1.9
Conservative David Nicholson 23,62138.7−7.3
Labour Elizabeth Lisgo8,24813.5+0.8
Referendum Brian Ahern2,7604.5New
BNP Leslie Andrews3180.5New
Majority2,4434.0N/A
Turnout 61,01176.5−5.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Taunton [37]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Adrian Flook 23,033 41.7 +3.0
Liberal Democrats Jackie Ballard 22,79841.3−1.4
Labour Andrew Govier8,25414.9+1.4
UKIP Michael Canton1,1402.1New
Majority2350.4N/A
Turnout 55,22567.6−8.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Jeremy Browne Jeremy Browne - Minister for Crime Prevention.jpg
Jeremy Browne
General election 2005: Taunton [38]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Jeremy Browne 25,764 43.3 +2.0
Conservative Adrian Flook 25,19142.3+0.6
Labour Andrew Govier7,13212.0−2.9
UKIP Helen Miles1,4412.4+0.3
Majority5731.0N/A
Turnout 59,52869.7+2.1
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing −0.7

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Blount died during the 1572 Parliament, and Hodges was elected in his place in 1575.
  2. ↑ Pym died in January 1585.
  3. ↑ "Taunton". The History of Parliament. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  4. ↑ Cassidy, Irene. "Taunton 1660-1690". The History of Parliament. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Cobbett records Admiral Robert Blake as being elected for Taunton and Palmer for Bridgwater; but Brunton & Pennington agree with the Dictionary of National Biography that Blake was MP for Bridgwater and Palmer for Taunton.
  6. ↑ At the general election of 1715, Warre and Portman were initially declared re-elected, but on petition (in a dispute over the franchise) they were adjudged not to have been duly elected and their opponents, Pynsent and Smith, were seated in their place
  7. ↑ Styled Lord Cockermouth from October 1749
  8. ↑ Created Earl of Tyrconnell (in the Peerage of Ireland), May 1761
  9. ↑ Succeeded as The Lord Farnham , August 1759; created Viscount Farnham, September 1760 and Earl of Farnham, May 1763 (all these titles being in the Peerage of Ireland).
  10. ↑ On petition, Stratford and Webb were adjudged not to have been duly elected, and their opponents, Halliday and Popham, were seated in their place
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 34–337. Retrieved 18 December 2018– via Google Books.
  12. ↑ Matthew, H. C. G.; Barker, G. F. R. (4 October 2008) [2004]. "Labouchere, Henry, Baron Taunton (1798–1869)" . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15838 . Retrieved 14 July 2018.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  13. ↑ Barker, George Fisher Russell (1892). "Labouchere, Henry"  . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography . Vol. 31. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  14. ↑ Jenkins, Terry (2009). Fisher, D. R. (ed.). "Taunton". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Worcester Journal" . 3 August 1837. p. 6. Retrieved 14 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ↑ "The Scotsman" . 12 February 1842. p. 2. Retrieved 14 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ↑ "Taunton Election - Final Close of the Poll" . Leeds Intelligencer. 19 February 1842. p. 4. Retrieved 14 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ↑ On petition, Mills' election was declared void and a by-election was held
  19. ↑ On petition, the election of Cox was declared void and after scrutiny of the votes his opponent, James, was declared to have been duly elected
  20. 1 2 3 Jenkins, Terry. "Taunton". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 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.
  22. ↑ "Taunton Election: Close of the Poll" . Elgin Courier. 6 May 1853. p. 2. Retrieved 15 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ↑ "Taunton" . Cheltenham Mercury. 21 March 1857. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 15 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ↑ "Taunton Election" . Sherborne Mercury. 3 May 1859. p. 6. Retrieved 15 July 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ↑ "Election Intelligence" . Bristol Times and Mirror. p. 3. Retrieved 19 March 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. ↑ "Untitled" . The Scotsman . 6 March 1869. p. 2. Retrieved 19 March 2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ↑ "Election Intelligence" . The Globe . 6 February 1882. p. 5. Retrieved 12 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  28. ↑ Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 198. ISBN   9781349022984.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  30. ↑ "Election of Lieut-Colonel E. T. R. Wickham" . Taunton Courier. 20 November 1935. Retrieved 14 January 2015– via British Newspaper Archive.
  31. ↑ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
  32. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  33. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  34. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  35. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  36. ↑ "Election Data 1997". 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 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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