Nottinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottinghamshire | |
---|---|
Former County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Nottinghamshire |
1290–1832 | |
Number of members | Two |
Replaced by | North Nottinghamshire and South Nottinghamshire |
Nottinghamshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament (MPs), traditionally known as Knights of the Shire.
The constituency was split into two two-member divisions, for Parliamentary purposes, by the Reform Act 1832. The county was then represented by the North Nottinghamshire and South Nottinghamshire constituencies.
Boundaries
The county of Nottinghamshire is located in the East Midlands of England. The county is known to have been represented in Parliament from 1290, although it probably sent knights of the shire to earlier meetings.
From 1295 the county and the town of Nottingham each returned two members to parliament. In 1572 East Retford was represented by two members, and in 1672 Newark-upon-Trent also. Under the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned four members in two divisions. By the act of 1885 it returned four members in four divisions; Newark and East Retford were disfranchised, and Nottingham returned three members in three divisions.
Members of Parliament
1290–1640
Parliament | First member | Second member |
---|---|---|
1297 | Sir John de Vilers | |
1307 | Sir Walter Goushill of Hoveringham | |
1311 | Sir Walter Goushill of Hoveringham | |
1312 | John de Lisours | |
1313 | Laurencius de Cadurcis | |
1318 | Richard de Willoughby, Snr[1] | Peter Foun[1] |
1320 | John Darcy | |
1324 | Robert de Jorce[1] | Richard de Willoughby, Jnr[1] |
1361–1393 | Robert Morton | |
1373 | John Gateford | |
1376–1390 | Sir John Burton (5 times) | |
1377–1388 | John Annesley | |
1378 | Sir John Leake | |
1378 | William Neville | |
1379 | Sir John Birmingham | |
1380 (Nov) | John Gateford | |
1381 | Sir Thomas Rempston | |
1383 | Sir Thomas Rempston | |
1386 | Sir John Annesley | Sir John Leake[2] |
1388 (Feb) | Sir John Annesley | Sir John Leake[2] |
1388 (Sep) | Sir John Annesley | Sir Robert Cockfield[2] |
1390 (Jan) | John Gateford | Sir John Leake[2] |
1390 (Nov) | Sir John Burton | Hugh Cressy[2] |
1391 | Sir Thomas Hercy | Sir Robert Cockfield[2] |
1393 | Sir Thomas Rempston | John Gateford[2] |
1394 | Sir William Neville | Nicholas Strelley[2] |
1395 | Sir Thomas Rempston | Nicholas Burdon[2] |
1397 (Jan) | Sir Thomas Rempston | Hugh Cressy[2] |
1397 (Sep) | Sir Thomas Rempston | Robert Morton[2] |
1399 | William Leek | John Gateford[2] |
1401 | Sir John Burton (son of Sir John, 1376) | John Kniveton[2] |
1402 | Sir John Clifton | Sir Richard Stanhope[2] |
1404 (Jan) | John Leek | Sir Richard Stanhope[2] |
1404 (Oct) | Simon Leek | Sir Richard Stanhope[2] |
1406 | Sir Thomas Chaworth | Sir Richard Stanhope[2] |
1407 | Sir John Zouche | Sir Hugh Hussey[2] |
1410 | ||
1411 | William Rigmaiden | Thomas Staunton[2] |
1413 (Feb) | ||
1413 (May) | Sir John Zouche | Sir Thomas Rempston II[2] |
1413 (Apr) | Sir Robert Plumpton | Henry Sutton[2] |
1414 (Nov) | Ralph Mackerell | Sir Hugh Hussey[2] |
1415 | ||
1416 (Mar) | William Compton | Sir Thomas Rempston II[2] |
1416 (Oct) | ||
1417 | Sir Thomas Chaworth | Sir Henry Pierrepont[2] |
1419 | Sir John Zouche | Ralph Hussey[2] |
1420 | Sir Thomas Chaworth | Ralph Mackerell[2] |
1421 (May) | Sir Thomas Chaworth | Sir William Mering[2] |
1421 (Dec) | Sir Henry Pierrepont | Sir Richard Stanhope[2] |
1422 | Sir John Zouche | |
1423 | Sir Henry Pierrepont | Sir Thomas Chaworth |
1425 | Sir Henry Pierrepont | Sir William Mering |
1427 | Ralph Mackerell [3] | |
1429 | John Bowes | |
1432 | John Bowes | |
1435 | John Bowes | |
1436 | William Plumpton | |
1437 | Sir Thomas Chaworth | |
1439 | John Bowes | |
1442 | Sir William Mering | Sir John Zouche |
1445 | Sir Thomas Chaworth | |
1510–1523 | No names known[4] | |
1529 | Sir John Markham | Sir John Byron[4] |
1536 | ||
1539 | Gervase Clifton | John Hercy[4] |
1542 | ||
1545 | Sir Anthony Neville | Michael Stanhope[4] |
1547 | Sir Michael Stanhope | Sir John Markham[4] |
1553 (Mar) | William Mering | George Lascelles[4] |
1553 (Oct) | Sir John Hercy | Sir William Holles[4] |
1554 (Apr) | Sir John Constable | Ellis Markham[4] |
1554 (Nov) | Richard Whalley | Ellis Markham[4] |
1555 | Richard Whalley | Anthony Forster[4] |
1558 | Sir John Markham | Hugh Thornhill[4] |
1559 (Jan)(writ) | Sir John Markham | John Manners[5] |
1562–1563 | John Manners | John Molyneux[5] |
1571 | Robert Markham | Edward Stanhope[5] |
1572 | Henry Pierrepont | Edward Stanhope[5] |
1584 (Nov) | Sir Thomas Manners | Sir Robert Constable[5] |
1586 | Sir Thomas Manners | Sir Thomas Stanhope[5] |
1588 (Oct) | Robert Markham | Brian Lascelles[5] |
1593 (Jan) | Sir Charles Cavendish | Philip Strelley[5] |
1597 (Oct) | John Byron | Richard Whalley[5] |
1601 (Oct) | Sir Charles Cavendish | Robert Pierrepont[5] |
1604–1611 | Sir John Holles | Percival Willoughby |
Addled Parliament (1614) | Sir Gervase Clifton | |
1621–1622 | George Chaworth, 1st Viscount Chaworth | |
Happy Parliament (1624) | Robert Sutton | |
Useless Parliament (1625) | Sir Henry Stanhope | |
1626 | Sir Henry Stanhope | Sir Thomas Hutchinson |
1628 | Sir John Byron | Sir Gervase Clifton |
No Parliament summoned 1629–1640 |
1640–1832
Notes
The use of the term 'Non Partisan' in the list does not necessarily mean that the MP was not associated with a particular party or faction in Parliament. Stooks Smith only gives Nottinghamshire candidates party labels for the contested 1722 election and not again until well into the 19th century.
- 1 2 3 4 Members of Parliament 1213-1702. London: House of Commons. 1878.
- 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 27 28 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ↑ "MACKERELL, Ralph (d.1436), of Wilsthorpe, Derbys. and Clifton, Notts.". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ↑ Adopted the surname Hewett in 1756
- ↑ Adopted the surname Pierrepont in 1788
- ↑ Stooks Smith incorrectly lists Lord Edward Bentinck as re-elected in 1796. In fact he was elected MP for Clitheroe.
- ↑ Styled Viscount Newark from 1806
- ↑ Styled Viscount Lumley from June 1832.
Election notes
The county franchise, from 1430, was held by the adult male owners of freehold land valued at 40 shillings or more. Each elector had as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, which took place in Nottingham. The expense and difficulty of voting at only one location in the county, together with the lack of a secret ballot contributed to the corruption and intimidation of electors, which was widespread in the unreformed British political system.
The expense, to candidates and their supporters, of contested elections encouraged the leading families of the county to agree on the candidates to be returned unopposed whenever possible. Contested county elections were therefore unusual. Three families; the Duke of Newcastle, the Duke of Portland and the Pierreponts, all Whigs, dominated the county until well into the 19th century, which was why there was no contest after 1722.
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.
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 Stooks Smith 1715–1754, Namier and Brooke 1754–1790 and Stooks Smith 1790–1832.
Election results 1715–1832
1710s –
1720s – 1730s – 1740s – 1750s – 1760s – 1770s – 1780s – 1790s – 1790s – 1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s |
Elections in the 1710s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Francis Willoughby | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | William Levinz | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Elections in the 1720s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Sir Robert Sutton | 1,349 | 25.89 | N/A | |
Whig | The Viscount Howe | 1,339 | 25.70 | N/A | |
Tory | William Levinz | 1,265 | 24.28 | N/A | |
Tory | Hon. Francis Willoughby | 1,257 | 24.13 | N/A | |
- Howe was a Peer of Ireland
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Sir Robert Sutton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | The Viscount Howe | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Elections in the 1730s
- Seats vacated on Howe being appointed Governor of Barbados and Sutton being expelled from the House.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | William Levinz | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Thomas Bennet | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | William Levinz (junior) | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Thomas Bennet | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Death of Bennet
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | John Mordaunt | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Elections in the 1740s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | William Levinz (junior) | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Mordaunt | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Robert Sutton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Thornhagh | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Sutton adopted the new surname of Manners-Sutton
Elections in the 1750s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Robert Manners-Sutton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Thornhagh | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- John Thornhagh adopted the new surname of Hewett
Elections in the 1760s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Robert Manners-Sutton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Hewett | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Death of Manners-Sutton
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Thomas Willoughby | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Thomas Willoughby | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Hewett | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Elections in the 1770s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Earl of Lincoln | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Thomas Willoughby | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Succession of Willoughby as the 4th Baron Middleton
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Charles Edward Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
- Death of Lincoln
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Charles Medows | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Elections in the 1780s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Charles Edward Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Charles Medows | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Charles Edward Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Charles Medows | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Charles Medows adopted the surname of Pierrepont in 1788
Elections in the 1790s
{{Election box candidate with party link| |party =Non Partisan[[British
|candidate =Charles Pierrepont |votes =Unopposed |percentage =N/A |change =N/A
}}
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord Charles Edward Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Hon. Evelyn Pierrepont | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Note (1796): Stooks Smith incorrectly has Lord Charles Edward Bentinck returned at this election rather than Lord William Cavendish Bentinck
Elections in the 1800s
- Death of Pierrepont
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Charles, Lord Pierrepont | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Charles, Lord Pierrepont | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Resignation of Bentinck
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Anthony Hardolph Eyre | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
- Pierrepont became known by the courtesy title of Viscount Newark, when his father was advanced in the peerage by being created Earl Manvers in 1806.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Viscount Newark | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Anthony Hardolph Eyre | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Viscount Newark | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Anthony Hardolph Eyre | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Elections in the 1810s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Viscount Newark | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Resignation of Bentinck
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Frank Frank | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Tory gain from Non Partisan | Swing | N/A | |||
- Succession of Newark as 2nd Earl Manvers
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Frank Frank | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Frank adopted the new surname of Sotheron
Elections in the 1820s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Frank Sotheron | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Frank Sotheron | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Whig | John Saville Lumley | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Elections in the 1830s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Frank Sotheron | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Whig | John Saville Lumley | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | John Saville Lumley | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Whig | Evelyn Denison | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
- Constituency divided in (1832)
See also
References
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
- 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
- Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
- 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)
- J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)