Middlesex is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.
Boundaries and boundary changes
This county constituency consisted of the historic county of Middlesex, in south-eastern England, comprising Spelthorne, Colnbrook, and Potters Bar in other modern counties, together with the north, west, and north-west sectors of the present-day Greater London. Its southern boundary was the River Thames.
The county seat returned two Members of Parliament (sometimes referred to by the medieval term of knights of the shire) until 1885. The place of election for the county was at Brentford.
Until 1832 the county franchise was limited to forty shilling freeholders. The decrease in the value of money due to inflation and the expansion of the wealth and population as the urbanised area in the east around London and Westminster grew contributed to gradually expanding the electorate. The county was estimated by Henning to have about 1,660 voters in 1681. Sedgwick estimated about 3,000 electors in the 1715–54 period. Namier and Brook suggested there were about 3,500 county voters in 1754–90. The number had reached about 6,000 by 1790–1820, according to Thorne.
For subsequent changes in the franchise see Reform Act 1832 and Reform Act 1867. From 1832 voters were registered; the size of the electorate is shown below.
The geographic county until 1885 also contained the borough constituencies of City of London (first recorded as having its extraordinary four members from 1298) and Westminster (enfranchised with two members from 1545). In 1832 three two-seat Boroughs were added (or enfranchised): Finsbury, Marylebone, and Tower Hamlets. In 1868 two further metropolitan Boroughs were each granted two members of parliament: Chelsea and Hackney. The single-member non-territorial University constituency of London University (1868–1950) was somewhat connected to the county by having most of its graduates eligible to vote.
Possession of a county electoral qualification, relating to property situated in an area not otherwise represented, conferred the right to vote in the county elections.
In 1885 the county constituency was split into a number of single-member boroughs in the more urban south-east and seven county divisions elsewhere, while the City of London was reduced to two members.
In 1889 the borough constituencies that comprised the eastern part of the historic county became part of the new administrative county of London. The seven county divisions in the fringe part of the historic county, in what became the administrative county of Middlesex, were Brentford, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Hornsey, Tottenham and Uxbridge. None of these formed parliamentary boroughs and were in the administrative county of Middlesex until it was disbanded in 1965.
Members of Parliament
Preliminary note: The English civil year started on Lady Day, 25 March, until 1752 (Scotland having changed to 1 January in 1600). The year used in the lists of Parliaments in this article have been converted to the new style where necessary. It should be noted that old style dates for days between 1 January and 24 March actually referred to days after 31 December. No attempt has been made to compensate for the eleven days which did not occur in September 1752 in both England and Scotland as well as other British controlled territories (when the day after 2 September was 14 September), so as to bring the British Empire fully in line with the Gregorian calendar.
Constituency created (1265): See Montfort's Parliament for further details. Knights of the shire are known to have been summoned to most Parliaments from 1290 (19th Parliament of King Edward I of England) and to every one from 1320 (19th Parliament of King Edward II of England).
Knights of the shire 1265–1660
Some of the members elected during this period have been identified, but this list does not include Parliaments where no member has been identified before the reign of King Henry VIII. In the list (as opposed to the table below) the year given is for the first meeting of the Parliament, with the month added where there was more than one Parliament in the year. If a second year is given this is a date of dissolution. Early Parliaments usually only existed for a few days or weeks, so dissolutions in the same year as the first meeting are not recorded in this list If a specific date of election is known this is recorded in italic brackets. The Roman numerals in brackets, following some names, are those used to distinguish different politicians of the same name in 'The House of Commons' 1509-1558 and 1558-1603.
In this period, Parliament was not an institution with a regular pattern of elections and sittings. Therefore, a separate entry is made for each Parliament, even if the same Knight of the Shire served in successive Parliaments.
List of known Knights of the Shire before 1509
Parliament | First member | Second member |
1295 (Nov) | William de Brook | Stephen de Gravesend |
1296 | Richard de Wyndesor | Richard le Rous |
1297 (Oct) | Richard le Rous | ? |
1298 (Mar) | Richard le Rous | ? |
1298 (May) | Richard le Rous | ? |
1300 | Richard le Rous | ? |
1301 | Richard le Rous | ? |
1302 (Oct) | Richard le Rous | ? |
1305 (Feb) | Richard le Rous | ? |
1306 | Richard le Rous | ? |
1386 | Sir Adam Francis | William Swanland [1] |
1388 (Feb) | Sir Adam Francis | William Swanland [1] |
1388 (Sep) | William Barnville | Godfrey Atte Perry [1] |
1390 (Jan) | John Shorditch I | Thomas Coningsby [1] |
1390 (Nov) | John Shorditch I | Sir Adam Francis [1] |
1391 | Thomas Bray | William Norton [1] |
1393 | William Tamworth | Thomas Maidstone [1] |
1394 | John Shorditch II | James Ormesby [1] |
1395 | John Shorditch II | Thomas Coningsby [1] |
1397 (Jan) | Thomas Goodlake | Thomas Maidstone [1] |
1397 (Sep) | Sir Adam Francis | Sir John Wroth [1] |
1399 | John Durham | Thomas Maidstone [1] |
1401 | William Loveney | Sir John Wroth [1] |
1402 | James Northampton | Thomas Coningsby [1] |
1404 (Jan) | William Wroth | Sir John Wroth [1] |
1404 (Oct) | Sir Roger Strange | William Powe [1] |
1406 | Henry Somer | Sir John Wroth [1] |
1407 | Henry Somer | William Loveney [1] |
1410 | |
1411 | Sir Adam Francis | Sir Roger Strange [1] |
1413 (Feb) | |
1413 (May) | William Loveney | Richard Wyot [1] |
1414 (Apr) | Simon Camp | Walter Green [1] |
1414 (Nov) | Thomas Charlton | John Walden [1] |
1415 | Simon Camp | Thomas Coningsby [1] |
1416 (Mar) | |
1416 (Oct) | Henry Somer | Walter Gawtron [1] |
1419 | Thomas Frowyk | Thomas Coningsby [1] |
1420 | Sir John Boys | Walter Green [1] |
1421 (May) | Henry Somer | Sir Thomas Charlton [1] |
1421 (Dec) | Richard Maidstone | Edmund Bibbesworth [1] |
1429 | Henry Somer |
1442 | Thomas Charlton [2] | John Somerset |
1447 | Thomas Charlton [2] |
1449 | Thomas Charlton [2] |
1453 | Thomas Charlton [2] |
1459 | Sir Thomas Charlton [2] |
1460 | Sir Thomas Charlton [2] |
1491 | Sir Thomas Lovell [3] |
Table of Knights of the Shire 1509-1660
Notes:-
- a Speaker of the House of Commons.
- b Wroth ceased to be an MP after 11 May 1535. It is unknown if there was a by-election.
- c Hawkes ceased to be MP by May/June 1532. It is unknown if there was a by-election.
- d Hughes ceased to be an MP after January/April 1543. It is unknown if there was a by-election.
- e In theory the Long Parliament existed throughout the 1640-1660 term, as it could not be lawfully dissolved without its own consent which was not given until 1660. In practice all or part of the membership of the House of Commons were not permitted to sit for lengthy periods. Other bodies considered to be Parliaments existed within parts of the term of the Long Parliament.
- f Francklyn died and a by-election was held.
- g In December 1648, Gilbert was excluded from Parliament in Pride's Purge and the seat was left vacant.
- h Spencer is not recorded as having sat after Pride's Purge in December 1648.
Table of Members of the Commonwealth Parliaments 1653-1659
The County had three nominated members in the Barebones Parliament, four representatives in the First and Second and the usual two in the Third of the Protectorate Parliaments
Knights of the shire 1660–1885
Year | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
1660 |
|
Sir Lancelot Lake |
Non Partisan |
|
Sir William Waller |
Non Partisan |
1661 |
|
Sir Thomas Allen |
Non Partisan |
1679 |
|
Sir Robert Peyton |
Non Partisan |
|
Sir William Roberts, Bt |
Non Partisan |
1681 |
|
Robert Atkyns |
Non Partisan |
1681 |
|
Nicholas Raynton |
Non Partisan |
1685 |
|
Sir Charles Gerard, Bt |
Non Partisan |
|
Ralph Hawtrey |
Non Partisan |
1695 |
|
Edward Russell |
Non Partisan |
|
Sir John Wolstenholme, Bt |
Non Partisan |
1696 |
|
Sir John Bucknall |
Non Partisan |
1698 |
|
Warwick Lake |
Non Partisan |
1701 |
|
Hugh Smithson |
Tory |
1701 |
|
John Austen |
Whig |
1702 |
|
Hugh Smithson |
Tory |
1705 |
|
Scorie Barker |
Non Partisan |
|
Sir John Wolstenholme, Bt |
Non Partisan |
1709 |
|
John Austen |
Whig |
1710 |
|
Hon. James Bertie |
Tory |
|
Hugh Smithson |
Tory |
1722 |
|
Sir John Austen, Bt. |
Whig |
1727 |
|
Sir Francis Child |
Tory |
1734 |
|
William Pulteney |
Whig |
1740 |
|
Sir Hugh Smithson, Bt (later Sir Hugh Percy, Bt) a |
Tory |
1742 |
|
Sir Roger Newdigate, Bt |
Tory |
1747 |
|
Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, Bt |
Whig |
|
Whig |
1750 |
|
George Cooke |
Tory |
1768 |
|
John Wilkes |
Radical |
1768 |
|
John Glynn |
Whig |
1769 |
|
Henry Luttrell |
Tory |
1774 |
|
John Wilkes |
Radical |
1779 |
|
Thomas Wood |
Whig |
1780 |
|
George Byng |
Whig |
1784 |
|
William Mainwaring |
Tory |
1790 |
|
George Byng |
Whig |
1802 |
|
Sir Francis Burdett, Bt |
Whig |
1804 |
|
George Boulton Mainwaring |
Tory |
1805 |
|
Sir Francis Burdett, Bt |
Whig |
1806 |
|
George Boulton Mainwaring |
Tory |
1806 |
|
William Mellish |
Tory |
1820 |
|
Samuel Charles Whitbread |
Whig |
1830 |
|
Joseph Hume |
Radical |
1832 |
|
Liberal |
|
Liberal |
1837 |
|
Thomas Wood |
Conservative |
1847 |
|
Lord Robert Grosvenor |
Liberal |
1847 |
|
Ralph Bernal Osborne |
Liberal |
1857 |
|
Robert Culling Hanbury |
Liberal |
1857 |
|
Hon. George Byng (later Viscount Enfield) b |
Liberal |
1867 |
|
Henry Labouchère |
Liberal |
1868 |
|
Lord George Hamilton |
Conservative |
1874 |
|
Octavius Coope |
Conservative |
1885 |
constituency divided |
Notes:-
Elections
General notes
In multi-member elections the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one or two candidates, as they chose. The leading candidates with the largest number of votes were elected.
In by-elections, to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied.
After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In two-member elections, when the exact number of participating voters is unknown, this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that electors did not use both their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout.
Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote.
Candidates for whom no party has been identified are classified as Non Partisan. The candidate might have been associated with a party or faction in Parliament or consider himself to belong to a particular political tradition. Political parties before the nineteenth century were not as cohesive or organised as they later became. Contemporary commentators (even the reputed leaders of parties or factions) in the eighteenth century did not necessarily agree who the party supporters were. The traditional parties, which had arisen in the late seventeenth century, became increasingly irrelevant to politics in the eighteenth century (particularly after 1760), although for some contests in some constituencies party labels were still used. It was only towards the end of the century that party labels began to acquire some meaning again, although this process was by no means complete for several more generations.
Sources: The results for elections 1660-1790 were taken from the History of Parliament Trust publications. The results are based on Stooks Smith from 1790 until the 1832 general election and Craig from 1832. Where Stooks Smith gives additional information after 1832 this is indicated in a note.
Results 1660–1885
Parliament of England
- Note (1660) vote totals unavailable
- Note (1661) vote totals unavailable
- Note (1679): Roberts was not the same man as the 1660 candidate of the same name.
- Note (1679): Smyth is referred to as Smith in House of Commons 1660-1690, but Smyth seems to be correct from Leigh Rayment's list of baronets.
- Expulsion from the House of Peyton
General Election 3 March 1681: Middlesex (2 seats)
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Non Partisan |
Sir William Roberts, Bt |
1,054 |
35.73 |
+35.73 |
|
Non Partisan |
Nicholas Raynton |
874 |
29.63 |
+29.63 |
|
Non Partisan |
Hugh Middleton |
607 |
20.58 |
-10.51 |
|
Non Partisan |
Sir Charles Gerard, Bt |
415 |
14.07 |
+14.07 |
- Note (1685) vote totals unavailable. Smyth is referred to as Smith in House of Commons 1660-1690, but Smyth seems to be correct from Leigh Rayment's list of baronets.
General Election 11 January 1689: Middlesex (2 seats)
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Non Partisan |
Sir Charles Gerard, Bt |
Elected |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Non Partisan |
Roger Hawtrey |
Elected |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Non Partisan |
Sir Robert Peyton |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Non Partisan |
Thomas Johnson |
Defeated |
N/A |
N/A |
- Note (1689) vote totals unavailable
General Election 1690: Middlesex (2 seats)
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Non Partisan |
Sir Charles Gerard, Bt |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Non Partisan |
Roger Hawtrey |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
Parliament of Great Britain
By-Election 15 March 1740: Middlesex
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Tory |
Sir Hugh Smithson, Bt |
382 |
72.21 |
N/A |
|
Whig |
Henry Barker |
147 |
27.79 |
N/A |
Majority |
235 |
44.42 |
N/A |
|
Tory hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Smithson (not the same person as the former MP of the same name) subsequently changed his surname to Percy
By-Election 8 March 1750: Middlesex
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Tory |
George Cooke |
1,617 |
57.38 |
+39.21 |
|
Whig |
Fraser Honywood |
1,201 |
42.62 |
+42.62 |
Majority |
416 |
14.76 |
N/A |
|
Tory gain from Whig |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Note (1768): Stooks Smith attributes 1,292 votes to Wilkes. Stooks Smith does not give candidates party labels in Middlesex until after this election.
- Death of Cooke
By-Election 14 December 1768: Middlesex
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Whig |
John Glynn |
1,548 |
54.89 |
+54.89 |
|
Tory |
Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, Bt |
1,272 |
45.11 |
+17.70 |
Majority |
276 |
9.79 |
N/A |
|
Whig gain from Tory |
Swing |
N/A |
|
- Note (1768): Poll 6 days (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Expulsion from the House of Wilkes, declared incapable of being elected 3 February 1769
- Expulsion from the House of Wilkes, election declared void
- Expulsion from the House of Wilkes, election declared void 17 March 1769
- Election return of Wilkes amended to Luttrell by Parliament on 14 April 1769 and Luttrell seated as the MP 15 April 1769
- Note (1790): The George Byng who contested Middlesex elections from this year is a different person from the one who stood previously
Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Note (1802): Poll 15 days (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Election of Burdett declared void 9 July 1804
- Note (1804): Poll 15 days (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Election of Mainwearing challenged by a petition of Burdett. Mainwaring unseated and Sir Francis Burdett, Bt seated on 5 March 1805. (Source: The Times (of London), edition of 6 March 1805)
- Election of Burdett challenged by a petition of Mainwearing. Burdett unseated and George Boulton Mainwaring seated with effect from 10 February 1806. (Source: The Times (of London), edition of 10 February 1806)
- Note (1806): Poll 15 days (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Note (1820): Poll 12 days (Source: Stooks Smith)
- Note (1832): 5,132 voted. Hume was classified as a Radical candidate. (Source: Stooks Smith).
- Note 1 (1835): 6,046 voted. Hume was classified as a Radical candidate. (Source: Stooks Smith).
- Note 2 (1835): The Thomas Wood who contested Middlesex elections from this year is a different person from the one who was elected in 1779
- Note (1837): 9,260 voted. Hume was classified as a Radical candidate. (Source: Stooks Smith).
- Constituency divided in the 1885 redistribution
See also
References
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
- The House of Commons 1509-1558, by S.T. Bindoff (Secker & Warburg 1982)
- The House of Commons 1558-1603, by P.W. Hasler (HMSO 1981)
- The House of Commons 1660-1690, by Basil Duke Henning (Secker & Warburg 1983)
- The House of Commons 1715-1754, by Romney Sedgwick (HMSO 1970)
- The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
- The House of Commons 1790-1820, by R.G. Thorne (Secker & Warburg 1986)
- 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)
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
- 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)
- List of members nominated for Parliament of 1653 at British History Online