Hereford (UK Parliament constituency)

History

Hereford sent two representatives to Parliament from the beginning of the reign of Edward I. Although a county town, the early elections were always held at a different location from those of the shire, the former taking place at the Guildhall, the latter in the castle.

In 1885, representation was reduced to one Member.

Journalist Robin Day stood as the Liberal candidate in the 1959 general election.

From 1931 until 1997, Hereford was held by the Conservative Party, before being taken by Paul Keetch of the Liberal Democrats at the 1997 general election. Keetch served as the Liberal Democrats' spokesman for defence from October 1999 until May 2005, and announced on 17 November 2006 that he would not be standing at the next election.

Following the review by the Boundary Commission for England of parliamentary representation in Herefordshire, taking effect at the 2010 general election, two parliamentary constituencies were allocated to the county. The Hereford seat was abolished and replaced by the Hereford and South Herefordshire seat, while the remainder of the county is covered by the North Herefordshire seat.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The Borough of Hereford, the Urban Districts of Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye, the Rural Districts of Dore, Ross, and Whitchurch, and parts of the Rural Districts of Hereford and Ledbury.

1950–1983: The Borough of Hereford, the Urban District of Ross-on-Wye, the Rural Districts of Dore and Bredwardine, and Ross and Whitchurch, and part of the Rural District of Hereford.

1983–1997: The City of Hereford, and the District of South Herefordshire wards of Backbury, Broad Oak, Dinedor Hill, Doward, Fownhope, Garron, Golden Valley, Gorsley, Gorsty, Harewood End, Hollington, Kingsthorne, Merbach, Olchon, Old Gore, Penyard, Pontrilas, Ross-on-Wye East, Ross-on-Wye West, Stoney Street, Tram Inn, Walford, Whitfield, and Wilton.

1997–2010: The City of Hereford, and the District of South Herefordshire wards of Broad Oak, Clehonger East, Clehonger West, Dinedor Hill, Doward, Fownhope, Garron, Golden Valley, Gorsley, Harewood End, Hollington, Kingsthorne, Merbach, Olchon, Old Gore, Penyard, Pontrilas, Ross-on-Wye East, Ross-on-Wye West, Stoney Street, Tram Inn, Walford, Whitfield, and Wilton.

In its final form, the Hereford constituency contained the city of Hereford and most of South Herefordshire, including Ross-on-Wye, but excluding Ledbury and Much Marcle, both of which were in the Leominster constituency.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1640

MPs 1640–1885

MPs 1885–2010

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

|reg. electors =

|reg. electors =

|reg. electors = 920

|reg. electors = 891

|reg. electors = 909

Elections in the 1840s

|reg. electors = 961

Hobhouse resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

|reg. electors = 961

Clive's death caused a by-election.

|reg. electors = 1,061

Elections in the 1850s

|reg. electors = 1,013

Price resigned, causing a by-election.

|reg. electors = 832

|reg. electors = 832

|reg. electors = 971

Elections in the 1860s

|reg. electors = 1,215

|reg. electors = 2,380

The election was declared void on petition, after the Liberal agent was found to have "given breakfast to Liberal electors", and therefore was guilty of treating.

|reg. electors = 2,380

Elections in the 1870s

Clive resigned, causing a by-election. |reg. electors = 2,298

|reg. electors = 2,340

Pateshall resigned, causing a by-election.

|reg. electors = 2,631

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors = 2,837 |reg. electors = 3,002 |reg. electors = 3,002

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors = 3,267

Grenfell resigned, causing a by-election.

|reg. electors = 3,415 |reg. electors = 3,328

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors = 3,852

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors = 4,066

|reg. electors = 4,066

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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Unionist: William Hewins
• Liberal:

|reg. electors = 28,246

Elections in the 1920s

|reg. electors = 27,316 |reg. electors = 27,774 |reg. electors = 28,538 |reg. electors = 29,083 |reg. electors = 36,984

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1940s

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: James Thomas
• Liberal: Archie Marshall

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 2000s

Notes

References and notes

Sources

• 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)
• The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)
• F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
• F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949 (Glasgow: Political Reference Publications, 1969)
• Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988)
• J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)

References

1. (7 January 2004). "Final recommendations for Parliamentary constituencies in the county of Herefordshire". [[Boundary Commission for England]].
2. "NASH (ASH), Richard (D.1394/5), of Hereford. | History of Parliament Online".
3. "History of Parliament".
4. "...FELDE, Roger, of Hereford.". History of Parliament Online.
5. "BURYTON, William, of Hereford and Stoke Lacy, Herefs. | History of Parliament Online".
6. "CHIPPENHAM, Thomas II, of Hereford. | History of Parliament Online".
7. "History of Parliament".
8. "History of Parliament".
9. {{Rayment-hc. h. 2. (March 2012)
10. It is not known for certain whether Weaver sat after [[Pride's Purge]]: a "Mr Weaver" was re-admitted and Edmund Weaver appears in one list of members of the Rump, but he is not listed in the House of Commons Journals, and Brunton & Pennington suggest he has probably been confused with John Weaver, MP for [[Stamford (UK Parliament constituency). Stamford]] (who was certainly a member)
11. Later adopted the surname Winford
12. Created a baronet, May 1774
13. Surrey was also elected for [[Carlisle (UK Parliament constituency). Carlisle]], which he chose to represent, and never sat for Hereford
14. (1838). "The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838".
15. (30 June 1841). "Nominations of Candidates for the City of Hereford". Hereford Journal.
16. (2 July 1841). "General Election". Morning Post.
17. (3 July 1841). "District News". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser.
18. (14 October 1841). "Perthshire Courier".
19. (16 October 1841). "Miscellaneous Epitome". Norfolk Chronicle.
20. (1857). "The Parliamentary Companion for 1857". Whittaker & Co.
21. (2009). "PRICE, Robert (1786–1857), of Foxley, Herefs.".
22. "Herefordshire".
23. (1838). "The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc".
24. (30 July 1845). "London, Monday Evening". Western Courier, West of England Conservative, Plymouth and Devonport Advertiser.
25. (27 July 1847). "Hereford". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard.
26. (2 August 1847). "The General Election". Morning Post.
27. (4 August 1847). "Hereford City Election". Hereford Journal.
28. (18 February 1857). "City Election". Hereford Journal.
29. (14 February 1857). "Miscellaneous". The Atlas.
30. On petition, the election of 1868 was declared void and a by-election was held
31. "Hereford".
32. (3 July 1852). "To the Independent Freemen & Electors City of Hereford". Hereford Times.
33. (14 February 1857). "The City Election". Hereford Times.
34. (18 February 1857). "Hereford City Election". Hereford Journal.
35. Vetch, R. H.. "Wyllie, Sir William".
36. (4 March 1871). "Election Intelligence". Bedfordshire Mercury.
37. (1977). "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885". Macmillan Press.
38. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
39. (1974). "British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918". Macmillan Press.
40. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
41. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
42. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
43. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
44. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
45. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
46. (9 April 1992). "UK General Election results April 1992". Politics Resources.
47. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
48. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
49. (7 June 2001). "Hereford Constituency: Declaration of Result of Poll".
50. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
51. (5 May 2005). "Hereford Constituency: Declaration of Result of Poll".