West_Gloucestershire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
West Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950–1997
West Gloucestershire was a parliamentary constituency in Gloucestershire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Quick Facts County, 1950–1997 ...
| West Gloucestershire | |
|---|---|
| Former County constituency for the House of Commons | |
West Gloucestershire, showing boundaries used from 1983-1997 | |
| County | Gloucestershire |
| 1950–1997 | |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Forest of Dean and Stroud[1] |
| Replaced by | Forest of Dean, Tewkesbury |
| 1832–1885 | |
| Seats | Two |
| Type of constituency | County constituency |
| Created from | Gloucestershire |
| Replaced by | Forest of Dean Thornbury |
Close
It was first created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election as a 2-seat constituency (i.e. electing two Members of Parliament). It was abolished for the 1885 general election.
Its namesake, a seat of about half the physical size of the above, took up a north-west side of the Severn estuary similar to the Forest of Dean, and came into being for the 1950 general election. It was abolished for the 1997 general election.
The 1950 to 1997 single-member constituency was held by the Labour Party from its creation in 1950 until 1979 and then held by the Conservative Party until its abolition.
1832 to 1885
1832–1885: The Hundreds of Berkeley, Thornbury, Langley and Swineshead, Grumbald's Ash, Pucklechurch, Lancaster Duchy, Botloe, St Briavel's, Westbury, and Bledisloe, and the parts of the Hundreds of Henbury and Barton Regis that are not included in the limits of the City of Bristol.[2]
The place of election was the small town of Dursley. This was where the hustings were put up and electors voted (by spoken declaration in public, before the secret ballot was introduced in 1872).
The qualification to vote in county elections, in the period, was to be a 40 shilling freeholder.
The county's five parliamentary boroughs were all in East Gloucestershire. Qualified freeholders from those boroughs could vote in the eastern county division. Bristol was a "county of itself", so its freeholders qualified to vote in the borough, not in a county division.
There were no electors qualified to vote in the western division, because they were freehold owners of land in a parliamentary borough.
1950 to 1997
1950–1983: The Rural Districts of East Dean, Lydney, Newent, and West Dean, and part of the Rural District of Gloucester.
1983–1997: The District of Forest of Dean, and the Borough of Tewkesbury wards of Brockworth Glebe, Brockworth Moorfield, Brockworth Westfield, Churchdown Brookfield, Churchdown Parton, Churchdown Pirton, De Winton, Haw Bridge, Highnam, Horsbere, and Innsworth.
The constituency in this period was a smaller part of the county of Gloucestershire than its nineteenth century namesake. It was centred on the Forest of Dean, and indeed the majority of the constituency at abolition formed the new Forest of Dean constituency. About a fifth of the constituency moved to Tewkesbury, with 735 constituents moving to Gloucester.[3]
MPs 1832–1885
More information Election, 1st member ...
| Election | 1st member[4] | 1st party | 2nd member[4] | 2nd party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | Hon. Grantley Berkeley | Whig[5][6] | Hon. Augustus Moreton | Whig[5] | ||
| 1835 | Henry Somerset[7] | Conservative[5] | ||||
| 1836 by-election[8] | Robert Blagden Hale | Conservative[5] | ||||
| 1852 | Robert Kingscote[9] | Whig[10][11] | ||||
| 1857 | Sir John Rolt[12] | Conservative | ||||
| 1859 | Liberal | |||||
| 1867 by-election[13] | Edward Arthur Somerset | Conservative | ||||
| 1868 | Samuel Marling | Liberal | ||||
| 1874 | Hon. Randal Plunkett | Conservative | ||||
| 1880 | Henry Moreton | Liberal | ||||
| 1885 by-election[14] | Benjamin St John Ackers | Conservative | ||||
| 1885 | constituency abolished | |||||
Close
MPs 1950–1997
More information Election, Member ...
| Election | Member[4] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | M. Philips Price | Labour | |
| 1959 | Charles Loughlin | Labour | |
| Oct 1974 | John Watkinson | Labour | |
| 1979 | Paul Marland | Conservative | |
| 1997 | constituency abolished: see Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury | ||
Close
Election in the 1990s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Paul Marland | 29,232 | 43.6 | −2.5 | |
| Labour | Diana Organ | 24,274 | 36.2 | +8.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | J. E. Boait | 13,366 | 19.9 | −6.0 | |
| British Independent | A. Reeve | 172 | 0.3 | New | |
| Twenty First Century | C. R. Palmer | 75 | 0.1 | New | |
| Majority | 4,958 | 7.4 | −10.7 | ||
| Turnout | 67,119 | 83.9 | +2.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 80,007 | +2.6 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −5.4 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1980s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Paul Marland | 29,257 | 46.1 | +0.3 | |
| Labour | Peter Sandland-Nielsen | 17,758 | 28.0 | +3.3 | |
| SDP | John Watkinson | 16,440 | 25.9 | −3.6 | |
| Majority | 11,499 | 18.1 | +1.8 | ||
| Turnout | 63,455 | 81.4 | +1.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 77,994 | +5.0 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Paul Marland | 27,092 | 45.8 | −2.1 | |
| SDP | John Watkinson | 17,440 | 29.5 | +18.7 | |
| Labour | Michael J. Hodkinson | 14,572 | 24.7 | −16.1 | |
| Majority | 9,652 | 16.3 | +9.2 | ||
| Turnout | 59,104 | 79.6 | −4.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 74,266 | +5.0 | |||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +7.0 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1970s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Paul Marland | 28,183 | 47.9 | +7.0 | |
| Labour | John Watkinson | 24,009 | 40.8 | −0.9 | |
| Liberal | Margaret Joachim | 6,370 | 10.8 | −6.6 | |
| National Front | G. Storkey | 270 | 0.5 | New | |
| Majority | 4,174 | 7.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 58,832 | 83.9 | +3.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 70,104 | +4.3 | |||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.9 | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Watkinson | 22,481 | 41.7 | +1.0 | |
| Conservative | Paul Marland | 22,072 | 40.9 | +3.1 | |
| Liberal | A. L. MacGregor | 9,353 | 17.4 | −3.8 | |
| Majority | 409 | 0.8 | −2.1 | ||
| Turnout | 53,906 | 80.2 | −3.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 67,239 | +0.8 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | −1.1 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Charles Loughlin | 22,765 | 40.7 | −5.4 | |
| Conservative | Paul Marland | 21,141 | 37.8 | −6.1 | |
| Liberal | A. L. MacGregor | 11,856 | 21.2 | +11.2 | |
| Independent | S. S. Hart | 171 | 0.3 | New | |
| Majority | 1,624 | 2.9 | +0.7 | ||
| Turnout | 55,933 | 83.9 | +6.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 66,706 | +3.7 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | +0.4 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Charles Loughlin | 22,637 | 46.1 | −5.7 | |
| Conservative | Stanley H. A. F. Hopkins | 21,530 | 43.9 | +9.4 | |
| Liberal | J. Alan Svendsen | 4,932 | 10.0 | −3.7 | |
| Majority | 1,107 | 2.2 | −15.1 | ||
| Turnout | 49,099 | 77.2 | −0.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 63,599 | +10.7 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | −7.5 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1960s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Charles Loughlin | 23,181 | 51.8 | +1.9 | |
| Conservative | Stanley H. A. F. Hopkins | 15,476 | 34.5 | +0.4 | |
| Liberal | Kenneth G. Harvey | 6,137 | 13.7 | −2.3 | |
| Majority | 7,705 | 17.3 | +1.5 | ||
| Turnout | 44,794 | 78.0 | −1.6 | ||
| Registered electors | 57,443 | +1.8 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | +0.7 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Charles Loughlin | 22,420 | 49.9 | +0.5 | |
| Conservative | Douglas St P. Barnard | 15,300 | 34.1 | −3.0 | |
| Liberal | Richard A. Cook | 7,191 | 16.0 | +2.5 | |
| Majority | 7,120 | 15.8 | +3.5 | ||
| Turnout | 44,911 | 79.6 | −1.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 56,407 | +4.1 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1950s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Charles Loughlin | 21,634 | 49.4 | −5.5 | |
| Conservative | Olive K. L. Lloyd-Baker | 16,223 | 37.1 | −8.0 | |
| Liberal | Eric John Radley | 5,921 | 13.5 | New | |
| Majority | 5,411 | 12.3 | +2.5 | ||
| Turnout | 43,778 | 80.8 | +2.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 54,202 | +4.7 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.2 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | M. Philips Price | 22,366 | 54.9 | −3.0 | |
| Conservative | Bryan J. Y. Williams | 18,346 | 45.1 | +3.0 | |
| Majority | 4,020 | 9.8 | −6.0 | ||
| Turnout | 40,712 | 78.6 | −3.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 51,772 | +1.5 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | −3.0 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | M. Philips Price | 24,334 | 57.9 | +3.1 | |
| Conservative | Arthur Russell | 17,665 | 42.1 | +9.2 | |
| Majority | 6,669 | 15.8 | −6.1 | ||
| Turnout | 41,999 | 82.3 | 0.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 51,020 | +1.0 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | −3.0 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | M. Philips Price | 22,765 | 54.8 | ||
| Conservative | Granger Boston | 13,664 | 32.9 | ||
| Liberal | Basil Houldsworth | 5,125 | 12.3 | ||
| Majority | 9,101 | 21.9 | |||
| Turnout | 41,554 | 82.3 | |||
| Registered electors | 50,513 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1880s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Benjamin St John Ackers | 4,837 | 52.2 | +21.5 | |
| Liberal | William Marling[21] | 4,426 | 47.8 | −21.6 | |
| Majority | 411 | 4.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 9,263 | 72.4 | −9.5 (est) | ||
| Registered electors | 12,802 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +21.6 | |||
Close
- Caused by Kingscote's appointment as Commissioner of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Robert Kingscote | 5,316 | 35.2 | +2.3 | |
| Liberal | Henry Reynolds-Moreton | 5,164 | 34.2 | +1.5 | |
| Conservative | Randal Plunkett | 4,640 | 30.7 | −3.8 | |
| Majority | 524 | 3.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 9,956 (est) | 81.9 (est) | +5.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 12,162 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +2.1 | |||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.7 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1870s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Randal Plunkett | 4,553 | 34.5 | +3.6 | |
| Liberal | Robert Kingscote | 4,344 | 32.9 | −2.1 | |
| Liberal | Charles Berkeley[22] | 4,317 | 32.7 | −1.4 | |
| Majority | 236 | 1.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 8,884 (est) | 76.4 (est) | −4.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 11,632 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.6 | |||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −2.0 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1860s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Robert Kingscote | 4,985 | 35.0 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Samuel Marling | 4,862 | 34.1 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Edward Arthur Somerset | 4,394 | 30.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 468 | 3.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 9,318 (est) | 81.3 (est) | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 11,463 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Edward Arthur Somerset | 3,649 | 50.7 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Charles Berkeley | 3,553 | 49.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 96 | 1.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 7,202 | 76.9 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 9,368 | ||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
- Caused by Rolt's appointment as a judge of the Court of Appeal in Chancery
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Rolt | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
- Caused by Rolt's appointment as Attorney General for England and Wales.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John Rolt | Unopposed | |||
| Liberal | Robert Kingscote | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 9,368 | ||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1850s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Robert Kingscote | Unopposed | |||
| Liberal hold | |||||
Close
- Appointment of Kingscote as a Groom in Waiting to Her Majesty Queen Victoria
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Robert Kingscote | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | John Rolt | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 9,167 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Robert Kingscote | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | John Rolt | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 9,250 | ||||
| Whig hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Robert Kingscote | 3,528 | 40.8 | +17.5 | |
| Conservative | Robert Blagden Hale | 2,946 | 34.1 | −12.5 | |
| Whig | Grantley Berkeley | 2,166 | 25.1 | −5.0 | |
| Turnout | 6,474 (est) | 75.0 (est) | −12.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 8,635 | ||||
| Majority | 582 | 6.7 | N/A | ||
| Whig hold | Swing | +11.9 | |||
| Majority | 780 | 9.0 | −7.5 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −12.5 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1840s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Blagden Hale | 4,240 | 46.6 | N/A | |
| Whig | Grantley Berkeley | 2,744 | 30.1 | N/A | |
| Whig | Grenville Berkeley | 2,123 | 23.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 1,496 | 16.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 6,674 (est) | 87.8 (est) | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 7,601 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Grantley Berkeley | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | Robert Blagden Hale | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 7,875 | ||||
| Whig hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1830s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Grantley Berkeley | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | Robert Blagden Hale | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 6,936 | ||||
| Whig hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Robert Blagden Hale | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
- Succession of Henry Somerset to the Peerage as 7th Duke of Beaufort
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Grantley Berkeley | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | Henry Somerset | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 6,473 | ||||
| Whig hold | |||||
| Conservative gain from Whig | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Grantley Berkeley | 3,153 | 34.6 | ||
| Whig | Augustus Moreton | 2,996 | 32.9 | ||
| Tory | Robert Somerset | 2,962 | 32.5 | ||
| Majority | 34 | 0.4 | |||
| Turnout | 5,943 | 91.1 | |||
| Registered electors | 6,521 | ||||
| Whig win (new seat) | |||||
| Whig win (new seat) | |||||
Close
- Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1985-1972. Chichester, Sussex: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-09-4.
- "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p. 220 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995).
- Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 113–114. ISBN 0-900178-13-2. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- Dod, Charles Roger; Dod, Robert Phipps (1847). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Volume 15. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 130. Retrieved 3 August 2018 – via Google Books.
- Succeeded as the 7th Duke of Beaufort, in November 1835.
- 2 January 1836 by-election.
- Joined the Liberal Party, when it was formally created following the 1859 general election. Appointed Commissioner of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues in 1885.
- "West Gloucestershire Election". Gloucester Journal. 24 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 3 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette". 8 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 3 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Appointed Attorney General and knighted in 1866. Appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal in Chancery in 1867.
- 25 July 1867 by-election.
- 12 March 1885 by-election.
- "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- Percentage change and swing for February 1974 is calculated relative to the BBC notional 1970 constituency result, not actual 1970 result. Notional 1970 results were rounded to the nearest hundred. Constituency data for 1974-83 including 1970 notionals, retrieved 18 July 2017
- Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. p. 391. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
- "West Gloucestershire Election". Western Daily Press. 3 March 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Liberalism in the Forest: Meeting at Cinderford". Gloucester Journal. 29 August 1874. p. 7. Retrieved 30 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F. W. S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
- 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)