South Monmouthshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Southern Monmouthshire
Former County constituency for the House of Commons
1885–1918
Number of members	one
Replaced by	Bedwellty and Monmouth
Created from	Monmouthshire

Southern Monmouthshire was a parliamentary constituency in Monmouthshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

History

The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, which divided into three constituencies, the Monmouthshire constituency that had elected two members until 1885. The constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election, when most of its area became the Monmouth county constituency.

In 1852, the old constituency had elected members of two powerful families - the Morgans of Tredegar and the Somerset dukes of Beaufort. In 1885, the Morgan interest continued with the election of Colonel Hon. Frederick Courtenay Morgan as MP from 1885 until 1906 when he retired. His son, Courtney Morgan, afterwards Baron Tredegar attempted to succeed him, but was defeated by another local landowner Colonel Ivor Herbert of Llanarth, Monmouthshire. Herbert retained the constituency until 1917 when he departed to the House of Lords. The constituency was abolished a year later.

Boundaries

The constituency consisted of:

• The petty sessional divisions of:
  • Caerleon (the civil parishes of Caerleon, Kilgwrrwg, Llandegveth, Llangattock, Llanhennock, Llanthewy-vach, Llanvihangel, Llantarnam, Llanfrechfa Lower and Tredunnock)
  • Chepstow (Caerwent, Caldicot, Chapel Hill, Chepstow, Howick, Ifton, Itton, Llanfihnagel juxta Rogiet, Llnavair Discoed, Mathern, Mounton, Newchurch, Penterry, Portskewett, Rogiet, St Arvans, Shirenewton, Tintern Parva)
  • Christchurch (Bishton, Christchurch (part), Goldcliff, Kemeys Inferior, Llangstone, Llanmartin, Llanvaches, Magor, Nash, Penhow, Redwick, St Brides Netherwent, Undy, Whitson and Wilcrick)
  • Monmouth (Dixton (part), Mitchel Troy, Monmouth (part), Rockfield and Wonastow)
  • Newport (Bassaleg, Bettws, Coedkernew, Duffryn, Graig, Henllys, Llandavenny, Machen, Malpas, Marshfield, Michaelstone-y-vedw, Peterstone, Risca, Rogerstone, Rumney, St Bride's Wentloog, St Mellons and St Woollos (part))
  • Raglan (Bryngwyn, Clytha, Dingestow, Llanarth, Llandenny, Parc Grace Dieu, Penrhos, Pen-y-clawdd, Raglan and Tregare)
  • Trellech (Cwmcarvan, Llandogo, Llanishen, Llangoven, Llanfihangel Tor-y-Mynydd, Penallt, Trelleck and Wolvesnewton)
  • and Usk (Bettws Newydd, Gwehellog, Gwernesney, Kemeys Commander, Llanbadoc, Llangeview, Llangibby, LIangwm-Isaf, Llangwm-Ucha, Llanllowell, Llansoy, LIantrissant, Monkswood, Trostrey and Usk)
• The parts of the municipal boroughs of
  • Monmouth
  • and Newport outside the Monmouth Boroughs constituency
• The civil parishes of
  • Bedwas
  • and Mynyddislwyn.^[1]

Members of Parliament

Year		Member	Party
	1885	Frederick Courtenay Morgan	Conservative
	1906	Ivor Herbert	Liberal
	1917	Abraham Garrod Thomas	Liberal
1918		constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1900s

Ivor Herbert

General Election 1906: South Monmouthshire ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Ivor John Caradoc Herbert	7,503	54.7
	Conservative	Courtenay Charles Evan Morgan	6,216	45.3
Majority			1,287	9.4
Turnout				86.5
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Elections in the 1910s

Sir Garrod Thomas

South Monmouthshire by-election, 1917

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Sir Abraham Garrod Thomas	6,769	90.3
	Independent	Bertie Pardoe Thomas	727	9.7
Majority			6,042	80.6
	Liberal hold		Swing

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 3)

1. Seventh Schedule of the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, (48 & 49 Vict. C.23)
2. British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)