John_Sumpter_(MP)

Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom 1801-1983 & 1997 onwards

This article is about the electoral district in the United Kingdom. For the electoral district of the same name in Canada, see Colchester (provincial electoral district).

Colchester is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Will Quince, a Conservative.^{[n 2]} In June 2023 Quince announced that he would not be standing for re-election.^[2]

Quick Facts County, Electorate ...

Colchester
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Colchester in Essex
Location of Essex within England
County	Essex
Electorate	73,638 (December 2010)^[1]
Major settlements	Colchester, The Hythe
Current constituency
Created	1997
Member of Parliament	Will Quince (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	Colchester North, South Colchester and Maldon
1918–1983
Seats	One
Type of constituency	County constituency
Created from	Colchester (Parliamentary Borough), Harwich (part)
Replaced by	Colchester North and Colchester South & Maldon
1295–1918
Seats	Two to 1885, one from 1885 to 1918
Type of constituency	Borough constituency
Replaced by	Colchester (county constituency)

Constituency profile

Once the basis for one or two semi-rural seats, the modern-day Colchester constituency is a compact, urban core, containing the town centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.

The present Colchester constituency most closely resembles the old seat of Colchester North, which was held by the Conservative Bernard Jenkin from 1992 to 1997.

The seat has one of Britain's largest residential military populations.

History

The Parliamentary Borough of Colchester had sent two members to the Parliament of England since the Model Parliament of 1295^[3] until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. In 1885, it was one of 36 English boroughs and three Irish boroughs to have its representation reduced to one under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.^[4] Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the Parliamentary Borough was abolished and replaced with a Division of the County of Essex (later a County Constituency).^[5]

The revised constituency remained virtually unchanged until it was briefly abolished for the 1983 general election following the Third Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies, but re-established for the 1997 general election as a Borough Constituency by the Fourth Review.

The non-military vote in Colchester swung further in favour of the Liberal Democrats since 1997 when Bob Russell stood. He was elected for the party with a small majority. Russell increased his votes and percentage share in three elections. In the 2010 election this was the only non-Conservative seat in Essex. Russell was defeated in the 2015 general election by Conservative Will Quince, by an 11.5% majority. In the 2017 election Quince was re-elected by a slightly decreased margin by percentage (10.6%), with Labour moving into 2nd place after a substantial increase in their vote, meaning this seat is now much more a contest between Labour and the Conservatives for the first time in many years. In the 2019 election, Quince increased his majority to 9,423 or 17.6% in percentage terms.

Boundaries and boundary changes

Colchester in Essex 1918-1983

1918–1950

The Borough of Colchester; and

The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree except the detached part of the parish of Inworth which was wholly surrounded by the parishes of Great Braxted and Kelvedon.^[5]

The area comprising the Rural District of Lexden and Winstree had largely been part of the Harwich Division.

1950–1983

The Borough of Colchester;
The Urban District of West Mersea; and
The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree.^[6]

No changes (the Urban District of West Mersea had been formed as a separate local authority in 1926).

For the 1983 general election, the constituency was abolished, with the northern parts (comprising the majority) forming the bulk of the new constituency of North Colchester. Southern areas were included in the new constituency of South Colchester and Maldon.

1997–2010

Map of present boundaries

The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Harbour, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, St Mary's, Shrub End, and Stanway.^[7]

Re-established as a Borough Constituency from parts of the abolished constituencies of South Colchester and Maldon (Berechurch, Harbour, New Town, Prettygate and Shrub End wards) and North Colchester (remaining wards).

2010–present

The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Christ Church, Harbour, Highwoods, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, and Shrub End.^[8]

Local authority wards redistributed. Minor reduction in electorate, with Stanway ward being included in the new constituency of Witham.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following wards of the City of Colchester (as they existed on 1^st December 2020):

Berechurch; Castle; Greenstead; Highwoods; Lexden & Braiswick (polling districts AQ, AS and AT); Mile End; New Town & Christ Church; Prettygate; St. Anne’s & St. John’s; Shrub End.^[9]

The revised contents closely correspond to the existing constituency, with the exception of the Old Heath & The Hythe areas to the south east of the city centre, which are to be included in Harwich and North Essex.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1640

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

More information Parliament, First member ...

Parliament	First member	Second member
1312	Joseph Elianore
1386	Thomas Francis	Ralph Algar^[10]
1388 (Feb)	Thomas Francis	Simon Fordham^[10]
1388 (Sep)	Ralph Algar	Simon Fordham^[10]
1390 (Jan)	Thomas Francis	Simon Fordham^[10]
1390 (Nov)
1391	Thomas Francis	John Christian^[10]
1393	William Mate	John Christian^[10]
1394
1395	Thomas Francis	John Christian^[10]
1397 (Jan)	Henry Boss	John Seaburgh^[10]
1397 (Sep)
1399	Thomas Francis	Thomas Godstone^[10]
1401
1402	Henry Boss	Thomas Godstone^[10]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	Henry Boss	William Mate^[10]
1407	Thomas Godstone	William Mate^[10]
1410
1411	Thomas Godstone	John Pod^[10]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	Thomas Godstone	Thomas Francis^[10]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov)	Thomas Godstone	Simon Mate^[10]
1415
1416 (Mar)	John Ford	John Sumpter^[10]
1416 (Oct)
1417	Thomas Godstone	John Ford^[10]
1419	Thomas Godstone	John Sumpter^[10]
1420	Thomas Godstone	John Kimberley^[10]
1421 (May)	Thomas Godstone	John Kimberley^[10]
1421 (Dec)	Thomas Godstone	William Nottingham^[10]
1485	Thomas Christmas	John Vertue^[11]
1510	No names known^[12]
1512	?John Clere	?John Makin^[12]
1515	?John Clere	?John Makin^[12]
1523	Thomas Audley	Ambrose Lowth^[12]
1529	Sir John Raynsford	Richard Rich^[12]
1536	?
1539	?
1542	?
1545	John Lucas	Benjamin Clere^[12]
1547	John Ryther	John Lucas^[12]
1553 (Mar)	Sir Francis Jobson	?John Lucas^[12]
1553 (Oct)	John Lucas	John Best^[12]
1554 (Apr)	Sir Francis Jobson	William Cardinall^[12]
1554 (Nov)	George Sayer	Robert Browne^[12]
1555	Sir Francis Jobson	John Hering^[12]
1558	George Christmas	Thomas Lucas^[12]
1559	Sir Francis Jobson	William Cardinall^[13]
1562/3	Sir Francis Jobson	William Cardinall^[13]
1571	Henry Golding	Francis Harvey^[13]
1572	Robert Christmas	Henry Golding, died and repl, 1576 by Nicholas Clere, who alao died and was repl. 1579 by Robert Middleton^[13]
1584	James Morice	Francis Harvey^[13]
1586	James Morice	Francis Harvey^[13]
1588	James Morice	Arthur Throckmorton^[13]
1593	James Morice	Martin Bessell^[13]
1597	Richard Symnell	Robert Barker^[13]
1601	Robert Barker	Richard Symnell^[13]
1604–1611	Robert Barker	Edward Alford
1614	Robert Barker	Edward Alford
1621–1622	Edward Alford	William Towse
1624	Edward Alford	William Towse
1625	Sir Robert Quarles	William Towse
1626	Edward Alford	William Towse
1628	Sir Thomas Cheek	Edward Alford repl. on petition by Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet
1639–1640	No Parliaments summoned

MPs 1640–1885

More information Year, First member ...

Year		First member^[14]	First party		Second member^[14]	Second party
April 1640		(Sir) Harbottle Grimston^{[mpnotes 1]}	Parliamentarian		Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet
November 1640					Sir Thomas Barrington	Parliamentarian
September 1644				Barrington died September 1644 - seat vacant
1645					John Sayer
December 1648	Grimston excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant			Sayer not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge
1653	Colchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
1654		Colonel John Barkstead			John Maidstone
1656		Henry Lawrence			John Maidstone
January 1659		Abraham Johnson			John Shaw
May 1659		Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660		Sir Harbottle Grimston			John Shaw
1679					Sir Walter Clarges, Bt
1681					Samuel Reynolds
1685		Sir Walter Clarges			Nathaniel Lawrence
1689		Samuel Reynolds			Isaac Rebow
1690					Edward Cary
1692					Sir Isaac Rebow
1694		Sir Thomas Cooke
1695		Sir John Morden, Bt
1698		Sir Thomas Cooke
May 1705		Edward Bullock
December 1705		Sir Thomas Webster, Bt^{[mpnotes 2]}
1711		William Gore
1713		Sir Thomas Webster, Bt
1714^{[mpnotes 3]}		William Gore			Nicholas Corsellis
1715		Richard Du Cane	Whig		Sir Isaac Rebow	Whig
1722		Sir Thomas Webster	Whig		Matthew Martin	Whig
1727		Stamp Brooksbank	Whig		Samuel Tufnell	Whig
1734		Isaac Lemyng Rebow	Whig		Matthew Martin	Whig
1735		Jacob Houblon	Tory
1741		John Olmius	Whig
1742^{[mpnotes 4]}		Samuel Savill			Charles Gray^{[mpnotes 5]}	Tory
1747		Richard Savage Nassau
1754		John Olmius	Whig
1755		John Olmius	Whig		Isaac Martin Rebow	Whig
1761		Charles Gray	Tory
1780		Sir Robert Smyth, Bt	Radical Whig
1781					Christopher Potter^{[mpnotes 6]}
1782^{[mpnotes 6]}					Sir Edmund Affleck, Bt^{[mpnotes 7]}
April 1784		Christopher Potter^{[mpnotes 8]}
July 1784		Sir Robert Smyth, Bt	Radical
1788		Sir Robert Smyth, Bt	Radical		George Tierney	Radical
1790		Robert Thornton	Tory^[15]		George Jackson	Tory
1796					The Lord Muncaster	Tory
1802					John Denison	Tory
1806					William Tufnell	Whig
1807					Richard Hart Davis	Tory^[15]
1812					Hart Davis	Tory
1817		Sir William Burroughs, Bt	Tory		Hart Davis	Tory
February 1818		Sir William Burroughs, Bt	Tory		James Beckford Wildman	Tory^[15]
June 1818		Daniel Whittle Harvey^{[mpnotes 9]}	Radical^[15]
1820		Henry Baring	Tory
1826		Daniel Whittle Harvey	Radical^[15]		Sir George Smyth, Bt	Tory^[15]
1829					Richard Sanderson	Tory^[15]
1830					Andrew Spottiswoode^{[mpnotes 10]}	Tory^[15]
1831					William Mayhew	Whig^[15]
1832					Richard Sanderson	Tory^[15]
1834						Conservative^[15]
1835		Sir George Smyth, Bt	Conservative^[15]			Conservative^[15]
1847		Sir George Smyth, Bt	Conservative^[15]		Joseph Hardcastle	Whig^[16]^[17]^[18]
1850		Lord John Manners	Conservative		Joseph Hardcastle	Whig^[16]^[17]^[18]
1852		Lord John Manners	Conservative		William Warwick Hawkins	Conservative
February 1857		John Gurdon Rebow	Radical^[19]^[20]^[21]		William Warwick Hawkins	Conservative
March 1857		John Gurdon Rebow	Radical^[19]^[20]^[21]		Taverner John Miller	Conservative
1859		Philip Oxenden Papillon	Conservative
1865		John Gurdon Rebow	Liberal
1867					Edward Karslake	Conservative
1868					William Brewer	Liberal
1870		Alexander Learmonth	Conservative		William Brewer	Liberal
1874		Alexander Learmonth	Conservative		Herbert Mackworth-Praed	Conservative
1880		Richard Causton	Liberal		William Willis	Liberal
1885	Representation reduced to one member

Notes

[M 1]
Succeeded to a baronetcy, April 1648
[M 2]
Webster and Rebow were re-elected in 1714, but on petition the result was reversed and Gore declared to have been duly elected instead, following a dispute over whether foreigners could be made freemen of the borough and thereby acquire voting rights
[M 3]
Webster was re-elected in 1710, but on petition the result was reversed and Gore and Corsellis declared to have been duly elected instead, following a further dispute over foreign freemen's voting rights
[M 4]
At the election of 1741, Olmius and Martin were returned as elected, but on petition their election was declared void and their opponents, Savill and Gray, declared elected in their place
[M 5]
At the election of 1754, Gray was re- elected, but on petition his election was declared void and his opponent, Rebow, declared elected in his place
[M 6]
On petition, Potter's election was declared void on the grounds of defective qualification and his opponent, Affleck, declared duly elected
[M 7]
Admiral from 1784
[M 8]
On petition, Potter was declared ineligible on the grounds of bankruptcy, and a writ for a new election was issued
[M 9]
Harvey was re-elected in 1820 but on petition his election was declared void on the grounds of defective qualification and a by-election was held
[M 10]
On petition, Spottiswoode's election was declared void and a by-election was held

MPs 1885–1983

See also: List of MPs of Colchester, 1885–1983

More information Election, Member ...

	Member^[14]	Party
1885	Henry John Trotter	Conservative
1888 by-election	Lord Brooke	Conservative
1892	Herbert Naylor-Leyland	Conservative
1895 by-election	Weetman Pearson	Liberal
1910	Laming Worthington-Evans	Conservative
1929	Oswald Lewis	Conservative
1945	George Smith	Labour
1950	Cuthbert Alport	Conservative
1961 by-election	Antony Buck	Conservative
1983	Constituency abolished

MPs since 1997

More information Election, Member ...

Election		Member^[14]	Party
	1997	Bob Russell	Liberal Democrat
	2015	Will Quince	Conservative

Elections

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Graph of election results in Colchester since 1997 (minor parties that never got 2% of the vote or didn't run consistently are omitted)