Westmorland (UK Parliament constituency)

Westmorland was a constituency covering the county of Westmorland in the North of England, which returned Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Westmorland
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Context: 1832–1868. Extract from 1837 result: the most central 'doubly' blue area
19181983
Seatsone
Created fromAppleby and Kendal
Replaced byPenrith & The Border and Westmorland & Lonsdale
1290–1885
Seatstwo
Replaced byAppleby and Kendal

The constituency had two separate periods of existence.

Until 1885
It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. For the string of elections from 1885 general election it split in two: Appleby and Kendal, both of which had been parliamentary boroughs but were reconstituted as county constituencies.
1918–1983
The constituency was recreated as a single-seater for the 1918 general election and abolished for the 1983 general election.

In the boundary changes in 1983 the southern part of the constituency became part of the new seat of Westmorland and Lonsdale and the northern area was transferred to Penrith and The Border

Boundaries edit

The 1918 – 1983 seat corresponded to the county of Westmorland even after the abolition of the administrative county in 1974.

Members of Parliament edit

  • Constituency created (1290)

MPs 1290–1640 edit

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1290Sir Richardus de PrestonneSir Williemus de Stirkland
1302Thomas de Betham
1305Sir Hugh de LowtherNicholas de Leyburne
1308–1309Thomas de Betham
1309Robert L'Angleys
1311–1312Thomas de Betham
1311–1312Robert L'Angleys
1313Sir Matthew de Redman
1324Sir Robertus de Sandeford
1328Sir Nicholas de Preston
1331–1332Sir Walter de Strickland
1341–1342Sir Thomas de Musgrave
1343Sir Richard de PrestonSir Thomas de Musgrave
1344–1345Sir Thomas de Musgrave
1353Sir Richard de Preston (Jnr)
1355William de Windesere
1357Sir Matthew de Redman
1362Sir John Preston
1363James Pickering
1366Sir John PrestonJames Pickering
1368Sir John Preston
1371Sir John Preston
1377–c1400Hugh Salkeld I
1382Sir John Preston
1384John de Mansergh
1386Sir John DerwentwaterRobert Clibern[1]
1388 (Feb)Sir Thomas BlenkinsopThomas Strickland[1]
1388 (Sep)Robert de SandfordHugh Salkeld I[1]
1390 (Jan)John CrackenthorpeHugh Salkeld I[1]
1390 (Nov)Sir Christopher MoresbyHugh Salkeld I[1]
1391Sir William CurwenWilliam Thornburgh[1]
1393John CrackenthorpeHugh Salkeld I[1]
1394Sir William CurwenWilliam Thornburgh[1]
1395Sir Walter StricklandWilliam Crackenthorpe I[1]
1397 (Jan)John LancasterHugh Salkeld I[1]
1397 (Sep)Sir William CurwenWilliam Crackenthorpe I[1]
1399Sir Thomas de MusgraveJohn Crackenthorpe[1]
1401William ThornburghHugh Salkeld II[1]
1402Sir William Threlkeld(Sir) William Crackenthorpe I[1]
1404 (Jan)Roland ThornburghSir Richard Duckett[1]
1404 (Oct)Sir Robert LeybourneThomas Strickland II[1]
1406Sir John Beetham(Sir) John Lancaster I[1]
1407Sir Alan PenningtonThomas Warcop[1]
1410
1411Sir Robert LeybourneChristopher Moresby[1]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)Robert CrackenthorpeJohn Hutton[1]
1414 (Apr)Robert MauchellRichard Wharton[1]
1414 (Nov)Thomas WarcopWilliam Thornburgh[1]
1415Robert WarcopThomas Warcop[1]
1416 (Mar)Roland ThornburghRobert Crackenthorpe[1]
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419Roland ThornburghRobert Crackenthorpe[1]
1420William BeauchampThomas Greem II[1]
1421 (May)Robert WarcopRobert Preston[1]
1421 (Dec)(Sir) John Lancaster IWilliam Blenkinsop[1]
1429Thomas Strickland II
1431Thomas Strickland II
1435Sir Thomas Parr
1449Sir Thomas Parr
1450Sir Thomas Parr
1455Sir Thomas Parr
1459?Sir Thomas Parr
1467William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Kendal
1473William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Kendal
1510–1523No Names Known[2]
1529Sir William MusgraveThomas Blenkinsop[2]
1536
1539
1542Sir James LeyburnNicholas Bacon [2]
1545Sir Ingram CliffordSir James Leyburn [2]
1547Sir Charles Brandon, died
and replaced in January 1552 by
Sir Robert Bowes
Thomas Warcop [2]
1553 (Mar)
1553 (Oct)Thomas FallowfieldThomas Warcop [2]
1554 (Apr)Thomas FallowfieldThomas Warcop [2]
1554 (Nov)Thomas PercyThomas Warcop [2]
1555
1558Anthony KempeThomas Sackville[2]
1559 (Jan)Lancelot LancasterThomas Warcop[3]
1562–1563Walter StricklandGerard Lowther[3]
1571Alan BellinghamThomas Warcop[3]
1572Thomas KnyvetThomas Warcop [3]
1584Francis CliffordThomas Warcop [3]
1586Francis CliffordThomas Warcop [3]
1588 (Oct)Francis DacreThomas Warcop [3]
1593Sir William Bowes(Sir) Edward Denny [3]
1597 (Sep)(Sir) Walter HarcourtHenry Cholmley [3]
1601 (Oct)George WhartonThomas Strickland [3]
1604–1611Sir Richard MusgraveSir Thomas Strickland
1614Lord CliffordSir Thomas Wharton
1621Lord CliffordSir Thomas Wharton
1624Sir John LowtherRobert Strickland
1625Sir John LowtherSir Henry Bellingham
1626Sir John LowtherSir Henry Bellingham
1628Sir John LowtherJohn Lowther
1629–1640 No Parliament summoned

MPs 1640–1885 edit

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
April 1640Sir Philip MusgraveRoyalistSir Henry BellinghamRoyalist
November 1640
March 1643Musgrave disabled to sit – seat vacant
October 1645Bellingham disabled to sit – seat vacant
1646Henry LawrenceJames Bellingham
December 1648Lawrence excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacantBellingham not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge
1653Westmorland was not separately represented in the Barebones Parliament.
The following were nominated for The Four Northern Counties collectively:
Major-General Charles Howard, Robert Fenwick, Henry Dawson, Henry Ogle
1654Jeremy BaynesChristopher Lister
1656Thomas Burton
January 1659Thomas Wharton
May 1659Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660Sir John LowtherSir Thomas Wharton
1661Sir Thomas StricklandSir Philip Musgrave
1677Sir John Lowther
1678Alan Bellingham
1679Christopher Philipson
1681Sir John Lowther
January 1689Henry Wharton
December 1689Goodwin WhartonWhig
1690Sir Christopher Musgrave
1695Sir Richard Sandford
1696William Fleming
January 1701Sir Christopher MusgraveHenry Graham
December 1701Sir Richard Sandford
1702Sir Christopher Musgrave
1704William Fleming
1705Robert Lowther
1707Michael Fleming
1708Daniel WilsonJames Grahme
1722Anthony Lowther
1727Daniel Wilson
1741Sir Philip Musgrave
1747Edward WilsonJohn Dalston
1754Sir George Dalston
1759Robert Lowther
1761Sir James LowtherJohn Upton
1763Robert Lowther
1764John Robinson
1768Thomas Fenwick
1774Sir James Lowther[4]TorySir Michael le FlemingTory[5]
1775James LowtherTory[5]
1806The Lord MuncasterTory[5]
1812Henry LowtherTory[5]
1813Viscount LowtherTory[5]
1831Alexander NowellWhig[5]
1832Viscount LowtherTory[5]
1834Conservative[5]Conservative[5]
1841William ThompsonConservative[5]
1854Earl of BectiveConservative
1868William LowtherConservative
1871Earl of BectiveConservative

Notes edit

MPs 1918–1983 edit

ElectionMemberParty
1918John WestonCoalition Conservative
1924Oliver StanleyConservative
1945William Fletcher-VaneConservative
1964Michael JoplingConservative
1983constituency abolished: see Westmorland and Lonsdale

Election results 1290–1885 edit

Election results taken from the History of Parliament Trust series.

Elections in the 18th century edit

General election 1715: Westmorland (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanDaniel WilsonUnopposedN/AN/A
NonpartisanJames GrahmeUnopposedN/AN/A
General election 1722: Westmorland (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanAnthony LowtherUnopposedN/AN/A
NonpartisanJames GrahmeUnopposedN/AN/A
  • Lowther appointed a Commissioner of the Revenue in Ireland
By-Election 16 June 1726: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanAnthony LowtherUnopposedN/AN/A
Nonpartisan holdSwingN/A
General election 1727: Westmorland (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanAnthony LowtherUnopposedN/AN/A
NonpartisanDaniel WilsonUnopposedN/AN/A
General election 1734: Westmorland (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanAnthony LowtherUnopposedN/AN/A
NonpartisanDaniel WilsonUnopposedN/AN/A
General election 28 May 1741: Westmorland (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanDaniel Wilson1,28139.97N/A
NonpartisanPhilip Musgrave1,07933.67N/A
NonpartisanJohn Dalston84526.37N/A
General election 1747: Westmorland (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanEdward WilsonUnopposedN/AN/A
NonpartisanJohn DalstonUnopposedN/AN/A

Elections in the 1830s edit

General election 1830: Westmorland[5][6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
ToryWilliam LowtherUnopposed
ToryHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electorsc. 3,500
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Westmorland[5][6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
ToryHenry LowtherUnopposed
WhigAlexander Nowell (MP)Unopposed
Registered electorsc. 3,500
Tory hold
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1832: Westmorland[5][7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
ToryWilliam Lowther 2,052 36.6
ToryHenry Lowther 1,948 34.7
WhigJohn Barham1,61128.7
Majority3376.0
Turnout3,58481.6
Registered electors4,392
Tory hold
Tory gain from Whig
General election 1835: Westmorland[7][5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
ConservativeWilliam LowtherUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,644
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Westmorland[7][5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
ConservativeWilliam LowtherUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,775
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s edit

General election 1841: Westmorland[7][5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam LowtherUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,384
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

William Lowther was appointed Postmaster General of the United Kingdom and called to the House of Lords as Baron Lowther, causing a by-election.

By-election, 22 September 1841: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam ThompsonUnopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam ThompsonUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,078
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s edit

General election 1852: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam ThompsonUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,062
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Thompson's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 31 March 1854: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,168
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,214
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s edit

General election 1865: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
ConservativeHenry LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors4,237
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Lowther's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 8 January 1868: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam LowtherUnopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
ConservativeWilliam LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors5,240
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s edit

Taylour succeeded to the peerage, becoming Marquess of Headfort and causing a by-election at which his son was elected unopposed.

By-election, 21 February 1871: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1874: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas TaylourUnopposed
ConservativeWilliam LowtherUnopposed
Registered electors5,177
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s edit

General election 1880: Westmorland[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeThomas Taylour 2,641 37.1 N/A
ConservativeWilliam Lowther 2,522 35.4 N/A
LiberalHenry Tufton1,96327.5New
Majority5597.9N/A
Turnout4,545 (est)83.5 (est)N/A
Registered electors5,442
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Election results 1918–1983 edit

Westmorland election results

Elections in the 1910s edit

General election 1918: Westmorland[8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
CUnionistJohn WestonUnopposed
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s edit

General election 1922: Westmorland[9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistJohn Weston Unopposed N/A N/A
Unionist hold
General election 1923: Westmorland[9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistJohn Weston Unopposed N/A N/A
Unionist hold
General election 1924: Westmorland[8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistOliver Stanley 17,935 71.2 N/A
LabourReginald Penrith Burnett7,24228.2New
Majority10,69343.0N/A
Turnout25,17780.2N/A
Unionist holdSwingN/A
General election 1929: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistOliver Stanley 17,101 49.6 −21.6
LiberalWilliam Gretton Ward13,22338.3New
LabourW. Bone4,18412.1−16.1
Majority3,87811.3−31.7
Turnout34,50881.9+1.7
Unionist holdSwing

Elections in the 1930s edit

General election 1931: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeOliver Stanley Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold
General election 1935: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeOliver Stanley 22,634 68.5 N/A
LabourE V Short10,41731.5New
Majority12,21737.0N/A
Turnout33,05173.8N/A
Conservative holdSwingN/A

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;

Elections in the 1940s edit

General election 1945: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam Fletcher-Vane 19,717 53.3 −15.2
LabourHarold Banning Richardson9,67426.1−5.4
LiberalGeoffrey Acland7,31319.8New
IndependentFrancis Basil Price-Heywood3060.8New
Majority10,04327.1-9.9
Turnout37,01077.0+3.2
Conservative holdSwing−4.9

Elections in the 1950s edit

General election 1950: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam Fletcher-Vane 22,228 55.1 +1.8
LiberalGeoffrey Acland9,05422.5+2.7
LabourPaul Wilson9,03122.4−3.7
Majority13,17428.4+1.3
Turnout40,31385.5+8.5
Conservative holdSwing−0.5
General election 1951: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam Fletcher-Vane 23,227 58.3 +3.2
LabourPaul Wilson9,11922.9+0.5
LiberalGeoffrey Acland7,49318.8−3.7
Majority14,10835.4+7.0
Turnout39,83983.5+2.0
Conservative holdSwing+1.3
General election 1955: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam Fletcher-Vane 21,048 57.4 −0.9
LabourIvor Ralph Million7,90121.6−1.3
LiberalGeoffrey Acland7,68821.0+2.2
Majority13,14735.8+0.4
Turnout36,63777.6−5.9
Conservative holdSwing+0.2
General election 1959: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeWilliam Fletcher-Vane 20,676 55.8 −1.6
LiberalGeoffrey Acland8,98424.3+3.3
LabourCorin Hughes-Stanton7,35919.9−1.7
Majority11,69231.5−4.3
Turnout37,01978.8+2.2
Conservative holdSwing−2.5

Elections in the 1960s edit

General election 1964: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Jopling 19,125 51.75
LiberalAubrey Herbert11,07829.98
LabourNorman Plamping6,75218.27
Majority8,04721.77
Turnout36,95578.82
Conservative holdSwing
General election 1966: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Jopling 17,907 50.55
LiberalAlistair Bell9,05225.55
LabourJohn E Dayton8,46523.90
Majority8,85525.00
Turnout35,42475.46
Conservative holdSwing

Elections in the 1970s edit

General election 1970: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Jopling 21,253 55.3 +4.8
LiberalGurney Pease9,42624.5-1.0
LabourRoger Ward7,75720.2-3.7
Majority11,82730.8+5.8
Turnout38,43671.0-4.5
Conservative holdSwing
General election February 1974: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Jopling 22,036 50.13
LiberalA Nixon15,50235.27
LabourPJ Hildrew6,41914.60
Majority6,53414.86
Turnout43,95779.27
Conservative holdSwing
General election October 1974: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Jopling 20,559 50.85
LiberalBN Wates12,84431.77
LabourM Taylor7,02817.38
Majority7,71519.08
Turnout40,43172.35
Conservative holdSwing
General election 1979: Westmorland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Jopling 25,274 56.62
LiberalK Hulls12,86728.83
LabourA Potts6,49714.55
Majority12,40727.79
Turnout44,63874.45
Conservative holdSwing

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "History of Parliament". Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "History of Parliament". Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  4. ^ Sir James Lowther was also elected for Cumberland, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Westmorland in this Parliament
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 102–104. Retrieved 3 June 2019 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Westmorland". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 478–479. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  8. ^ a b British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  9. ^ a b British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, F W S Craig
  10. ^ North Devon Journal, 16 Jun 1938

Sources edit

  • 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) [1]
  • 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)
  • Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847 (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig – Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973)
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 3)