Wells (UK Parliament constituency)

History

The original two-member borough constituency was created in 1295, and abolished by the Reform Act 1867 with effect from the 1868 general election. Its revival saw a more comparable size of electorate across the country and across Somerset, with a large swathe of the county covered by this new seat, under the plans of the third Reform Act and the connected Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 which was enacted the following year.

;Political history The seat was largely Conservative-held during the 20th century and has never elected a Labour MP. The only other political party to have been represented is the Liberal Democrats or their predecessor, the Liberal Party, who achieved a marginal victory in 2010, see marginal seat.

;Prominent frontbenchers Sir William Hayter was chief government whip of the Commons under three Liberal Prime Ministers governing from the Lords, (Lord John) Russell, Aberdeen and Palmerston.

So too in this role was Lord Hylton from 1916 to 1922 alongside the Lord Colebrooke in the Conservative-Liberal National coalition.

Robert Sanders was Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Commons, 1918–1919, and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, 1922–1924.

Robert Boscawen was a government whip (1988–1989).

David Heathcoat-Amory was Minister for Europe (1993–1994) and later a Shadow Cabinet member (1997–2001).

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Borough of Wells, and the Sessional Divisions of Axbridge and Wells (except the parish of Binegar).

1918–1950: The Boroughs of Glastonbury and Wells, the Urban Districts of Shepton Mallet and Street, the Rural Districts of Shepton Mallet, Wells, and Wincanton, and in the Rural District of Frome the parishes of Cloford, Marston Bigot, Nunney, Wanstrow, Whatley, and Witharn Friary.

1950–1983: The Boroughs of Glastonbury and Wells, the Urban Districts of Frome, Shepton Mallet, and Street, and the Rural Districts of Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells, and Wincanton.

1983–2010: The District of Mendip wards of Ashwick, Avalon, Chilcompton and Ston Easton, Ebbor, Glastonbury St Benedict's, Glastonbury St Edmund's, Glastonbury St John's, Glastonbury St Mary's, Moor, Nedge, Pylcombe, Rodney, Sheppey, Shepton Mallet, Street North, Street South, Wells Central, Wells St Cuthbert's, and Wells St Thomas, and the District of Sedgemoor wards of Axbridge, Axe Vale, Berrow, Brent, Burnham North, Burnham South, Cheddar, Highbridge, Mark, Shipham, and Wedmore.

2010–2024: The District of Mendip wards of Ashwick and Ston Easton, Avalon, Chilcompton, Glastonbury St Benedict's, Glastonbury St Edmund's, Glastonbury St John's, Glastonbury St Mary's, Knowle, Moor, Nedge, Pylcombe, Rodney and Priddy, St Cuthbert Out North and West, Shepton East, Shepton West, Street North, Street South, Street West, Wells Central, Wells St Cuthbert's, and Wells St Thomas, and the District of Sedgemoor wards of Axbridge, Axe Vale, Berrow, Brent North, Burnham North, Burnham South, Cheddar and Shipham, Highbridge, Knoll, and Wedmore and Mark.

Constituency profile

Aside from energy, transportation, retail, and distribution which are major sectors, agriculture and tourism are still important areas to this central and quite quintessential part of Somerset which includes the coastal resort of Burnham-on-Sea, the city of Wells with its cathedral, and notable natural landmarks such as the Cheddar Gorge and Glastonbury Tor. The site of the Glastonbury Festival also lies within this seat, causing a major influx of visitors in late June. The founder of the festival, Michael Eavis, stood as the Labour candidate for the 1997 election, receiving 10,204 votes, the highest for Labour since 1974.

Workless claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.1% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1640

MPs 1640–1832

MPs 1832–1868

MPs 1885–2024

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

| title=General election 2010: Wells{{cite web

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm|title=Politics Resources|date=9 April 1992|work=Election 1992|publisher=Politics Resources|access-date=6 December 2010}}

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

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: Anthony Muirhead
• Liberal: James A Brown
• Labour:

Elections in the 1920s

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors = 9,501

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors = 10,230 |reg. electors = 10,771

Joliffe's elevation to the peerage, becoming Lord Hylton, caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors = 11,725

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors = 12,642 |reg. electors = 12,642

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: George Sandys
• Liberal: Charles Conybeare |reg. electors = 26,951

Election results 1832–1868

Elections in the 1830s

|reg. electors = 338

• Edwards-Vaughan resigned on the first day of polling

Lamont's death caused a by-election.

|reg. electors = 377

|reg. electors = 402

Elections in the 1840s

|reg. electors = 346

|reg. electors = 375

Hayter was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

|reg. electors = 325

Tudway's death caused a by-election.

|reg. electors = 380

|reg. electors = 343

|reg. electors = 327

Elections in the 1860s

|reg. electors = 274

Elections before 1832

Elections in the 1830s

|reg. electors =

|reg. electors =

Notes

References

Sources

• 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) titles A-Z
• Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847, Volume 2 (London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co, 1845) The Parliaments of England: From 1st George I., to the Present Time

References

1. (4 March 2011). "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". Boundary Commission for England.
2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West {{!}} Boundary Commission for England".
3. [https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/nov/17/unemployment-and-employment-statistics-economics Unemployment claimants by constituency] ''[[The Guardian]]''
4. "Wells 1386–1421". History of Parliament Trust.
5. "Wells 1509–1558". History of Parliament Trust.
6. "''Forsett, Edward (c.1554–1630), of Marylebone, Mdx. and Charing Cross House, Westminster''". History of Parliament Online.
7. Cassidy, Irene. "Wells 1660–1690". The History of Parliament Trust.
8. (1845). "The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive". Simpkin, Marshall, & Co..
9. (1838). "The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc".
10. (1837). "The Spectator, Volume 10". F.C. Westley.
11. (24 July 1837). "Bell's Weekly Messenger".
12. "Results of the UK Parliamentary General Election – Wells Constituency".
13. (June 2021)
14. "Wells". BBC.
15. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
16. "Wells". BBC.
17. (5 March 2015). "Highbridge singer Gypsy Watkins to stand as MP candidate in May". Weekly News.
18. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
19. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Wells". BBC News.
20. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
21. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
22. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
24. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
25. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
26. The Liberal Magazine, 1939
27. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
28. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
29. (1974). "British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918". Macmillan Press.
30. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
31. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
32. (1 November 1855). "Wells Election". Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.
33. (13 November 1855). "Sherborne Mercury".
34. (1977). "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885". Macmillan Press.
35. "Wells".