Petersfield (UK Parliament constituency)

Petersfield
Former Borough constituency for the House of Commons
1547–1983
Number of members	1547–1832: two 1832–1983: one
Replaced by	East Hampshire, Winchester and Fareham[1]
Created from	Hampshire

Petersfield was an English Parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Petersfield in Hampshire. It existed for several hundred years until its abolition for the 1983 general election.

Until 1832, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Thereafter, its representation was reduced to one member until its abolition in 1983.

Boundaries

1885-1918: The Sessional Divisions of Alton, Droxford, and Petersfield, and part of the Sessional Division of Winchester.

1918-1950: The Urban Districts of Alton and Petersfield, and the Rural Districts of Alresford, Alton, Gatherington, Droxford, and Petersfield.

1950-1955: The Urban Districts of Alton and Petersfield, the Rural Districts of Alton, Droxford, and Petersfield, and in the Rural District of Winchester the civil parishes of Botley, Burlesdon, Hamble, Hedge End, Hound, and West End.

1955-1983: The Urban Districts of Alton and Petersfield, and the Rural Districts of Alton, Droxford, and Petersfield.

Members of Parliament

MPs for Petersfield borough (1547-1885)

MPs 1547–1660

Parliament	First member	Second member
1547	George Tadlowe	Lawrence Elveden alias Cattaneo [2]
1553 (Mar)	Sir Anthony Browne	John Vaughan [2]
1553 (Oct)	Sir Anthony Browne	George Rithe [2]
1554 (Apr)	John Vaughan	Henry Weston [2]
1554 (Nov)	John Vaughan	Henry Weston [2]
1555	Christopher Rithe	Henry Weston [2]
1558	Henry Weston	Christopher Rithe [2]
1559	Sir Henry Weston	George Rithe [3]
1563	Sir Henry Weston	Tomas Dering [3]
1571	John Cowper	Robert Rithe [3]
1572	Richard Norton	Ralph Bourchier, sat for Newcastle-under-Lyme and repl. Apr 1572 by Thomas Chatterton [3]
1584	Sir Henry Weston	Edmund Marvyn [3]
1586	Edward Radclyffe	Edmund Marvyn [3]
1588	Benjamin Tichborne	Edmund Marvyn [3]
1593	Sir Walter Covert	Richard Weston (MP for Petersfield) [3]
1597	William Kingswell	Thomas Hanbury [3]
1601	William Kingswell	John Swynnerton[3]
1604	Sir William Hervey	Sir William Kingswell
1614	Sir Walter Tichborne	Walter Savage
1621-1622	Richard Norton	John Hippisley
1624	Sir John Jephson	Sir John Hippisley
1625	Sir John Jephson	William Uvedale
1626	Benjamin Tichborne	William Uvedale
1628-1629	Benjamin Tichborne	William Uvedale
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr)	William Uvedale	Sir William Lewis
1640 (Nov)	William Uvedale, disabled	Sir William Lewis
1645	Sir William Lewis,excluded 1648	William Uvedale
1653	Petersfield not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654	Petersfield not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament
1656	Petersfield not represented in 2nd Protectorate Parliament
1659	Josias Child	Sir Henry Norton

MPs 1660–1832

Year		First member	First party		Second member	Second party
April 1660		Thomas Cole [4]			Arthur Bold
1661		Sir Humphrey Bennet
1668		Thomas Neale
1677					Leonard Bilson
1679		Sir John Norton, Bt
1685					Thomas Bilson
1689		Robert Michell
1690					Richard Holt
1698					Peter Bettesworth
January 1701		Ralph Bucknall			Richard Markes
November 1701		Robert Michell
1704					Leonard Bilson
1705		Norton Powlett
1715					Samuel Pargiter-Fuller
1722					Edmund Miller
January 1727					Joseph Taylor [5]
May 1727					Edmund Miller
August 1727					Joseph Taylor
1734		Sir William Jolliffe			Edward Gibbon
1741		John Jolliffe			Francis Fane
1747					William Conolly
February 1754					William Gerard Hamilton
April 1754		William Beckford [6]
December 1754		Sir John Philipps, Bt
1761		John Jolliffe			Richard Pennant
1767					Richard Croftes
1768		William Jolliffe			Welbore Ellis
1774					Sir Abraham Hume
1780					Thomas Samuel Jolliffe
1787					The Viscount Downe
June 1790					Hon. George Augustus North
December 1790					Marquess of Titchfield
1791					Welbore Ellis
1795					Hon. Charles Greville
1796					Hylton Jolliffe
1797					Sir John Sinclair, Bt
March 1802		Hylton Jolliffe
July 1802					William Draper Best
1806					Hon. John Ward
1807					Booth Grey
October 1812					George Canning
December 1812					George Canning, junior
March 1820					The Lord Hotham [7]
June 1820					Sir Philip Musgrave, Bt
1825					James Law Lushington
1826					William Marshall
1830		Sir William Jolliffe, Bt			Gilbert East Jolliffe
1831					Hylton Jolliffe
1832	Representation reduced to one member

MPs 1832–1885

Election		Member	Party
1832 [8]		John Shaw-Lefevre	Liberal Party
1833 [8]		Hylton Jolliffe	Tory
1834			Conservative Party
1835		Cornthwaite Hector	Liberal Party
1837 [9]		Sir William Jolliffe, Bt	Conservative Party
1838 [9]		Cornthwaite Hector	Liberal Party
1841		Sir William Jolliffe	Conservative Party
1866 by-election		William Nicholson	Liberal Party
1874 [10]		William Sydney Hylton Jolliffe	Conservative Party
1880		William Nicholson	Liberal Party
1885	Borough abolished - name transferred to county division

MPs for Petersfield county constituency (1885–1983)

Election		Member	Party
1885		Viscount Wolmer	Liberal
1886			Liberal Unionist
1892		William Wickham	Conservative
1897		William Graham Nicholson	Conservative
1935		Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith	Conservative
1941		Sir George Jeffreys	Conservative
1951		Peter Legh	Conservative
1960		Joan Quennell	Conservative
1974		Michael Mates	Conservative
1983	Constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1885: Petersfield ^[11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Viscount Wolmer	3,414		n/a
	Independent Liberal	William Nicholson	3,253		n/a
	Independent Conservative	Douglas Henty	179		n/a
Majority			161		n/a
Turnout					n/a
	Liberal win (new seat)

General Election 1886: Petersfield ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal Unionist	Viscount Wolmer	3,188
	Liberal	William Nicholson	3,077
Majority			111
Turnout
	Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing

Elections in the 1890s

Wickham

General Election 1892: Petersfield ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Wickham	3,912
	Liberal	John Bonham-Carter	3,008
Majority			904
Turnout
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1895: Petersfield ^[11][13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Wickham	unopposed	n/a	n/a
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

Petersfield by-election, 1897^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Graham Nicholson	3,748		n/a
	Liberal	John Bonham-Carter	3,328		n/a
Majority			420		n/a
Turnout					n/a
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1900: Petersfield ^[11][15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Graham Nicholson	unopposed	n/a	n/a
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

General Election 1906: Petersfield ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Graham Nicholson	4,349		n/a
	Liberal	Hugh Burdett Money-Coutts	4,253		n/a
Majority			96		n/a
Turnout					n/a
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

Elections in the 1910s

General Election January 1910: Petersfield ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Graham Nicholson	6,279
	Liberal	Herbert Arthur Baker	3,594
Majority
Turnout
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election December 1910: Petersfield ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Graham Nicholson	unopposed	n/a	n/a
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

General Election 1918: Petersfield^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	William Graham Nicholson	10,730	71.5
	Labour	John Pile	4,267	28.5
Majority			6,463	43.0
Turnout				52.7
	Unionist hold		Swing

• endorsed by Coalition Government

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1922: Petersfield ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	William Graham Nicholson	12,600	64.2	-7.3
	Labour	Dudley Leigh Aman	7,036	35.8	+7.3
Majority				28.4
Turnout				65.7	+13.0
	Unionist hold		Swing	-7.3

General Election 1923: Petersfield ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	William Graham Nicholson	12,195	65.6	+1.4
	Labour	Dudley Leigh Aman	6,403	34.4	-1.4
Majority			5,792	31.2	+2.8
Turnout				60.6
	Unionist hold		Swing	+1.4

General Election 1924: Petersfield ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	William Graham Nicholson	14,646	69.8
	Liberal	George Spencer	3,755	17.9	n/a
	Labour	George Gilbert Desmond	2,582	12.3
Majority			10,891	51.9
Turnout				66.3
	Unionist hold		Swing

General Election 1929: Petersfield ^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Rt Hon. William Graham Nicholson	15,605	55.0	-14.8
	Liberal	Vernon Gerald Bailey	9,334	32.9	+15.0
	Labour	Getrude Speedwell Massingham	3,418	12.1	-0.2
Majority			6,271	22.1	-29.8
Turnout				68.2	+1.9
	Unionist hold		Swing	-14.9

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1931: Petersfield^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Rt Hon. William Graham Nicholson	26,081	88.0	+
	Labour	AE Albery	3,559	12.0	-0.1
Majority			22,522	76.0
Turnout			29,640	67.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

• Liberal candidate Vernon Gerald Bailey withdrew at the last minute.

General Election 1935: Petersfield^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith	22,877	79.1	-8.9
	Labour	John Ernest Lionel Birch	6,061	20.9	+8.9
Majority			16,816	58.1	-18.0
Turnout			28,938	63.4	-4.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	-8.9

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;

• Conservative: Sir Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith
• Liberal: Basil E Goldstone^[20]
• Labour: D Muir Hunter^[21]
• British Union: Muriel G Whinfield

Elections in the 1940s

Petersfield by-election, 1941^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	George Darell Jeffreys	unopposed	n/a	n/a
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

General Election 1945: Petersfield^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	George Darell Jeffreys	20,838	58.4	-20.7
	Liberal	Basil E Goldstone	8,269	23.2	n/a
	Common Wealth	Thomas Sargant	6,600	18.5	n/a
Majority			12,569	35.2	-22.9
Turnout				64.4	+1.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	n/a

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1950: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Sir George Darell Jeffreys	27,401	55.15
	Labour	Mrs I Candy	15,472	31.14
	Liberal	Harold Hugh Lindsay Dickson	6,813	13.71
Majority			11,929	24.01
Turnout				78.36
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1951: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Peter Richard Legh	29,845	58.75
	Labour	Edward E Preidel	15,770	31.05
	Liberal	Harold Hugh Lindsay Dickson	5,182	10.20
Majority			14,075	27.71
Turnout				77.84
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1955: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Peter Richard Legh	24,826	69.81
	Labour	Frederick R Mason	10,736	30.19
Majority			14,090	39.62
Turnout				69.74
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1959: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Peter Richard Legh	23,687	60.93
	Labour	John Stuart Paul Davey	8,278	21.29
	Liberal	Richard Michael Digby	6,912	17.78
Majority			15,409	39.64
Turnout				73.64
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

Petersfield by-election, 1960

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Joan Mary Quennell	15,613	54.4
	Liberal	Michael Digby	8,310	28.95
	Labour	William Royle	4,777	16.64
Majority			7,303	25.45
Turnout			28,700
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1964: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Joan Mary Quennell	23,603	54.00
	Liberal	Michael Digby	11,338	25.94
	Labour	Lady M C Wilson	8,477	19.39
	Independent Loyalist	Rosine M de Bounevialle	292	0.67
Majority			12,265	28.06
Turnout				75.50
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1966: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Joan Mary Quennell	23,933	52.33
	Liberal	Michael Digby	10,931	23.90
	Labour	Lady M C Wilson	10,874	23.77
Majority			13,002	28.43
Turnout				75.72
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Joan Mary Quennell	30,414	60.50
	Labour	Kelvin Horrocks	10,307	20.50
	Liberal	Penelope Jessel	7,783	15.48
	Independent	Michael Digby	1,766	3.51
Majority			20,107	40.00
Turnout				72.12
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election February 1974: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Joan Mary Quennell	30,732	51.49
	Liberal	Timothy Willatt Slack	21,152	35.44
	Labour	PF Whitely	7,703	12.91
	Technical Consultant	PHH Bishop	101	0.17
Majority			9,580	16.05
Turnout				81.13
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election October 1974: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Michael John Mates	28,689	50.50
	Liberal	Timothy Willatt Slack	19,702	34.68
	Labour	JM Bloom	8,301	14.61
	United Democratic Party	PHH Bishop	117	0.21
Majority			8,987	15.82
Turnout				76.50
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1979: Petersfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Michael John Mates	39,200	61.15
	Liberal	J Madeley	16,825	26.25
	Labour	BW Clough	8,082	12.61
Majority			22,375	34.90
Turnout				78.29
	Conservative hold		Swing

References

1. "'Petersfield', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
2. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
3. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
4. April 1660: Cole was also elected for Winchester, but appears never to have chosen which constituency he would sit for so as to allow a replacement to be elected for the other
5. On petition (in a dispute over the franchise), Taylor's election was declared void and his opponent, Miller, was declared to have been duly elected
6. Beckford was also elected for the City of London, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Petersfield
7. Hotham was also elected for Leominster, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Petersfield
8. In 1832 a petition was lodged against the result, and the election of John Shaw-Lefevre was declared void. After scrutiny of the ballots, Hylton Jolliffe was declared elected in 1833.
   F.W.S. Craig's British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 and Henry Stooks Smith's The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847 record the member seated after the petition as William Jolliffe. However, The History of Parliament's article on Petersfield borough note in footnote 42 that both the official returns (PP (1878), lxii, pt. ii, 348) and the 1833 petition (CJ, lxxxviii. 13-14) confirm that the member seated was Hylton Jolliffe. This is as reported in the Times article on the petition committee's report: "Petersfield Election Committee", The Times, 7 March 1833, page 4.
9. In 1837 a petition was lodged against the result, and the election of Jolliffe was declared void. After scrutiny of the ballots, Hector was declared elected in 1838
10. In 1874, a petition was lodged against the election of Jolliffe. Scrutiny of the results led to a referral to the Court of Common Pleas on the validity of 64 of Joliffe's votes and 11 of those for Nicholson. The votes were declared valid and the election upheld.
11. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
12. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
13. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
14. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 145 (169 in web page), Hampshire
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. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
19. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F. W. S.
20. The Liberal Magazine, 1939
21. Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 1)
• Robert Beatson, (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament Google Books