1610 to 1918

Tewkesbury existed in this period, first in the parliamentary borough form. It returned two MPs until this was reduced to one in 1868, then saw itself become instead a larger county division under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and it was abolished in 1918.

Prominent politicians

• William Dowdeswell was Chancellor of the Exchequer for two years under Rockingham, and his short tenure of this position appears to have been a successful one, he being in Lecky's words a good financier, but nothing more. To general astonishment, he refused to abandon his friends and to take an office under The 1st Earl of Chatham ("Pitt the Elder"), who succeeded Rockingham in August 1766. Dowdeswell then led the Rockingham party in the House of Commons, taking an active part in debate until his death. In 1774 he warned MPs against passing the Boston Port Act, related to the later Boston Tea Party.
• Charles Hanbury-Tracy was heir to much of the Pontypool part the growing iron industry and served as the chairman of the commission of 1835 that commissioned the new Houses of Parliament and judged designs.
• After service for Tewkesbury Frederick Lygon, 6th Earl Beauchamp entered the Lords and then served in Cabinet positions under the earlier governments headed by Lord Salisbury, before the turn-of-the century third government.

1997 to date

The fourth periodic review of Westminster constituencies in 1997 saw the seat's recreation, from the similar, but slightly larger county division Tewkesbury and Cirencester, compared to the present seat.

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 (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The Borough of Cheltenham wards of: Prestbury; Springbank; Swindon Village.
• The City of Gloucester wards of: Elmbridge; Longlevens.
• The Borough of Tewkesbury wards of: Cleeve Grange; Cleeve Hill; Cleeve St. Michael’s; Cleeve West; Innsworth; Isbourne; Northway; Severn Vale North; Severn Vale South; Tewkesbury East; Tewkesbury North & Twyning; Tewkesbury South; Winchcombe.^[3]

In order to bring the electorate within the permitted range, the area between the city of Gloucester and the town of Cheltenham, including the communities of Badgeworth, Brockworth, Churchdown and Shurdington will be included in the newly created constituency of North Cotswolds. The Springbank and Elmbridge wards will be transferred in from the Cheltenham and Gloucester seats respectively.

MPs 1610–1629

• Constituency created (1610)

The constituency was enfranchised on 23 March 1610 – the first record of its members sworn is 16 April 1610.^[5]

MPs 1640–1868

MPs 1868–1918

MPs since 1997

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Election in the 1990s

Elections in the 1910s

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: Michael Hicks Beach
• Liberal: Richard Mathias^[32]

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1880s

Election in the 1870s

Elections in the 1860s

• Seat reduced to one member.

Elections in the 1860s

• Caused by Dowdeswell's resignation to context the 1866 West Worcestershire by-election.

• Caused by Lygon's resignation to stand at the 1864 West Worcestershire by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

• Caused by the appointment of Lygon as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1830s

• Caused by Martin's death