Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Westbury
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Westbury in Wiltshire for the 2005 general election.
Outline map
Location of Wiltshire within England.
County Wiltshire
Major settlements Westbury
1449–2010
Number of members One (Two 1449-1832)
Replaced by South West Wiltshire, Chippenham
European Parliament constituency South West England

Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 2010.

Until 1885, it was a parliamentary borough, returning two Members of Parliament (MPs) until 1832 and only one from 1832 to 1885. The parliamentary borough was abolished in 1885, when the name was transferred to a county constituency returning one MP. Elections used the bloc vote system when two MPs were returned, and the first-past-the-post system of election when one seat was contested.

Westbury returned a Conservative Member at every election after 1924.

Boundaries

Originally a small rotten borough, covering only a small part of the parish of Westbury, in the 19th century the borough became a rural parliamentary constituency in the English county of Wiltshire. At the time of the constituency's abolition in 2010 it included the towns of Westbury, Warminster, Trowbridge, and Bradford on Avon, and the surrounding rural areas as far south as Mere. Until boundary changes in 1997 it had also included Melksham.

Boundary review, 2005

Following a review of parliamentary representation in Wiltshire, the Boundary Commission for England created two new constituencies in the county. Chippenham was created mostly from the adjoining North Wiltshire constituency, plus the town of Bradford on Avon at the northern end of the Westbury constituency, while the rest of Westbury saw minor changes to its composition and was renamed South West Wiltshire. These changes were approved in 2005, to take effect at the following general election, which ultimately took place in 2010.

Members of Parliament

Westbury borough (before 1885)

MPs 1449–1640

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Parliament First member Second member
1491 Sir Thomas Long of Draycot
1510-1523 No names known [1]
1529 Thomas Kirton Thomas Temys [1]
1536  ?
1539  ?
1542  ?
1545 William Hartgill Geoffrey Carter [1]
1547 John Stokes Kenelm Throckmorton [1]
1553 (Mar)  ?
1553 (Oct) Andrew Baynton Griffin Curteys [1]
1554 (Apr) Griffin Curteys Peter Morgan [1]
1554 (Nov) William Bennett Griffin Curteys [1]
1555 Sir Thomas Throckmorton William Hoskins [1]
1558 John Buckland William Allen Helyer [1]
1559 Anthony Carleton Ralph Skinner[2]
1562/3 Hugh Ryley John Dyster [2]
1571 Francis Blount Thomas Long [2]
1572 William Brouncker Henry Brouncker [2]
1584 William Brouncker Edward Midwinter [2]
1586 Robert Baynard Henry Whitaker [2]
1588 Sir Henry Fanshawe John Bennett [2]
1593 William Jordyn Sir Henry Fanshawe [2]
1597 Matthew Ley James Ley[2][3]
1601 Matthew Ley Henry Jackman [2]
1604 Matthew Ley James Ley, made judge
and replaced by Alexander Chocke
1614 Matthew Ley Henry Ley
1621 Sir James Ley
replaced by Walter Long		 Sir Miles Fleetwood
1624 Sir John Saye Sir Henry Mildmay
1625 Sir Walter Long Thomas Hopton
1626 Sir Walter Long Thomas Hopton
1628 Maximillian Petty Charles Thynne
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned

MPs 1640–1832

Year First member[4] First party Second member[4] Second party
April 1640 Sir Thomas Penyston John Ashe
November 1640 John Ashe Parliamentarian William Wheler Parliamentarian
December 1648 Wheler excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant
1653 Westbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
January 1659 Robert Villiers, alias Danvers William Eyre
May 1659 Not represented in the restored Rump, Ashe having died in the interim
April 1660 Richard Lewis William Brouncker
1661 Thomas Wancklyn [5]
1678 Henry Bertie
February 1679 William Trenchard
August 1679 Henry Bertie
1680 Edward Norton William Trenchard
1681 John Ashe
1685 Richard Lewis James Herbert
1689 Peregrine Bertie
1695 Robert Bertie
1701 Henry Bertie
July 1702 [6] William Trenchard Thomas Phipps
December 1702 [6] Henry Bertie Robert Bertie
1708 Francis Annesley
January 1715 [7] Willoughby Bertie
June 1715 [7] The Lord Carbery Charles Allanson
1722 James Bertie [8] Francis Annesley
March 1723 by-election [8] The Lord Carbery
1727 John Hoskins Gifford
1734 Hon. George Evans John Bance
1741 Joseph Townsend
1747 [9] John Bance Paul Methuen
1748 [9] Chauncy Townsend Pro-Government Matthew Michell
1753 by-election [10] Peregrine Bertie
1768 William Blackstone
1770 by-election [11] Hon. Charles Dillon
1774 Hon. Thomas Wenman[12] Nathaniel Bayly
1779 by-election Samuel Estwick
1780 (Sir) John Whalley-Gardiner [13]
1784 Chaloner Arcedeckne
1786 by-election John Madocks
1790 Ewan Law
January 1795 by-election Samuel Estwick
November 1795 by-election Edward Wilbraham-Bootle
May 1796 Sir Henry Paulet St John-Mildmay, Bt George Ellis [14]
October 1796 by-election Lieutenant Colonel George Harcourt
1800 by-election John Simon Harcourt
1802 William Baldwin Charles Smith
1806 William Jacob John Woolmore
May 1807 Edward Lascelles Glynn Wynn
July 1807 by-election Henry Lascelles
1809 by-election Francis Whittle
1810 by-election John de Ponthieu
1812 Benjamin Hall Benjamin Shaw
1814 by-election Ralph Franco Tory
1818 Lord Francis Conyngham
1819 by-election William Leader Maberly Whig
March 1820 Jonathan Elford Tory Nathaniel Barton Tory
November 1820 by-election Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, Bt Tory Philip John Miles Tory
1826 Sir George Warrender Canningite Tory
1829 by-election Robert Peel Tory
1830 Sir Alexander Cray Grant, Bt Tory Michael George Prendergast Tory
May 1831 Sir Ralph Lopes, Bt Whig Henry Hanmer Whig
July 1831 by-election Henry Frederick Stephenson Whig
1832 Representation reduced to one MP

MPs 1832–1885

Election Member Party
1832 Sir Ralph Lopes Whig
1837 John Ivatt Briscoe Whig
1841 Sir Ralph Lopes Conservative
1847 James Wilson Whig
1857 Sir Massey Lopes Conservative
1868 John Lewis Phipps [15] Conservative
1869 by-election Charles Paul Phipps Conservative
1874 Abraham Laverton Liberal
1880 Charles Nicholas Paul Phipps Conservative
1885 Borough abolished - named transferred to county division

Westbury County Constituency (1885-2010)

Election Member[4] Party
1885 George Fuller Liberal
1895 Richard Chaloner Conservative
1900 John Fuller Liberal
1911 by-election Hon. Geoffrey Howard Liberal
1918 George Llewellen Palmer Coalition Conservative
1922 Charles Darbishire Liberal
1924 Captain W. W. Shaw Conservative
1927 by-election Richard Long Conservative
1931 Sir Robert Grimston [16] Conservative
1964 Sir Dennis Walters Conservative
1992 David Faber Conservative
2001 Andrew Murrison Conservative
2010 Constituency abolished: see South West Wiltshire and Chippenham

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1885: Westbury [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Pargiter Fuller 5,333 59.4
Conservative 40.6
Majority 18.8
Turnout 84.9
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1886: Westbury [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Pargiter Fuller
Conservative
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1892: Westbury [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Pargiter Fuller 4,554 53.7
Conservative W H Laverton 3,930 46.3
Majority 624 7.4
Turnout 77.2
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1895: Westbury [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Godolphin Walmesley Chaloner 4,497 50.9 +4.6
Liberal George Pargiter Fuller 4,331 49.1 -4.6
Majority 166 1.8 9.2
Turnout 90.3 +13.1
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.6

Elections in the 1900s

John Fuller
General Election 1900: Westbury [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Michael Fleetwood Fuller 4,520 53.3
Conservative Richard Godolphin Walmesley Chaloner 3,961 46.7
Majority 559 6.6
Turnout 86.7
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1906: Westbury [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Michael Fleetwood Fuller 5,264 58.2 +4.9
Conservative Lord Dunsany 3,788 41.8 -4.9
Majority 1,476 16.4 +9.8
Turnout 89.4 +2.7
Liberal hold Swing +4.9

Elections in the 1910s

General Election January 1910: Westbury[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir John Michael Fleetwood Fuller
Conservative
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing
General Election December 1910: Westbury[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir John Michael Fleetwood Fuller 5,041 54.8
Conservative George Llewellen Palmer 4,152 45.2
Majority 889 9.6
Turnout 88.3
Liberal hold Swing
Geoffrey Howard
Westbury by-election, 1911[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hon. Geoffrey William Algernon Howard 5,073 53.0 -1.8
Conservative George Llewellen Palmer 4,492 47.0 +1.8
Majority 6.0 -3.6
Turnout 90.1 +1.8
Liberal hold Swing -1.8

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 14 December 1918: Westbury[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist 9,261 49.1
Liberal Capt. Hon. Geoffrey William Algernon Howard 6,064 32.1
Labour Capt. Ernest Nathaniel Bennett 3,537 18.8
Majority 3,197 17.0
Turnout 64.6
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
  • endorsed by the Coalition Government

Elections in the 1920s

C. Darbishire
General Election 1922
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles William Darbishire 9,903 41.7 +9.6
Unionist George Llewellen Palmer 9,262 39.0 -10.1
Labour George Ward 4,572 19.3 +0.5
Majority 641 2.7 n/a
Turnout 81.0 +16.4
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing
General Election 6 December 1923
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles William Darbishire 10,867 43.2 +1.5
Unionist Walter William Shaw 9,891 39.4 +0.4
Labour George Ward 4,372 17.4 -1.9
Majority
Turnout 83.5 +2.5
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1924
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter William Shaw 11,559 44.2 +4.8
Liberal Charles William Darbishire 9,848 37.7 -5.5
Labour George Ward 4,731 18.1 +0.7
Majority 1,711 6.5
Turnout 84.9 +1.4
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
Westbury by-election, 1927
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Hon. Richard Eric Onslow Long 10,623 40.1 -4.1
Liberal Harcourt Johnstone 10,474 39.5 +1.8
Labour George Ward 5,396 20.4 +2.3
Majority 149 0.6 -5.9
Turnout 84.6 -0.3
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1929: Westbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Hon. Richard Eric Onslow Long 12,907 38.8 -1.3
Liberal Harcourt Johnstone 12,840 38.7 -0.8
Labour George Ward 7,458 22.5 +2.1
Majority 67 0.1 -0.5
Turnout 87.1 +2.5
Unionist hold Swing -0.3

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1931
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Villiers Grimston 16,949 51.2 +12.4
Liberal John Hobbis Harris 11,014 33.3 -5.4
Labour Maurice Hackett 5,127 15.5 -7.0
Majority 5,935 17.9 +17.8
Turnout 33,090 85.4 -1.7
Conservative hold Swing +8.9
General Election 1935
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Villiers Grimston 15,804 49.0 -2.2
Liberal Charles C Byers 10,789 33.5 +0.2
Labour R St John Reade 5,641 17.5 +2.0
Majority 5,015 15.6 -2.4
Turnout 32,234 80.1 -5.3
Conservative hold Swing -1.2

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
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Villiers Grimston 14,328 39.0 -10.0
Labour George Ward 13,397 36.5 +19.0
Liberal Maj. Walter Geoffrey Milne 9,004 24.5 -9.0
Majority 931 2.5 13.1
Turnout 75.5 -4.6
Conservative hold Swing -14.5

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1950: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Villiers Grimston 17,445 39.5
Labour Reginald James Travess 15,766 35.6
Liberal Harold Banning Richardson 11,031 24.9
Majority 1,679 3.9
Turnout 86.3
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Villiers Grimston 19,654 43.7
Labour Reginald James Travess 17,623 39.2
Liberal Harold Banning Richardson 7,666 17.1
Majority 2,031 4.5
Turnout 86.2
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Robert Villiers Grimston 19,684 45.6
Labour Reginald James Travess 16,295 37.8
Liberal Peter LM Hurd 7,165 16.6
Majority
Turnout 82.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1959: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Robert Villiers Grimston 20,396 45.6
Labour Jasper Godwin Ridley 14,570 32.5
Liberal Basil Thomas Wigoder 9,816 21.9
Majority 5,826 13.1
Turnout 84.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1964: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 19,950 43.1
Labour Philip William Hopkins 15,049 32.6
Liberal Basil Thomas Wigoder 11,232 24.3
Majority 4,901 10.5
Turnout 82.8
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1966: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 20,989 43.6
Labour Philip William Hopkins 18,192 37.8
Liberal Iain Meiklejohn Fowler 8,962 18.6
Majority 2,797 5.8
Turnout 82.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: Westbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 26,524 50.3
Labour John McLaren 17,413 33.0
Liberal Robert George Otter 8,781 16.7
Majority 9,111 17.3
Turnout 52,718 77.
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Westbury [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 26,197 43.0
Liberal A W Glyn Court 17,778 29.2
Labour Anthony J Smith 16,453 27.0
Wessex Regionalist Alexander George Thynn, Viscount Weymouth 521 0.8
Majority 8,419 13.8
Turnout 83.5
Conservative win
General Election October 1974: Westbury [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 24,172 41.7
Liberal A W Glyn Court 18,129 31.3
Labour Anthony J Smith 15,613 27.0
Majority 6,043 10.4
Turnout 78.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1979: Westbury [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 29,929 47.2
Liberal P Jackson 15,950 25.1
Labour PR Atkins 12,532 19.8
Independent S Alexander 2,547 4.0
Wessex Regionalist Tom Thatcher 1,905 3.0
Ecology Sally Rodwell 554 0.9
Majority 13,979 22.0
Turnout 79.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Westbury [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Murray Walters 31,133 51.4
Liberal David J. Hughes 22,627 37.4
Labour HW Thomas 6,058 10.0
Ecology Paul W. Ekins 609 1.0
Wessex Regionalist John C. Banks 131 0.2
Majority 8,506 14.0
Turnout 75.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections 1987–2005

Election Political result Candidate Party Votes % ±%
General election 2005 [26]
Electorate: 82,380
Turnout: 55,604 (67.0%) +0.4		 Conservative hold
Majority: 5,346 (9.6%) −0.9
Swing: 0.4%% from Con to Lib Dem		 Andrew Murrison Conservative 24,749 44.5 +2.4
Duncan Hames Liberal Democrat 19,400 34.9 +3.3
Phil Gibby Labour 9,640 17.3 −4.1
Lincoln Williams UKIP 1,815 3.3 +0.8
General election 2001 [27]
Electorate: 76,056
Turnout: 50,628 (66.6%) −9.6		 Conservative hold
Majority: 5,294 (10.5%) −0.2
Swing: 0.1% from Con to Lib Dem		 Andrew Murrison Conservative 21,299 42.1 +1.5
David Vigar Liberal Democrat 16,005 31.6 +1.7
Sarah Cardy Labour 10,847 21.4 +0.3
Charles Booth-Jones UKIP 1,261 2.5 +1.1
Bob Gledhill Green 1,216 2.4 N/A
General election 1997 [28]
Electorate: 74,457
Turnout: 56,751 (76.2%) −6.6		 Conservative hold
Majority: 6,068 (10.7%) −6.7
Swing: 3.4% from Con to Lib Dem		 David Faber Conservative 23,037 40.6 −9.8
John Miller Liberal Democrat 16,969 29.9 −3.1
Kevin Small Labour 11,969 21.1 +7.8
G. Hawkings Liberal 1,956 3.4 +1.4
N. Hawkings-Byass Referendum 1,909 3.4 N/A
R. Westbury UKIP 771 1.4 N/A
C. Haysom Natural Law 140 0.2 N/A
General election 1992 [29]
Electorate: 87,356
Turnout: 72,488 (82.8%) +4.3		 Conservative hold
Majority: 12,618 (17.4%) +2.2
Swing: 1.1% from Lib Dem to Con		 David Faber Conservative 36,568 50.4 −1.1
Ms. Vivienne A. Rayner Liberal Democrat 23,950 33.0 −3.3
William Stallard Labour 9,642 13.3 +1.3
Paul I. Macdonald Liberal 1,440 2.0 −34.4
Patrick R. French Green 888 1.2 +1.2
General election 1987 [30]
Electorate: 84,860
Turnout: 66,397 (78.2%)		 Conservative hold
Majority: 10,097 (15.2%) +1.1
Swing: 0.1% from Lib to Con		 Dennis Walters Conservative 34,256 51.6 −0.2
David J. Hughes Liberal 24,159 36.4 −1.0
H. W. Thomas Labour 7,982 12.0 +2.0

Notes and references

Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.

Use <references />, or <references group="..." />

Sources

  • Guardian Unlimited (2004). Ask Aristotle - Westbury. Retrieved November 16, 2004.
  • 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) [1]
    Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Westbury_(UK_Parliament_constituency)&oldid=2875872"