Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)

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Stamford was a constituency in the county of Lincolnshire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was represented by two Members of Parliament until 1868 when this was reduced to one.

Boundaries

The parliamentary borough was based upon the town of Stamford in the Parts of Kesteven (a traditional sub-division of the county of Lincolnshire).

When the borough constituency was abolished in 1885, the Stamford (or South Kesteven) division of Lincolnshire was created. This included the town of Stamford and surrounding territory. The county division was a considerably larger constituency than the borough one had been.

From the 1885 general election until the dissolution before the 1918 election the constituency was surrounded by to the north Sleaford; to the east Spalding; to the south east Wisbech; to the south North Northamptonshire; to the south west Rutland; to the west Melton and to the north west Newark. The constituency of Grantham was an enclave wholly surrounded by Stamford.

History

The Victoria County History of the County of Lincoln includes some information about the representation of Stamford in early times.

Stamford, on the other hand, which had sent Nicholas de Burton and Clement de Melton to the Parliament of 1295, only exercised what its burghers probably regarded as an onerous privilege once in the reign of Edward II when in 1322 it elected Eustace Malherbe and Hugh de Thurleby.

A further paragraph relates the position before and after the borough began to send representatives regularly in 1467.

Stamford for some 150 years after the reign of Edward II apparently forbore to exercise its onerous privilege of returning members. In the seventeenth century it was afflicted with the usual controversy prevalent in small communities as to where the right of election lay, and the Committee of Privileges reported in 1661 'That the right of election was in such freemen only as paid scot and lot'.

Namier and Brooke in The House of Commons 1754-1790 explained that before the Reform Act 1832 the right of election was in the inhabitants of the parliamentary borough paying scot and lot, a local tax. They estimated the number of voters at about 500. In that period, despite the comparatively large electorate, the constituency was a pocket borough of the Earl of Exeter and elections were uncontested formalities.

The Reform Act replaced the scot and lot franchise with an occupation franchise, which slightly reduced the size of the electorate. This was because the value of the property occupation of which conferred a vote, was higher than that for houses upon which scot and lot became payable.

The area was strongly Tory or Conservative in politics. From 1801 until 1918 it only twice elected an MP from other parties (a Whig in 1831 and a Liberal in 1880). Elections before the United Kingdom general election, 1874 were usually uncontested.

The borough had some distinguished representatives in the nineteenth century. It returned two of the three members of the triumvirate which attempted to lead the protectionist Tories in the House of Commons. The Marquess of Granby had little to commend himself as a political leader, apart from the social prestige of being the heir to the Duke of Rutland. He was briefly sole leader in 1848 before the triumvirate was created in the following year and continued until his resignation in 1851. J.C. Herries had at least held senior ministerial office. Both the Stamford MPs were easily eclipsed by the rising star of their colleague Benjamin Disraeli.

A more significant historical figure was Lord Robert Cecil (Viscount Cranborne 1865-1868) who represented the borough between 1853 and 1868. As the Marquess of Salisbury he was the leading figure in the Conservative Party from the death of Disraeli in 1881 until he retired as Prime Minister in 1902.

Another leading Conservative with connections to the borough was Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt the party leader in the House of Commons 1876-1885 (from 1881 at the same time as Salisbury was leader in the House of Lords). Northcote was a Stamford MP from 1858 to 1866.

Under the Reform Act 1867 the borough electorate was expanded, but it lost one seat in Parliament from the United Kingdom general election, 1868.

The Representation of the People Act 1884 further expanded the electorate. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 abolished the borough constituency but created an expanded county division of the same name. These changes took effect with the United Kingdom general election, 1885.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1918 the electorate was again expanded, but the Stamford area was combined with the county of Rutland in a new Rutland and Stamford constituency.

Members of Parliament

This is a list of people who were elected to represent the borough in the House of Commons between 1754 and 1918.

Year First member First party Second member Second party
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" | style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" | 1754 John Harvey Thursby Non Partisan Robert Barbor Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" | style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" rowspan="2" | 1761 John Chaplin Non Partisan George Bridges Brudenell Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" rowspan="2" | 1765 George René Aufrère Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" rowspan="3"| 1768 Sir George Howard Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" | 1774 Henry Cecil Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" rowspan="2"| 1790 The Earl of Carysfort a Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:/meta/color" rowspan="2"| 1796 John Leland Non Partisan
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" rowspan="3"| 1801 Albemarle Bertie Tory
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | 1802 Tory
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" rowspan="3" | 1808 Evan Foulkes Tory
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | 1809 Charles Chaplin Tory
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | 1812 The Lord Henniker a Tory
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" rowspan="3" | style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | 1818 Lord Thomas Cecil Tory Hon. William Henry Percy Tory
style="background-color: Template:Tory Party/meta/color" | 1826 Thomas Chaplin Tory
style="background-color: Template:British Whig Party/meta/color" | 1831 Charles Tennyson Whig
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" rowspan="2" | style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | 1832 Thomas Chaplin Conservative George Finch Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" rowspan="3" | 1837 Marquess of Granby Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | 1838 Sir George Clerk, Bt Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | 1847 Rt Hon. John Charles Herries Conservative
  • Constituency abolished (1918)

Notes:-

  • a An Irish peer.

Election notes

The bloc vote electoral system was used in two seat elections and first past the post for single member by-elections. Each voter had up to as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings (until the secret ballot was introduced in 1872).

Note on percentage change calculations: Where there was only one candidate of a party in successive elections, for the same number of seats, change is calculated on the party percentage vote. Where there was more than one candidate, in one or both successive elections for the same number of seats, then change is calculated on the individual percentage vote.

Note on sources: The information for the election results given below is taken from Namier and Brooke 1754-1790, Stooks Smith 1790-1832 and Craig from the United Kingdom general election, 1832. Where Stooks Smith gives additional information or differs from the other sources this is indicated in a note after the result.

Elections before 1754

Election results 1754-1800

1750s –

1760s – 1770s – 1780s – 1790s

Elections in the 1750s

General Election 16 April 1754: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan John Harvey Thursby Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan Robert Barbor Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1760s

General Election 30 March 1761: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan John Chaplin Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan George Bridges Brudenell Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Death of Chaplin
By-Election 21 January 1765: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan George René Aufrère Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan hold Swing N/A
  • Seat vacated on the appointment of Brudenell to an office
By-Election 26 December 1765: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan George Bridges Brudenell Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan hold Swing N/A
General Election 19 March 1768: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan George Howard Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan George René Aufrère Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1770s

General Election 11 October 1774: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Sir George Howard Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan Henry Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1780s

General Election 13 September 1780: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Sir George Howard Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan Henry Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1 April 1784: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Sir George Howard Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan Henry Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1790s

General Election 1790: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Sir George Howard Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan The Earl of Carysfort Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1796: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Sir George Howard Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan The Earl of Carysfort Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Death of Howard
By-Election October 1796: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan John Leland Unopposed N/A N/A
Nonpartisan hold Swing N/A

Election Results 1801-1918

1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s – 1840s – 1850s – 1860s – 1870s – 1880s – 1890s – 1900s – 1910s

Elections in the 1800s

  • Creation of Carysfort as a peer of the United Kingdom
By-Election February 1801: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Albemarle Bertie Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory gain from Nonpartisan Swing N/A
General Election 1802: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory John Leland Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Albermarle Bertie Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1806: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory John Leland Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Albemarle Bertie Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1807: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory John Leland Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Albemarle Bertie Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Death of Leland
By-Election January 1808: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Evan Foulkes Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
By-Election February 1809: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Charles Chaplin 306 68.30 N/A
Whig J. Jephson Oddy 142 31.70 N/A
Majority 154 36.61 N/A
Turnout 448 N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Note (1809): Stooks Smith records that the polls were open for two days

Elections in the 1810s

General Election 1812: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Evan Foulkes 360 36.51 N/A
Tory The Lord Henniker 354 35,90 N/A
Whig Gerard Noel Noel 272 27.59 N/A
Turnout 986 (626 voted) N/A N/A

Note (1812): Stooks Smith records that the polls were open for two days

General Election 1818: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Lord Thomas Cecil 328 49.10 N/A
Tory Hon. William Henry Percy 324 48.50 N/A
Whig Joseph Clayton Jennyns 12 1.80 N/A
Whig Thomas Best 4 0.60 N/A
Turnout 668 (336 voted) N/A N/A

Note (1818): Stooks Smith records that the polls were open for one day

Elections in the 1820s

General Election 1820: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Lord Thomas Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Hon. William Henry Percy Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1826: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Lord Thomas Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Thomas Chaplin Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Lord Thomas Cecil 467 41.85 N/A
Tory Thomas Chaplin 335 30.02 N/A
Whig Charles Tennyson 314 28.14 N/A
Turnout 1,116 (667 voted) N/A N/A

Note (1830): Stooks Smith records that the polls were open for four days

General Election 1831: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Lord Thomas Cecil 390 37.21 -4.64
Whig Charles Tennyson 356 33.97 +5.83
Tory Thomas Chaplin 302 28.82 -1.20
Turnout 1,048 (666 voted) N/A N/A

Note (1831): Stooks Smith records that the polls were open for three days

General Election 1832: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Chaplin 526 40.93 +12.11
Conservative George Finch 463 36.03 N/A
Liberal A.F. Gregory 296 23.04 -10.93
Turnout 1,285 (766 voted) 90.01 N/A
Registered electors 851

Note (1832): Stooks Smith was the source for the number of electors voting and classified Chaplin and Finch as Tories and Gregory as a Whig candidate.

General Election 1835: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Chaplin Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative George Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 755

Note (1835): Stooks Smith classified Chaplin and Finch as Tory candidates.

General Election 1837: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Chaplin 201 50.00 N/A
Conservative Marquess of Granby 200 49.75 N/A
Liberal The Lord Langford 1 0.25 N/A
Turnout 402 (201 voted) 29.39 N/A
Registered electors 684

Note (1837): Stooks Smith was the source for the number of electors voting and classified Chaplin and Granby as Tories and Langford as a Whig candidate. Langford retired before the poll.

  • Resignation of Chaplin
By-Election 1 May 1838: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir George Clerk, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Note (1838): Stooks Smith classifies Clerk as a Tory.

Elections in the 1840s

General Election 1841: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir George Clerk, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Marquess of Granby Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 661
  • Note (1841): Stooks Smith classified Clerk and Granby as Tory candidates.
  • Seat vacated on the appointment of Clerk as Master of the Mint
By-Election 10 February 1845: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir George Clerk, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 1847: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marquess of Granby 349 39.98 N/A
Conservative Rt Hon. John Charles Herries 288 32.99 N/A
Conservative John Rolt 236 27.03 N/A
Turnout 873 (524 voted) 85.06 N/A
Registered electors 616

Note (1847): Stooks Smith was the source for the number of electors voting and classified all three candidates as Tories. Stooks Smith has a registered electorate figure of 613, but Craig's figure of 616 is used to calculate turnout.

Elections in the 1850s

By-Election 6 March 1852: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. John Charles Herries Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 1852: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. John Charles Herries Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Sir Frederic Thesiger Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 661
  • Resignation of Herries
By-Election 22 August 1853: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord Robert Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 1857: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord Robert Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Sir Frederic Thesiger Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 529
By-Election 3 March 1858: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Inglis Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
  • Seat vacated on the appointment of Inglis as Lord Justice Clerk with the Scottish judicial title of Lord Glencorse
By-Election 17 July 1858: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 1859: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord Robert Cecil Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 539

Elections in the 1860s

  • Lord Robert Cecil became known by the courtesy title of Viscount Cranborne, following the death of his brother in 1865.
General Election 1865: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Viscount Cranborne Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 512
By-Election 18 May 1866: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir John Charles Dalrymple Hay, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-Election 12 July 1866: Stamford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Viscount Cranborne Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Sir John Charles Dalrymple Hay, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-Election 4 May 1868: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Viscount Ingestre Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-Election 24 June 1868: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Unwin Heygate Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 1868: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir John Charles Dalrymple Hay, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A
Registered electors 1,094
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

General Election 1874: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir John Charles Dalrymple Hay, Bt 557 57.74 N/A
Liberal Marston Clarke Buszard 411 42.46 N/A
Majority 146 15.08 N/A
Turnout 968 81.83 N/A
Registered electors 1,183
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1880: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Marston Clarke Buszard 601 52.17 +9.71
Conservative Sir John Charles Dalrymple Hay, Bt 551 47.83 -9.71
Majority 50 4.34 N/A
Turnout 1,152 91.79 +9.96
Registered electors 1,255
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing -9.71 (C to L)
General Election 1885: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Compton Lawrance 4,647 56.94 +9.11
Liberal J.S. Cudlip 3,514 43.06 -9.11
Majority 1,133 13.88 N/A
Turnout 8,161 83.78 -8.01
Registered electors 9,741
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.11 (L to C)
General Election 1886: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Compton Lawrance Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-Election 7 March 1886: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry John Cockayne Cust 4,236 51.72 N/A
Liberal Arthur Priestley 3,954 48.28 N/A
Majority 282 3.44 N/A
Turnout 8,190 77.81 N/A
Registered electors 10,526
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1892: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry John Cockayne Cust 4,150 50.76 -0.96
Liberal Arthur Priestley 4,026 49.24 +0.96
Majority 124 1.52 -1.92
Turnout 8,176 84.00 +6.19
Registered electors 9,733
Conservative hold Swing -0.96 (C to L)
General Election 1895: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Younger 4,203 52.43 +1.67
Liberal Arthur Priestley 3,814 47.57 -1.67
Majority 389 4.85 +3.33
Turnout 8,017 83.02 -0.98
Registered electors 9,657
Conservative hold Swing +1.67 (L to C)

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1900: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Younger 4,292 55.83 +3.40
Liberal Lewis Haslam 3,395 44.17 -3.40
Majority 897 11.67 +6.82
Turnout 7,687 80.63 -1.39
Registered electors 9,534
Conservative hold Swing +3.40 (L to C)
General Election 1906: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord John Joicey-Cecil 4,559 53.15 -2.68
Liberal F.P. Rawson 4,018 46.85 +2.68
Majority 541 6.31 -5.36
Turnout 8,577 87.68 +7.05
Registered electors 9,782
Conservative hold Swing -2.68 (C to L)

Elections in the 1910s

General Election January 1910: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hon. Claude Willoughby 4,666 51.98 -1.17
Liberal G.H. Parkin 4,310 48.02 +1.17
Majority 356 3.97 -2.34
Turnout 8,976 89.26 +1.58
Registered electors 10,056
Conservative hold Swing -1.17 (C to L)
General Election December 1910: Stamford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hon. Claude Willoughby 4,545 51.94 -0.04
Liberal G.H. Parkin 4,206 48.06 +0.04
Majority 339 3.87 -0.10
Turnout 8,751 87.02 -2.24
Registered electors 10,056
Conservative hold Swing -0.04 (C to L)
  • Constitiuency abolished (1918}

Sources

References

  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
  • The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
  • The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844-50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)) out of copyright
  • The Victoria County History of the County of Lincoln: Volume 2, edited by William Page (First published in 1906; reprinted 1988 by Dawsons for the University of London Institute of Historical Research) out of copyright
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886-1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)


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