Appleby (UK Parliament constituency)
Appleby was a parliamentary constituency in the former county of Westmorland in England. It existed for two separate periods: from 1295 to 1832, and from 1885 to 1918.
Appleby | |
---|---|
Former County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Westmorland (now Cumbria) |
Major settlements | Appleby-in-Westmorland |
1885–1918 | |
Number of members | One |
Replaced by | Westmorland |
Created from | Westmorland |
1295–1832 | |
Number of members | two |
Type of constituency | Borough constituency |
Replaced by | Westmorland |
Appleby was enfranchised as parliamentary borough in 1295, and abolished by the Great Reform Act of 1832. It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) using the bloc vote system. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. Its best-known MP was William Pitt the Younger who became Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24.
For the 1885 general election the Redistribution of Seats Act created a county constituency of the same name, which returned a single MP elected by the first-past-the-post system. The county constituency was abolished at the 1918 general election.
History
The borough (1295–1832)
The parliamentary borough of Appleby consisted of the town of Appleby, the county town of Westmorland, and was consistently represented in the House of Commons from the Model Parliament of 1295 until the Reform Act.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
The right to vote rested with the occupiers of around a hundred burgage tenements. By the 18th century, the majority of the burgages were owned by the Lowther and Tufton families, which enabled them to put in reliable tenants at election time and ensure their complete control of who was elected. The seats were frequently kept for members of those families, but Appleby's other representatives included William Pitt the younger, who was MP for Appleby when he became Prime Minister in 1783 (although he stood down at the following general election when he was instead elected for Cambridge University).
A later member for Appleby was Viscount Howick, subsequently (as Earl Grey) the Prime Minister whose administration passed the Great Reform Act of 1832; but Grey's history as a former MP for the town did not save it from losing both its members under the Act. Appleby was regarded as a classic example of a pocket borough, completely in the control of its owners who were also the major local landowners, and with a population of only 1,233 at the 1831 census unlikely to be freed from their influence even by widening the franchise. Nevertheless, as the only county town to be disfranchised, Appleby was one of the more controversial cases in the debates on the reform bill, the opposition making unsuccessful attempts to amend the bill so as to save at least one of its MPs.
After abolition the borough was absorbed into the Westmorland county constituency.
The county constituency (1885–1918)
The Appleby constituency created for the 1885 election was, in full, "The Appleby or Northern Division of Westmorland", and was sometimes referred to as Westmorland North. It consisted of the whole of the northern half of the county, including the towns of Ambleside, Grasmere and Kirkby Stephen. It was abolished at the 1918 general election, the whole county henceforth being united in a single Westmorland constituency.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1660
Parliament | First member | Second member |
---|---|---|
1382 | William Soulby[1] | |
1385 | William Soulby[1] | |
1386 | Robert Overdo I | John Overdo [1] |
1388 (Feb) | William Soulby | Adam Crosby [1] |
1388 (Sep) | ||
1390 (Jan) | ||
1390 (Nov) | ||
1391 | William Soulby | John Sowerby [1] |
1393 | ||
1394 | ||
1395 | Robert Gare | William Savage [1] |
1397 (Jan) | John Helton | John Sowerby [1] |
1397 (Sep) | Christopher Curwen | Thomas Chamberlain [1] |
1399 | Thomas Warcop | William Crackenthorpe I [1] |
1401 | ||
1402 | Robert Gare | Robert Overdo II [1] |
1404 (Jan) | ||
1404 (Oct) | ||
1406 | John Ninezergh | William Crackenthorpe II [1] |
1407 | John Sagher | John Pray [1] |
1410 | ||
1411 | John Helton | John Sowerby [1] |
1413 (Feb) | ||
1413 (May) | Robert Sandford | Thomas Stockdale [1] |
1414 (Apr) | ||
1414 (Nov) | Robert Crackenthorpe | John Birkrig [1] |
1415 | Roland Thornburgh | John Birkrig [1] |
1416 (Mar) | Richard Bristowe | Thomas Ma[nningham] [1] |
1416 (Oct) | ||
1417 | Thomas Stockdale | John Birkrig [1] |
1419 | Richard Wharton | Thomas Pety [1] |
1420 | William Lowther | Nicholas Stanshawe [1] |
1421 (May) | William Scalby | Nicholas Stanshawe [1] |
1421 (Dec) | John Booth | Nicholas Stanshawe [1]
1436-1427 Thomas Wharton |
1510–1523 | No names known[3] | |
1529 | Sir Richard Tempest | Sir Thomas Wharton [3] |
1536 | ? | |
1539 | ? | |
1542 | Cuthbert Horsley | Thomas Jolye [3] |
1545 | Thomas Jolye | Robert Wheatley [3] |
1547 | Thomas Jolye, died and replaced Jan 1552 by George Clifford | Robert Wheatley [3] |
1553 (Mar) | ? | |
1553 (Oct) | George Clifford | James Bankes [3] |
1554 (Apr) | John Eltoftes | William Danby [3] |
1554 (Nov) | John Eltoftes | William Danby [3] |
1555 | ? | |
1558 | John Eltoftes | Nicholas Purslow [3] |
1559 (Jan) | John Eltoftes | Christopher Monckton[4] |
1562/3 | Christopher Monckton | Robert Atkinson [4] |
1571 | John Layton | Richard Wroth [4] |
1572 (Apr) | George Frevile | Robert Bowes [4] |
1584 (Nov) | George Ireland | Henry Macwilliam [4] |
1586 | James Ryther | Robert Constable [4] |
1588 | Laurence Lister | Thomas Musgrave Robert Warcop Anthony Felton Election declared void, 11 Feb 1589 |
1589 | Ralph Bowes | Thomas Posthumous Hoby [4] |
1593 | Thomas Posthumous Hoby | Cuthbert Reynolds [4] |
1597 (Sep) | James Colbrand | John Lyly [4] |
1601 (Oct) | John Morice | Thomas Caesar [4] |
1604 | John Morice | Sir William Bowyer |
1614 | Sir George Savile, junior | Sir Henry Wotton |
1621 | Sir Arthur Ingram | Thomas Hughes |
1624 | Sir Arthur Ingram | Thomas Hughes |
1625 | Sir John Hotham sat for Beverley – not replaced | Thomas Hughes |
1626 | Sir William Slingsby | William Ashton |
1628 | William Ashton | Richard Lowther |
1629–1640 | No Parliaments convened | |
1640 (Apr) | Richard Boyle | Richard Lowther |
1640 (Nov) | Sir John Brooke (Royalist) – disabled March 1643 | Richard Boyle (Royalist) ennobled, September 1642 |
1645 | Richard Salway | Henry Ireton |
1648 | Richard Salway | Henry Ireton died November 1651 |
1653 | Appleby unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | |
1654 | Appleby unrepresented in the First Parliament of the Protectorate | |
1656 | Appleby unrepresented in the Second Parliament of the Protectorate | |
1659 | Adam Baynes | Nathaniel Redding |
MPs 1660–1832
Notes
- The by-election in 1723 was due to the death of Sir Richard Sandford, Bt.
- The by-election in 1730 was due to Tufton succeeding to the peerage as Earl of Thanet
- In 1741, Dodington was also elected for Bridgwater, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Appleby
- At the 1754 election, Lee and Honywood defeated Sir John Ramsden and Fletcher Norton, but this election was subsequently declared void and a by-election held in February 1756, at which Norton rather than Lee was elected
- The 1767 by-election was due to the death of Stanwix, who was drowned while returning from Ireland
- The 1773 by-election was due to the resignation of Jenkinson
- In 1780, Lowther was also elected for Carlisle, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Appleby, causing a by-election in 1781
- Jenkinson was also elected for Rye, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Appleby
- The May 1791 by-election was caused by the resignation of Richard Ford
- The 1799 by-election was caused by the death of Hon. John Tufton
- The July 1807 by-election was caused by the resignation of Charles Grey to contest a vacancy in Tavistock
- The December 1812 by-election was caused by the resignation of John Courtenay
- The 1819 by-election was caused by the resignation of George Fludyer
- Tierney was also elected for Knaresborough, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Appleby
- The by-election in May 1832was due to Henry Tufton succeeding to the perage as Earl of Thanet
MPs 1885–1918
Year | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1885 | Hon. William Lowther | Conservative | |
1892 | Sir Joseph Savory | Conservative | |
1900 | Richard Rigg | Liberal | |
1905 | Leif Jones | Liberal | |
1910 | Lancelot Sanderson | Conservative | |
1915 | Cecil Lowther | Conservative | |
1918 | constituency abolished | ||
Election results 1885–1918
Elections in the 1880s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Lowther | 2,694 | 50.1 | ||
Liberal | James Whitehead | 2,684 | 49.9 | ||
Majority | 10 | 0.2 | |||
Turnout | 5,378 | 89.3 | |||
Registered electors | 6,022 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | William Lowther | 2,748 | 51.8 | +1.7 | |
Liberal | James Whitehead | 2,562 | 48.2 | −1.7 | |
Majority | 186 | 3.6 | +3.4 | ||
Turnout | 5,310 | 88.2 | −1.1 | ||
Registered electors | 6,022 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.7 |
Elections in the 1890s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Joseph Savory | 2,963 | 56.8 | +5.0 | |
Liberal | Alfred Charles Tufton | 2,256 | 43.2 | −5.0 | |
Majority | 707 | 13.6 | +10.0 | ||
Turnout | 5,219 | 80.5 | −7.7 | ||
Registered electors | 6,481 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Joseph Savory | 2,950 | 58.7 | +1.9 | |
Liberal | Theodore Wilfrid Fry | 2,077 | 41.3 | −1.9 | |
Majority | 873 | 17.4 | +3.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,027 | 79.6 | −0.9 | ||
Registered electors | 6,316 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 |
Elections in the 1900s
![](../I/Richard_Rigg.jpg.webp)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Richard Rigg | 2,835 | 55.7 | +14.4 | |
Conservative | Joseph Savory | 2,256 | 44.3 | −14.4 | |
Majority | 579 | 11.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 5,091 | 75.5 | −4.1 | ||
Registered electors | 6,744 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.4 | |||
![](../I/1905_Leif_Jones_(Elliott_%2526_Fry).jpg.webp)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leif Jones | 2,922 | 52.0 | −3.7 | |
Conservative | George Noble | 2,702 | 48.0 | +3.7 | |
Majority | 220 | 4.0 | −7.4 | ||
Turnout | 5,624 | 84.3 | +8.8 | ||
Registered electors | 6,670 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −3.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leif Jones | 2,890 | 50.1 | −5.6 | |
Conservative | Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice | 2,882 | 49.9 | +5.6 | |
Majority | 8 | 0.2 | −11.2 | ||
Turnout | 5,785 | 88.4 | +8.9 | ||
Registered electors | 6,528 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −5.6 |
- Figures are those following a recount
Elections in the 1910s
![](../I/Lancelot_Sanderson_Conservative_MP.jpg.webp)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Lancelot Sanderson | 3,335 | 53.8 | +3.9 | |
Liberal | Leif Jones | 2,868 | 46.2 | −3.9 | |
Majority | 467 | 7.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 6,203 | 93.2 | +4.8 | ||
Registered electors | 6,656 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.9 | |||
![](../I/Philip_Wilson.jpg.webp)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Lancelot Sanderson | 3,258 | 54.9 | +1.1 | |
Liberal | Philip Wilson | 2,679 | 45.1 | −1.1 | |
Majority | 579 | 9.8 | +2.2 | ||
Turnout | 5,937 | 89.2 | -4.0 | ||
Registered electors | 6,656 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 |
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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
- Unionist: Lancelot Sanderson
- Liberal:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Cecil Lowther (politician) | Unopposed | |||
Unionist hold |
Election results before 1832
Elections in the 1830s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Henry Foster Barham | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | c. 99 | ||||
Whig hold |
- Caused by Tufton's succession to the peerage, becoming 11th Earl of Thanet
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Henry Tufton | Unopposed | |||
Tory | James Maitland | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | c. 99 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Henry Tufton | Unopposed | |||
Tory | James Maitland | Unopposed | |||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Elections in the 18th century
Election results taken from the History of Parliament Trust series.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Thomas Lutwyche | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Richard Sandford | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Sackville Tufton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Richard Sandford | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
- Death of Sandford
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | James Lowther | 99 | 53.80 | N/A | |
Non Partisan | Trevor Hill | 85 | 46.20 | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Sackville Tufton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Ramsden | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
- Succession of Tufton as 7th Earl of Thanet
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Walter Plumer | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Walter Plumer | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Ramsden | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | George Dodington | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Ramsden | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
- Dodington chose to sit for Bridgwater
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Charles Wyndham | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non Partisan | Randle Wilbraham | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Non Partisan | John Ramsden | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
References
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1386–1421). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1422–1504). Retrieved 27 March 2019. (currently unavailable)
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1509–1558). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1558–1603). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1604–1629). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1640–1660). Retrieved 27 March 2019.(currently unavailable )
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1660–1690). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1690–1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1715–1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1754–1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1790–1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Appleby". History of Parliament Online (1820–1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Escott, Margaret. "TUFTON, Hon. Henry (1775-1849)". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- Escott, Margaret. "MAITLAND, James, Visct. Maitland (1784-1860)". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- Escott, Margaret; Spencer, Howard. "FOSTER BARHAM, Charles Henry (1808-1878), of Trecwn, Pemb. and Stockbridge, Hants". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
- The Liberal Year Book, 1907
- Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
- Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
- Liberal Year Book 1908
- Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
- Michael Brock, The Great Reform Act (London: Hutchinson, 1973)
- D Brunton & D H Pennington, “Members of the Long Parliament” (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
- Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988)
- J Holladay Philbin, "Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales" (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Vacant since 1782 Title last held by Banbury |
Constituency represented by the Prime Minister 1783–1784 |
Succeeded by Cambridge University |