Cambridge University (UK Parliament constituency)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Cambridge University
University constituency
Created: 1603
Abolished: 1950
Type: House of Commons
Members:two

Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries, Electorate and Election Systems

This university constituency was created by a Royal Charter of 1603. It was abolished in 1950 by the Representation of the People Act 1948.

The constituency was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the University. Before 1918 the franchise was restricted to male graduates with a Doctorate or MA degree. Sedgwick records that the electors numbered 377, in 1727. For the 1754-1790 period Namier and Brooke estimated the electorate at about 500.

The constituency returned two Members of Parliament. Before 1918 they were elected using the bloc vote. From 1918, the MPs were elected by the Single Transferable Vote method of Proportional Representation.

[edit] History

In the early eighteenth century the University electorate were mostly Tory. However the Whig ministers of King George I were able to persuade the King to use the royal prerogative power to confer doctorates, so from 1727 the University returned Whig representatives. Oxford University, where the King did not have the same prerogative power, remained safely Tory (indeed often Jacobite) in sympathies.

The leading mid-eighteenth century Whig politician, the Duke of Newcastle, was for many years (1748-1768) Chancellor of the University. He "recommended" suitable candidates to represent the institution in Parliament. This practise continued under his successor, another Whig Duke and Prime Minister (1768-1770), the Duke of Grafton (Chancellor 1768-1811). However Grafton was less prominent as a politician than Newcastle had been and less attentive to the University. As a result some of Grafton's choices were criticised, notably that of the Duke's friend Richard Croftes.

Croftes lacked the sort of characteristics a University MP usually had. He was neither the son of a peer (like the Hon. John Townshend, the Marquess of Granby or Grafton's own son the Earl of Euston), a distinguished lawyer-politician (such as William de Grey, James Mansfield or Sir Vicary Gibbs) nor a prominent political figure (like William Pitt or Lord Henry Petty).

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century Pittite/Tory candidates began to be elected. At the start of this political development some of the Pittite MPs, like William Pitt himself (MP for the University 1784-1806), called themselves Whigs. As time passed the division between the nineteenth century Tory and Whig parties became clearer.

The future Prime Minister, the Viscount Palmerston, retained his seat as a Whig after he left the Tory ranks. However by 1831 he was defeated. After the Viscount ceased to represent the University he was elected by a territorial constituency. No further non Tory/Conservative MP was to represent the University until the 1920s.

Even after the introduction of the single transferable vote in 1918, most Cambridge University MPs continued to be Conservatives.

[edit] Members of Parliament

This is a list of people who have been elected to represent this University in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1784 to 1950.


Year Member Party Member Party
1784 William Pitt the Younger 1 Earl of Euston Whig
1806 Lord Henry Petty Whig
1807 Sir Vicary Gibbs Tory
1811 The 3rd Viscount Palmerston Tory
1812 John Henry Smyth Whig
1822 William John Bankes Tory
1826 Sir John Singleton Copley Tory Whig
1827 Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Tory
1829 William Cavendish Whig
1831 Henry Goulburn Tory William Yates Peel Tory
1832 Conservative Charles Manners-Sutton Conservative
1835 Hon. Charles Evan Law Conservative
1850 Loftus Tottenham Wigram Conservative
1856 Spencer Horatio Walpole Conservative
1859 Charles Jasper Selwyn Conservative
1868 Alexander Beresford Hope Conservative
1882 Henry Cecil Raikes Conservative
1887 Sir George Gabriel Stokes Conservative
1891 Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb 2 Conservative
1892 Sir John Eldon Gorst Conservative
1906 Samuel Henry Butcher Conservative John Frederick Peel Rawlinson Conservative
1911 Sir Joseph Larmor Conservative
1918 Co. Conservative 3 Co. Conservative 3
1922 James Ramsay Montagu Butler Ind. Liberal 4 Conservative
1923 Sir George Geoffrey Gilbert Butler 5 Conservative
1926 Sir John James Withers Conservative
1929 Godfrey Harold Alfred Wilson Conservative
1935 Sir Kenneth William Murray Pickthorn Conservative
1940 Dr. Archibald Vivian Hill Ind. Conservative 4
1945 Henry Wilson Harris Independent

Notes:-

  • 1 Pitt called himself a Whig, but is usually retrospectively regarded as a Tory since most of his followers (whether their background was in the Whig or Tory tradition) came to call themselves the Tory Party in the decade after Pitt's death.
  • 2 Jebb died on 10 December 1905 - seat vacant at dissolution.
  • 3 Co. is an abbreviation for Coalition.
  • 4 Ind. is an abbreviation for Independent.
  • 5 Butler died on 2 May 1929 - seat vacant at dissolution.

[edit] Elections before 1715

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Election by Block Vote 1715-1918

1710s – 1720s – 1730s – 1740s – 1750s – 1760s – 1770s – 1780s – 1790s – 1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s – 1840s – 1850s – 1860s – 1870s – 1880s – 1890s – 1900s – 1910s

[edit] Elections in the 1710s

General Election 26 January 1715: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Hon. Dixie Windsor Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Thomas Paske Unopposed N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1720s

  • Death of Paske
By-Election 19 December 1720: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Thomas Willoughby 176 55.17 N/A
Whig Hon. Henry Finch 143 44.83 N/A
Majority 33 10.34 N/A
Turnout 319 N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Note (1722): Stooks Smith gives Willoughby 319 votes.
General Election 22 March 1722: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Hon. Dixie Windsor Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory Thomas Willoughby Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 22 August 1727: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch 221 37.14 N/A
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend 198 33.28 N/A
Tory Hon. Dixie Windsor 176 29.58 N/A
Turnout 595 (377 voted) 79.70 N/A
Registered Electors 473
  • Note (1727): Unusually, for a pre-1832 election, Stooks Smith records the total number of electors for the constituency as well as the number who voted; so a turnout figure can be calculated.

[edit] Elections in the 1730s

General Election 29 April 1734: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend 222 30.33 -2.95
Whig Hon. Edward Finch 209 28.55 -8.59
Whig -. Goodrick 174 23.77 N/A
Tory Hon. Dixie Windsor 137 17.35 -12.23
Turnout 732 N/A N/A
  • Note (1734): Goodrick was an Opposition Whig

[edit] Elections in the 1740s

General Election 6 May 1741: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A
By-Election 23 July 1742: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
General Election 26 June 1747: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1750s

General Election 17 April 1754: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Seat vacated when Finch was appointed to an office
By-Election 14 June 1757: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1760s

  • Seat vacated when Finch was appointed to an office
By-Election 14 January 1761: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
General Election 27 March 1761: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hon. Edward Finch Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 19 March 1768: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Hon. Charles Yorke Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Hon. Thomas Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1770s

By-Election 1 February 1770: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William de Grey Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
By-Election 4 February 1771: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Richard Croftes 76 62.81 N/A
Non Partisan William Wynne 45 37.19 N/A
Majority 31 25.62 N/A
Turnout 121 N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
General Election 10 October 1774: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Marquess of Granby Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Richard Croftes Unopposed N/A N/A
By-Election 10 June 1779: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan James Mansfield 157 35.68 N/A
Non Partisan Hon. John Townshend 145 32.95 N/A
Non Partisan Lord Hyde 138 31.36 N/A
Majority 12 2.73 N/A
Turnout 440 N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1780s

General Election 9 September 1780: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan James Mansfield 277 27.10 N/A
Non Partisan Hon. John Townshend 247 24.17 N/A
Non Partisan Lord Hyde 206 20.16 N/A
Non Partisan Richard Croftes 150 14.68 N/A
Non Partisan Hon. William Pitt 142 13.89 N/A
Turnout 1,022 (546 voters) N/A N/A
  • Note (1780): Stooks Smith records Townshend as getting 237 votes.
  • Seat vacated on Townshend being appointed to an office
By-Election 3 April 1782: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Hon. John Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
  • Seat vacated on Townshend being appointed to an office
By-Election 11 April 1783: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Hon. John Townshend Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
  • Seat vacated on Mansfield being appointed to an office
By-Election 26 November 1783: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan James Mansfield Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
General Election 3 April 1784: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Rt Hon. William Pitt 351 31.65 +17.76
Non Partisan Earl of Euston 299 26.96 N/A
Non Partisan Hon. John Townshend 278 25.07 +0.90
Non Partisan James Mansfield 181 16.32 -10.78
Turnout 1,109 (588 voters) N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1790s

General Election 1790: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Rt Hon. William Pitt 510 42.50 +10.85
Whig Earl of Euston 483 40.25 +13.29
Whig Lawrence Dundas 207 17.25 N/A
Turnout 1,200 (684 voters) N/A N/A
  • Note (1790): Pary labels in the 1790-1832 period follow Stooks Smith, who classifies Pitt and his Pittite supporters as Tories without regard to what they would have actually called themselves.
  • Seat vacated on Pitt being appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
By-Election 1792: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Rt Hon. William Pitt Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Seat vacated on Euston being appointed to an office
By-Election 1794: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Earl of Euston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
General Election 1796: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Rt Hon. William Pitt Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Earl of Euston Unopposed N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1800s

General Election 1802: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Rt Hon. William Pitt Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Earl of Euston Unopposed N/A N/A
By-Election 1804: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Rt Hon. William Pitt Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Death of Pitt
By-Election February 1806: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Lord Henry Petty 331 54.80 N/A
Whig Viscount Althorp 145 24.01 N/A
Tory The Viscount Palmerston 128 21.19 N/A
Majority 186 30.79 N/A
Turnout 604 N/A N/A
Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A
  • Palmerston was a Peer of Ireland
General Election 1806: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Rt Hon. Lord Henry Petty Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Earl of Euston Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1807: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Earl of Euston 324 26.75 N/A
Tory Sir Vicary Gibbs 312 25.76 N/A
Tory The Viscount Palmerston 310 25.60 N/A
Whig Rt Hon. Lord Henry Petty 265 21.88 N/A
Turnout 1,211 (631 voters) N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1810s

By-Election March 1811: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory The Viscount Palmerston 451 56.66 N/A
Whig John Henry Smyth 345 43.34 N/A
Majority 106 13.32 N/A
Turnout 796 N/A N/A
Tory gain from Whig Swing N/A
By-Election 1812: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Henry Smyth Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A
General Election 1812: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory The Viscount Palmerston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig John Henry Smyth Unopposed N/A N/A
General Election 1818: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory The Viscount Palmerston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig John Henry Smyth Unopposed N/A N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1820s

General Election 1820: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory The Viscount Palmerston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig John Henry Smyth Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Death of Smyth
By-Election 1822: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory William John Bankes 419 45.59 N/A
Tory Lord Harvey 281 30.58 N/A
Whig James Scarlett 219 23.83 N/A
Majority 138 15.02 N/A
Turnout 919 N/A N/A
Tory gain from Whig Swing N/A
General Election 1826: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Sir John Singleton Copley 772 32.88 N/A
Whig The Viscount Palmerston 631 26.87 N/A
Tory William John Bankes 508 21.64 N/A
Tory Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn 437 18.61 N/A
Turnout 2,348 (1,293 voters) N/A N/A
By-Election May 1827: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal 479 55.89 N/A
Tory William John Bankes 378 44.11 N/A
Majority 101 11.79 N/A
Turnout 857 43.93 N/A
Registered Electors 1,951
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Note (1827): Unusually for a pre-1832 election Stooks Smith provides a total electorate figure, so a turnout percentage can be calculated. See the 1727 result above for another instance.
  • Seat vacated on the appointment of Tindal as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
By-Election June 1829: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Cavendish 609 56.86 N/A
Tory William John Bankes 462 43.14 -0.97
Majority 147 13.73 N/A
Turnout 1,071 N/A N/A
Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig The Viscount Palmerston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig William Cavendish Unopposed N/A N/A
By-Election November 1830: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig The Viscount Palmerston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
General Election 1831: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn 805 28.26 N/A
Tory William Yates Peel 804 28.22 N/A
Whig William Cavendish 630 22.11 N/A
Whig The Viscount Palmerston 610 21.41 N/A
Turnout 2,849 N/A N/A
General Election 12 December 1832: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Rt Hon. Charles Manners-Sutton Unopposed N/A N/A
Turnout 2,319 N/A N/A
  • Note (1832): Manners-Sutton was the Speaker of the House of Commons.
General Election 6 January 1835: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Rt Hon. Charles Manners-Sutton Unopposed N/A N/A
Turnout 2,319 N/A N/A
  • Manners-Sutton created 'The 1st Viscount Canterbury'.
By-Election 21 March 1835: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hon. Charles Evan Law Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 25 July 1837: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Hon. Charles Evan Law Unopposed N/A N/A
Turnout 2,613 N/A N/A
  • Note (1837): McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book classifies Law as a Peelite between this election and that of 1847.

[edit] Elections in the 1840s

General Election 30 June 1841: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative Hon. Charles Evan Law Unopposed N/A N/A
Turnout 2,873 N/A N/A
  • Note (1841): McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book classifies Goulburn as a Liberal Conservative and Law as a Peelite for this election.
  • Goulburn appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer.
By-Election 15 September 1841: Cambridge University
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 3 August 1847: Cambridge University (2 seats)
Party