Morpeth (UK Parliament constituency)

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Morpeth
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1553–1983
Seats1553–1832: two
1832–1983: one
Replaced byWansbeck and Berwick-upon-Tweed[1]

Morpeth was a constituency centred on the town of Morpeth in Northumberland represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1553 to 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1800 to 1983.

The Parliamentary Borough of Morpeth first sent Members (MPs) to Parliament in 1553.[2] It elected two MPs under the bloc vote system until the 1832 general election, when the Great Reform Act reduced its representation to one MP, elected under the first past the post system.[3] The seat was redesignated as a county constituency for the 1950 general election and abolished for the 1983 general election.

Boundaries[edit]

1832-1868[edit]

The parliamentary borough, as defined by the Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832, comprised the township of Morpeth and several surrounding townships, as well as the parish of Bedlington.[4][5]

1868-1918[edit]

Under the Boundary Act 1868, the borough was expanded to include the townships of Cowpen and Newsham, which incorporated the town of Blyth.[6][7]

No changes were made by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.

1918–1950[edit]

  • the Municipal Borough of Morpeth
  • the Urban Districts of Ashington, Bedlingtonshire, and Blyth
  • part of the Rural District of Morpeth[8]

The boundaries were largely unchanged, except for the addition of Ashington.

1950–1983[edit]

  • the Municipal Borough of Morpeth
  • the Urban Districts of Ashington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
  • the Rural District of Morpeth.[9]

Blyth and Bedlington formed the basis of the new constituency of Blyth. Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and the remainder (bulk) of the Rural District of Morpeth was transferred from Wansbeck, which was now abolished.

Abolition[edit]

On abolition in 1983, 6 rural wards to the north of Morpeth were transferred to Berwick-upon-Tweed. The remainder of the seat formed the basis of the re-established constituency of Wansbeck.[10]

Members of Parliament[edit]

1553–1640[edit]

Parliament First member Second member
1553 (Oct) John Watson William Ward[11]
1554 (Apr) Thomas Bates William Ward[11]
1554 (Nov) Sir Henry Percy William Ward[11]
1555 ?Cuthbert Horsley ?Thomas Bates[11]
1558 Robert Wheatley Thomas Bates[11]
1558–9 William Ward Nicholas Purslow[12]
1562 (Dec) William Ward Arthur Welshe[12]
1571 Francis Gawdy Nicholas Mynn[12]
1572 (Apr) Sir George Bowes died
and replaced Dec 1580 by Richard Drake		 Richard Wroth[12]
1584 William Carey George Gifford[12]
1586 Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth Anthony Felton[12]
1588–9 Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth Henry Noel[12]
1593 Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth,
sat for Callington, replaced by Edmund Bowyer		 Francis Tyndale[12]
1597 (Sep) Robert Printis Thomas Carleton[12]
1601 (Oct) George Savile John Browne[12]
1604–1611 Sir Christopher Perkins John Hare
1614 William Button Arnold Herbert
1621–1622 Robert Brandling John Robson
Robson declared ineligible, being a priest
replaced by Ralph Fetherstonhaugh
1624 Sir Thomas Reynell Sir William Carnaby
1625 Sir Thomas Reynell Sir Anthony Herbert
1626 Sir Thomas Reynell John Bankes
1628 Sir Thomas Reynell John Bankes
1629–1640 No Parliaments convened

1640–1832[edit]

Year First member First party Second member Second party
November 1640 Sir William Carnaby Royalist John Fenwick Royalist
August 1642 Carnaby disabled from sitting – seat vacant
January 1643 Fenwick disabled from sitting – seat vacant
1645 Hon. John Fiennes George Fenwick
December 1648 Fiennes excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant
1653 Morpeth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
January 1659 Robert Delaval Robert Mitford
May 1659 Morpeth was unrepresented in the restored Rump
April 1660 Thomas Widdrington jnr (died May 1660) Ralph Knight
June 1660 Sir George Downing
1661 Henry Widdrington
1666 Edward Howard
1679 Daniel Collingwood
1685 Sir Henry Pickering Theophilus Oglethorpe
1689 Charles Howard Roger Fenwick
1692 George Nicholas
1695 Sir Henry Belasyse
1698 Philip Howard Whig
January 1701 William Howard
May 1701 Sir Richard Sandford
December 1701 Emanuel Scrope Howe Whig Sir John Delaval
1705 Sir Richard Sandford Edmund Maine
1708 Sir John Bennett
1710 Christopher Wandesford
1713 Sir John Germain Oley Douglas
1715 Viscount Morpeth The Viscount Castlecomer[13]
1717 Hon. George Carpenter
1727 Thomas Robinson
1734 Sir Henry Liddell
1738 Henry Furnese
1741 Robert Ord
1747 Viscount Limerick
1754 Thomas Duncombe Tory
1755 Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh
1761 Viscount Garlies Whig
1768 Peter Beckford Sir Matthew White Ridley
1774 Francis Eyre[14] Peter Delmé
1775 Hon. William Byron
1776 Gilbert Elliot
1777 John Egerton Tory
1780 Anthony Morris Storer
1784 Major Sir James Erskine[15] Whig
1790 Francis Gregg
1795 Viscount Morpeth Whig[16]
1796 William Huskisson Tory
1802 William Ord Whig[16]
1806 Hon. William Howard Whig[16]
1826 Viscount Morpeth Whig[16]
1830 Hon. William Howard Whig[16]
1832 representation reduced to one member

1832–1983[edit]

Year Member Party
1832 Frederick George Howard Whig[17][16]
1834 Edward Howard Whig[18][19][17][16]
1837 Granville Leveson-Gower Whig[20][21][22][23][16]
1840 Edward Howard Whig[18][19][17][16]
1853 Sir George Grey Whig[24][18][25][26]
1874 Thomas Burt Lib-Lab
1918 John Cairns Labour
1923 Robert Smillie Labour
1929 Ebby Edwards Labour
1931 Godfrey Nicholson Conservative
1935 Robert Taylor Labour
1954 Will Owen Labour
1970 George Grant Labour
1983 constituency abolished

Election results[edit]

Elections in the 1830s[edit]

General election 1830: Morpeth [16][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Ord Unopposed
Whig William Howard Unopposed
Registered electors c. 233
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1831: Morpeth [16][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Ord Unopposed
Whig William Howard Unopposed
Registered electors c. 233
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1832: Morpeth [16][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Frederick George Howard Unopposed
Registered electors 321
Whig hold

Howard's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 31 December 1833: Morpeth [16][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Howard Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1835: Morpeth [16][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Howard Unopposed
Registered electors 336
Whig hold

Howard resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 8 February 1837: Morpeth [16][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Granville Leveson-Gower Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1837: Morpeth [16][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Granville Leveson-Gower Unopposed
Registered electors 360
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s[edit]

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

By-election, 22 February 1840: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Howard Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1841: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Howard Unopposed
Registered electors 392
Whig hold
General election 1847: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Howard Unopposed
Registered electors 440
Whig hold

Elections in the 1850s[edit]

General election 1852: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Howard Unopposed
Registered electors 415
Whig hold

Howard resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 1 January 1853: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig George Grey Unopposed
Whig hold

Grey was appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 17 June 1854: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig George Grey Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1857: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig George Grey Unopposed
Registered electors 391
Whig hold
General election 1859: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Grey Unopposed
Registered electors 408
Liberal hold

Grey was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 27 June 1859: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Grey Unopposed
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s[edit]

Grey was appointed Home Secretary, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 31 July 1861: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Grey Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1865: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Grey Unopposed
Registered electors 448
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Grey Unopposed
Registered electors 2,006
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s[edit]

General election 1874: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt 3,332 85.1 N/A
Conservative Francis Duncan[29] 585 14.9 New
Majority 2,747 70.1 N/A
Turnout 3,917 79.7 N/A
Registered electors 4,912
Lib-Lab hold

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 1880: Morpeth [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt Unopposed
Lib-Lab hold
General election 1885: Morpeth [30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt Unopposed
Lib-Lab hold
General election 1886: Morpeth [30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt Unopposed
Lib-Lab hold

Elections in the 1890s[edit]

General election 1892: Morpeth [30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt Unopposed
Lib-Lab hold
Thomas Burt
General election 1895: Morpeth [30][31][32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt 3,404 73.4 N/A
Conservative Maltman Barry 1,235 26.6 New
Majority 2,169 46.8 N/A
Turnout 4,639 60.8 N/A
Registered electors 7,627
Lib-Lab hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1900s[edit]

General election 1900: Morpeth [30][31][32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt 3,117 53.5 -19.9
Conservative Maltman Barry 2,707 46.5 +19.9
Majority 410 7.0 -39.8
Turnout 5,824 68.6 +7.8
Registered electors 8,490
Lib-Lab hold Swing -19.9
General election 1906: Morpeth [30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt 5,518 74.2 +20.7
Liberal Unionist Stuart Coats 1,919 25.8 −20.7
Majority 3,599 48.4 +41.4
Turnout 7,437 78.9 +10.3
Registered electors 9,425
Lib-Lab hold Swing +20.7

Elections in the 1910s[edit]

Thomas Burt
General election January 1910: Morpeth [30][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt 5,874 66.1 −8.1
Conservative Jasper Ridley 3,009 33.9 +8.1
Majority 2,865 32.2 −16.2
Turnout 8,883 88.7 +9.8
Registered electors 10,010
Lib-Lab hold Swing −8.1
General election December 1910: Morpeth [30][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Thomas Burt Unopposed
Lib-Lab hold
General election 1918: Morpeth[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Cairns 7,677 34.3 N/A
Liberal Frank Thornborough 7,140 31.9 N/A
Unionist Claud Henry Meares 4,320 19.3 New
Independent *Gerald Douglas Newton 2,729 12.2 New
National Democratic Thomas Moffatt Allison 511 2.3 New
Majority 537 2.4 N/A
Turnout 22,377 56.3 N/A
Registered electors 39,773
Labour gain from Liberal Swing N/A

* Newton received support from the local branch of the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers

Elections in the 1920s[edit]

General election 1922: Morpeth[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Cairns 15,026 48.3 +14.0
Liberal Frank Thornborough 10,007 32.2 +0.3
Unionist Charles Septimus Shortt 6,045 19.5 +0.2
Majority 5,019 16.1 +13.7
Turnout 31,078 72.1 +15.8
Registered electors 43,098
Labour hold Swing +6.9
1923 Morpeth by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Smillie 20,053 60.5 +12.2
Liberal Frank Thornborough 13,087 39.5 +7.3
Majority 6,966 21.0 +4.9
Turnout 33,140 76.9 +4.8
Registered electors 43,098
Labour hold Swing +2.5
General election 1923: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Smillie 16,902 64.2 +15.9
Liberal John Dodd 9,411 35.8 +3.6
Majority 7,491 28.4 +12.3
Turnout 26,313 59.4 −12.7
Registered electors 44,323
Labour hold Swing +6.2
General election 1924: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Smillie 19,248 56.8 −7.4
Unionist Irene Ward 10,828 32.0 New
Liberal John Dodd 3,805 11.2 −24.6
Majority 8,420 24.8 −3.6
Turnout 33,881 75.0 +15.6
Registered electors 45,150
Labour hold Swing +8.6
General election 1929: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ebby Edwards 25,508 61.3 +4.5
Unionist Irene Ward 9,206 22.1 −9.9
Liberal John Ritson 6,888 16.6 +5.4
Majority 16,302 39.2 +14.4
Turnout 41,602 75.5 +0.5
Registered electors 55,126
Labour hold Swing +7.2

Elections in the 1930s[edit]

General election 1931: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Nicholson 20,806 51.35
Labour Ebby Edwards 19,714 48.65
Majority 1,092 2.70 N/A
Turnout 39,520 70.28
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1935: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Taylor 28,900 59.17
Conservative Godfrey Nicholson 19,944 40.83
Majority 8,956 18.34 N/A
Turnout 48,844 78.68
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1940s[edit]

General election 1945: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Taylor 38,521 73.23
Conservative Gilbert Longden 14,079 26.77
Majority 24,442 46.46
Turnout 52,600 79.50
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s[edit]

General election 1950: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Taylor 27,548 71.51
Conservative T. Turnbull 10,973 28.49
Majority 16,575 43.02
Turnout 38,521 86.55
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Taylor 27,718 71.88
Conservative Peter Molison Colvin-Smith 10,843 28.12
Majority 16,875 43.76
Turnout 38,561 85.47
Labour hold Swing
1954 Morpeth by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Will Owen 23,491 71.27 -0.61
Conservative William Elliott 9,469 28.73 +0.61
Majority 14,022 42.54 -1.22
Turnout 32,960
Labour Co-op hold Swing
General election 1955: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Will Owen 25,452 70.56
Conservative William Elliott 10,619 29.44
Majority 14,833 41.12
Turnout 36,071 80.40
Labour Co-op hold Swing
General election 1959: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Will Owen 27,435 71.91
Conservative Derek Bloom 10,716 28.09
Majority 16,719 43.82
Turnout 38,151 84.11
Labour Co-op hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s[edit]

General election 1964: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Will Owen 26,114 72.70
Conservative Derek Bloom 9,805 27.30
Majority 16,309 45.40
Turnout 35,919 80.81
Labour Co-op hold Swing
General election 1966: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Will Owen 25,223 74.36
Conservative Nigel Porter 8,698 25.64
Majority 16,525 48.72
Turnout 33,921 76.93
Labour Co-op hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s[edit]

General election 1970: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Grant 21,826 60.35
Conservative K. Ian Tunnicliffe 9,515 26.31
Liberal Raymond McClure 4,825 13.34 New
Majority 12,311 34.04
Turnout 36,166 75.98
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Grant 22,026 56.40
Conservative David Curry 8,992 23.03
Liberal Humphrey Devereux 8,035 20.57
Majority 13,034 33.37
Turnout 39,053 81.18
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Grant 22,696 63.80
Conservative David Curry 8,009 22.52
Liberal Barrie Rogers 4,866 13.68
Majority 14,687 41.28
Turnout 35,571 73.32
Labour hold Swing
General election 1979: Morpeth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Grant 21,744 56.29
Conservative Stephen Edwards 9,913 25.66
Liberal Alan Thompson 6,972 18.05
Majority 11,831 30.63
Turnout 38,629 77.44
Labour hold Swing

References[edit]

  1. ^ "'Morpeth', Feb 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Morpeth | History of Parliament Online". www.histparl.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Representation of the People Act 1832". vLex. S-II. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832". 1832. p. 353.
  5. ^ "HMSO Boundary Commission Report 1832 Morpeth".
  6. ^ "Boundary Act 1868". 1807. p. 138.
  7. ^ "HMSO Boundary Commission Report 1868 Morpeth".
  8. ^ Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. p. 25. ISBN 0-900178-09-4. OCLC 539011.
  9. ^ Craig, F.W.S., ed. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1985-1972. Chichester, Sussex: Political Reference Publications. pp. 82, 140. ISBN 0-900178-09-4.
  10. ^ "Morpeth". 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e "History of Parliament". Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  13. ^ Castlecomer was also elected for Ripon but there was a petition against his election there; he sat for Morpeth until the petition was withdraw, then chose to represent Ripon, a by-election was held for Morpeth
  14. ^ On petition, Eyre was declared not to have been duly elected, and his opponent Byron was seated in his place
  15. ^ Adopted the surname St Clair-Erskine, July 1789. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 1792, Colonel 1795.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 243–244. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  17. ^ a b c Gent, David Christopher (2010). "Aristocratic Whig Politics in Early-Victorian Yorkshire: Lord Morpeth and His World" (PDF). White Rose eTheses Online. University of York. p. 36. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  18. ^ a b c Crosby's Parliamentary Record of Elections in Great Britain and Ireland. Leeds: George Crosby. 1847. p. 122. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  19. ^ a b Dod, Charles Roger; Dod, Robert Phipps (1847). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Volume 15. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 188. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  20. ^ Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 75. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  21. ^ "On this day, 11th May 1811: Birth of Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, Foreign Secretary under Gladstone". Liberal History. 11 May 1811.
  22. ^ Hamilton, John Andrew (1893). "Leveson-Gower, Granville George" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 33. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  23. ^ Cook, Chris; Keith, Brendan (1975). "Ministerial Biographies". British Historical Facts, 1830-1900. London: Macmillan. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-349-01348-7. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  24. ^ Creighton, Mandell (1890). "Grey, George (1799-1882)" . In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney (eds.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 23. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  25. ^ "The Age". Melbourne, Victoria. 13 September 1882. p. 4. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  26. ^ "The Excluded Whigs". Leeds Intelligencer. 22 January 1853. p. 3. Retrieved 28 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Morpeth". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  29. ^ "Major Duncan, R.A., at South Shields". Newcastle Courant. 13 November 1874. p. 5. Retrieved 10 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  31. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  32. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  33. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  34. ^ a b British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

See also[edit]

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