Kidderminster (UK Parliament constituency)

Kidderminster
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
County Worcestershire
Major settlements Kidderminster
1918–1983
Number of members One
Replaced by Wyre Forest and Leominster[1]
1832–1918
Number of members One
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Created from Worcestershire

Kidderminster was a parliamentary constituency in Worcestershire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.

History

The borough of Kidderminster returned two members to Parliament in 1295, Walter Caldrigan and William Lihtfot, but not to any subsequent one.[2][3] From 1295 to 1832 Kidderminster had no separate representation from Worcestershire.

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election and was abolished for the 1983 general election, when it was largely replaced by the new Wyre Forest constituency.

Boundaries

1832–1868

The Reform Act 1832 enfranchised Kidderminster as a parliamentary borough. The constituency comprised the township of Kidderminster Borough and part of the township of Kidderminster Foreign.[2] The Parliamentary Boundaries Act of the same year set out the boundaries in detail:

From the Point at or near Proud Cross at which the Boundary of the old Borough meets the Broomfield Road, along the Boundary of the old Borough, to the Point at which the Abberley Road meets the Black Brook; thence, Westward, along the Abberley Road to the first Point at which the same is met by a Hedge running due South therefrom; thence along the said Hedge to its Southern Extremity near a Stone Quarry; thence in a straight Line to the said Stone Quarry; thence in a straight Line to the First Mile Stone on the Bewdley Road; thence, Westward, along the Bewdley Road to the Point at which the same is joined by a Footpath leading to the Stourport Road; thence along the said Footpath to the Point at which the same meets the Boundary of the old Borough; thence, Southward, along the Boundary of the old Borough to the Point at which the same meets the South-eastern Fence of a Wood called "The Copse," situated on the Eastern Bank of the River Stour; thence along the said Fence to the Point at which the same meets Hoo Lane; thence across Hoo Lane, over a Stile called "Gallows Stile," along a Footpath leading from the said Stile to the Lane from Hoo Brook to Comberton Hill, to the Point at which the last-mentioned Footpath meets the Lane from Hoo-Brook to Comberton Hill; thence, Northward, along the Lane from Hoo-Brook to Comberton Hill to the Point at which the same meets the Boundary of the old Borough; thence, Northward, along the Boundary of the old Borough to the Point first described.[4]

1868–1918

The Representation of the People Act 1867 (also known as the Second Reform Act) redrew parliamentary constituencies. The consequential Boundary Act of the following year extended the boundaries of the parliamentary borough. Three areas of the parish of Kidderminster and part of the parish of Wolverley were added.[5]

1918–1950

The next change in constituency boundaries was carried out under the Representation of the People Act 1918. The parliamentary borough was abolished and a new Kidderminster constituency was created as a division of the parliamentary county of Worcestershire. It consisted of a wide area of northern Worcestershire, comprising the following local government districts:[2][6]

1950–1983

The Representation of the People Act 1948 redrew constituencies throughout Great Britain: the revised boundaries were first used at the 1950 general election. The 1948 legislation also introduced the terms "borough constituency" and "county constituency".[2] The Bromsgrove and Redditch areas were formed into a separate Bromsgrove constituency, while the new Kidderminster County Constituency, now took much of north west Worcestershire. It was defined as follows:[7]

The boundaries were not altered at the next redistribution in 1970 and the seat remained unchanged until the 1983 general election, when constituencies were realigned to the administrative geography introduced in 1974. A new seat of Wyre Forest was formed centred on Kidderminster.[8]

Members of Parliament

Year1st Member2nd member
1295Walter Caldrigan William Lihtfot
YearMemberParty
1832 Richard Godson Whig
1835 George Philips Whig
1837 Richard Godson Tory
1847 Lib-Con
1849 John Best Peelite
1852 Robert Lowe Liberal
1859 Alfred Rhodes Bristow Liberal
1862 Luke White Liberal
1865 Albert Grant[note A] Conservative
1868 Thomas Lea Liberal
1874 Albert Grant[note A] Conservative
1874 Sir William Fraser Conservative
1880 John Brinton Liberal
1886 Sir Augustus Godson Conservative
1906 Edmund Broughton Barnard Liberal
1910 Eric Ayshford Knight Conservative
1922 Sir John Wardlaw-Milne Unionist
1945 Louis Tolley Labour
1950 Sir Gerald Nabarro Conservative
1964 Sir Tatton Brinton Conservative
1974 Esmond Bulmer Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Note A: ^ Grant was granted the title of baron in the Italian nobility by Victor Emmanuel II in 1868, and styled himself "Baron Albert Grant" thereafter. His election in 1874 was overturned on petition.[9]

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

John Brinton
General Election 1885: Kidderminster [10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Brinton 2,172 51.9
Conservative Augustus Frederick Godson 2,014
Majority 158
Turnout 92.9
Liberal hold Swing
Blunt
General Election 1886: Kidderminster [10][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Augustus Frederick Godson 2,081
Liberal Wilfrid Scawen Blunt 1,796
Majority 285
Turnout
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1890s

Richard Eve
General Election 1892: Kidderminster [10][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Augustus Frederick Godson 2,066
Liberal Richard Eve 1,801
Majority 265
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1895: Kidderminster [10][14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Augustus Frederick Godson 2,008
Liberal Richard Eve 1,713
Majority 295
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1900: Kidderminster [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Augustus Frederick Godson 1,950 51.9
Liberal Edmund Broughton Barnard 1,804 48.1
Majority 146 3.8
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
E.B.Barnard
General Election 1906: Kidderminster [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Edmund Broughton Barnard 2,354 53.1 +5.0
Conservative Stanley Baldwin 2,083 46.9 -5.0
Majority 271 6.2 10.0
Turnout 94.5
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.0

Elections in the 1910s

General Election January 1910: Kidderminster [10][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Eric Ayshford Knight 2,353
Liberal Sir Edward Henry Fraser 1,984
Majority
Turnout
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General Election December 1910: Kidderminster [10][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Eric Ayshford Knight 2,188
Liberal Edmund Broughton Barnard 2,003
Majority
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

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: Kidderminster[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist
  • Eric Ayshford Knight
 13,497
Labour John Baker 9,760
Majority
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1922: Kidderminster[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 19,711
Labour John Hutchinson Bruce 9,203
Majority
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
Henry Purchase
General Election 1923: Kidderminster[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 15,469 53.1
Liberal Henry George Purchase 9,663 33.2 n/a
Labour Louis Byron Tolley 3,990 13.7
Majority 5,806 19.9
Turnout 89.4
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1924: Kidderminster[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 18,040
Labour J. Clifford Leigh 6,792
Liberal Henry George Purchase 5,667
Majority
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1929: Kidderminster[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 21,643 48.2
Labour Frank G. Lloyd 12,246 27.2
Liberal John William Hughes 11,050 24.6
Majority 9,397 21.0
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

Jessie Stephen
General Election 1931: Kidderminster[18] [19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 33,359 77.27 +29.1
Labour Jessie Stephen 9,814 22.73 -4.5
Majority 23,545 54.54 +33.5
Turnout 43,173 69.04
Registered electors 62,530
Conservative hold Swing +16.8
General Election 1935: Kidderminster[18] [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 28,494 69.53 -7.74
Labour Charles Coombes 12,485 30.47 +7.74
Majority 16,009 39.07 -15.47
Turnout 40,979 60.18 -8.86
Registered electors 68,098
Conservative hold Swing -7.74

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: Kidderminster[18][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Louis Byron Tolley 34,421 55.79 +25.32
Conservative Sir John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne 27,272 44.21 -25.32
Majority 7,149 11.59 N/A
Turnout 61,693 70.71 +10.53
Registered electors 87,254
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +25.32

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1950: Kidderminster[22] [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Gerald David Nunes Nabarro 22,950 49.96 +5.75
Labour Louis Byron Tolley 19,145 41.67 -14.12
Liberal John Maurice Eccles 3,844 8.37 N/A
Majority 3,805 8.28 N/A
Turnout 45,939 84.08 +13.37
Registered electors 56,640
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +9.94
General Election 1951: Kidderminster[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Gerald David Nunes Nabarro 25,483 55.63 +5.67
Labour IA Jack Williams 20,325 44.37 +2.70
Majority 5,158 11.26 +2.98
Turnout 45,808 83.02 -1.06
Registered electors 55,179
Conservative hold Swing +1.49
General Election 1955: Kidderminster[26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Gerald David Nunes Nabarro 26,142 59.33 +3.70
Labour IA Jack Williams 17,918 40.67 -3.70
Majority 8,341 18.67 +7.41
Turnout 38,307 81.07 -1.95
Registered electors 47,254
Conservative hold Swing +3.70
General Election 1959: Kidderminster[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Gerald David Nunes Nabarro 27,699 60.14 +0.81
Labour Joan Tomlinson 18,356 39.86 -0.81
Majority 9,343 20.29 +1.62
Turnout 46,055 79.10 -1.97
Registered electors 58,223
Conservative hold Swing +0.81

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1964: Kidderminster[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Esme Tatton Cecil Brinton 24,425 50.75 -9.41
Labour George W Jones 17,571 36.51 -3.35
Liberal Lionel A King 5,824 12.10 N/A
British and Commonwealth Party Miles S Blair 310 0.64 N/A
Majority 6,854 14.24 -6.05
Turnout 48,130 79.41 +0.31
Registered electors 60,606
Conservative hold Swing -3.03
General Election 1966: Kidderminster[32][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Esme Tatton Cecil Brinton 24,628 51.99 +1.24
Labour John W Wardle 21,451 45.28 +8.77
Independent Reginald Smith 1,292 2.73 N/A
Majority 3,177 6.71 -7.53
Turnout 47,371 75.57 -3.84
Registered electors 62,688
Conservative hold Swing -3.77

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: Kidderminster[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Esme Tatton Cecil Brinton 27,667 51.75
Labour Graham F Smith 18,297 34.22
Liberal H H Brian Lamb 7,502 14.03
Majority 9,370 17.53
Turnout 73.84
Conservative hold Swing
General Election, February 1974: Kidderminster[1][35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Esmond Bulmer 27,065 42.50 -9.25
Labour Reginald Herbert John Jones 18,380 28.87 -5.35
Liberal Anthony John Batchelor 18,230 28.63 +14.60
Majority 8,685 13.64 -3.89
Turnout 63,675 81.22 +7.38
Conservative hold Swing
General Election, October 1974: Kidderminster[1][36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Esmond Bulmer 25,602 43.27 +0.77
Labour Reginald Herbert John Jones 18,833 31.83 +2.96
Liberal Anthony John Batchelor 14,733 24.90 -3.73
Majority 6,769 11.44 -2.20
Turnout 59,168 74.95 -6.27
Conservative hold Swing -1.10
General Election 1979: Kidderminster[1][37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Esmond Bulmer 33,523 53.74 +10.47
Labour Anthony Wayland Wright 17,871 28.65 -3.18
Liberal Garrett Adams 9,939 15.93 -8.97
National Front Albert Charles Luckman 1,052 1.69
Majority 15,652 25.09 +13.65
Turnout 62,385 77.56 +2.61
Conservative hold Swing +6.82

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "'Kidderminster', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Youngs, Frederic A, Jr. (1991). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.2: Northern England. London: Royal Historical Society. p. 845. ISBN 0-86193-127-0.
  3. ↑ Williams, William Retlaw (1897). The parliamentary history of the county of Worcester : including the city of Worcester, and the boroughs of Bewdley, Droitwich, Dudley, Evesham, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Pershore, from the earliest times to the present day, 1213-1897, with biographical and genealogical notices of the members. Hereford: Privately published for the author. pp. 185–190. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832 c.64, Schedule O
  5. ↑ The Public General Acts 1868. London: HMSO. 1868. p. 165. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  6. ↑ Representation of the People Act 1918, Ninth Schedule: Redistribution of Seats
  7. ↑ Representation of the People Act 1948 c.65, First Schedule, Parliamentary Constituencies
  8. ↑ The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 (S.I. 1983/417)
  9. ↑ Thomas Seccombe, rev. Michael Reed (2004). "Grant, Albert , Baron Grant in the Italian nobility (1831–1899)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  11. ↑ The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  12. ↑ The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  13. ↑ The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  14. ↑ The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  15. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  16. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  17. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  19. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1931". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  20. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1935". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  21. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1945". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  22. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1950". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  23. ↑
  24. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1951". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  25. ↑
  26. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1955". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  27. ↑
  28. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1959". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  29. ↑
  30. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1964". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  31. ↑
  32. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1966". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  33. ↑
  34. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1970". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  35. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results February 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  36. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results October 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  37. ↑ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1979". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 23 March 2016.

Sources

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