Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)

Chelsea was a borough constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

For other uses, see Chelsea (disambiguation).
Chelsea
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Chelsea 1868-85
1868–1997
Number of membersTwo (1868–1885):
One (1885–1997)
Replaced byKensington and Chelsea
Created fromMiddlesex

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1867 for the 1868 general election, when it returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), elected by the bloc vote system of election.

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, with effect from the 1885 general election, its representation was reduced to one MP, elected by the first past the post system.

Chelsea in London 1885-1918. The constituency had two detached parts: one in what is currently known as Chelsea and a separate part in Kensal Town
Chelsea in London 1918-50
Chelsea in London 1950-83

Boundaries and boundary changes

1868–1885: The parishes of Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, and Kensington.[1]

1885–1918: The parish of St Luke, Chelsea.[2]

Chelsea (after the local government changes in 1965) is a district of Inner London, comprising for administrative purposes the southern part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Its southern boundary is on the north bank of the River Thames. It adjoins Westminster to the east, Fulham to the west and Kensington to the north.

Before 1868 the area was represented in Parliament as part of the county constituency of Middlesex.

With the expansion westwards of the urban area around Westminster, the former village of Chelsea and neighbouring areas had by 1868 developed enough to be made a Parliamentary borough and given two seats in the House of Commons. The parliamentary borough comprised four civil parishes: Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith and Kensington.[3]

In 1885, the existing parliamentary borough was divided into five single-member constituencies. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 defined the redrawn Chelsea seat as comprising the parish of St Luke, Chelsea. The constituency had a detached outlier, the Kensal Green area.[4] (The remaining parishes became the constituencies of Fulham, Hammersmith, Kensington North and Kensington South.)

In 1889, the historic county of Middlesex was divided for administrative purposes. Chelsea became part of the County of London. No changes were made to parliamentary boundaries, however.

In the 1918 redistribution of Parliamentary seats, the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea (created as a local government unit in 1900) was represented by one MP.

In the redistribution which took effect in 1950, the then Brompton ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was added to the existing area of the constituency.

In 1965, the London County Council area was absorbed by the new Greater London Council. The constituency was included in a new London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, although the Parliamentary boundaries were not altered immediately.

In the redistribution that took effect in 1974, the Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea constituency consisted of the then Brompton, Cheyne, Church, Earls Court, Hans Town, North Stanley, Redcliffe, Royal Hospital and South Stanley wards of Kensington and Chelsea.

From the 1983 redistribution, Chelsea consisted of Abingdon, Brompton, Cheyne, Church, Courtfield, Earls Court, Hans Town, North Stanley, Redcliffe, Royal Hospital and South Stanley wards of Kensington and Chelsea.

98.5% of the constituency had been in the pre-1983 Chelsea and 1.5% had been part of Kensington.

In the 1997 redistribution, Chelsea ceased to exist as a constituency. The area was included in the Kensington and Chelsea constituency, which covered the central and southern portions of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including the centres of both Kensington and Chelsea.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1868-1885
Election1st Member1st Party2nd Member2nd Party
1868 Sir Charles Dilke, Bt. Liberal Sir Henry Hoare, Bt Liberal
1874 William Gordon Conservative
1880 Joseph Bottomley Firth Liberal
1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member

MPs 1885-1997
ElectionMemberParty
1885 Sir Charles Dilke, Bt. Liberal
1886 Charles Algernon Whitmore Conservative
1906 Emslie Horniman Liberal
Jan 1910 Samuel Hoare Conservative
1918 Coalition Conservative
1922 Conservative
1944 by-election William Sidney Conservative
1945 Allan Noble Conservative
1959 John Litchfield Conservative
1966 Sir Marcus Worsley Conservative
Oct 1974 Sir Nicholas Scott Conservative
1997 constituency abolished: see Kensington & Chelsea

Elections

Elections in the 1990s
  • Constituency abolished 1997
General election 1992: Chelsea[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Scott 17,471 65.1 +0.5
Labour Rima Horton 4,692 17.5 +2.1
Liberal Democrats Susan N. Broidy 4,101 15.3 -2.6
Green Niki Kortvelyessy 485 1.8 -0.3
Anti-Federalist League Douglas Armstrong 88 0.3 New
Majority 12,789 47.6 +1.0
Turnout 26,837 63.3 +5.6
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Chelsea[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Scott 18,443 64.6 +1.4
Liberal Jennifer Ware 5,124 17.9 -5.6
Labour David Ward 4,406 15.4 +2.6
Green Niki Kortvelyessy 587 2.1 New
Majority 13,319 46.6 +6.8
Turnout 28,560 57.7 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Chelsea[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Scott 19,122 63.2 -2.9
Liberal Jonathan Fryer 7,101 23.5 +9.7
Labour Nick Palmer 3,876 12.8 -5.7
Independent A.C.M. Feilding 139 0.5 +0.3
Majority 12,021 39.8 -7.8
Turnout 30,238 56.1 -1.2
Conservative hold Swing N/A
  • Minor boundary change affecting less than 5% of electors

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Scott 21,782 66.1 +5.1
Labour R.M. Pandy 6,092 18.5 -1.7
Liberal P.G. Driver 4,544 13.8 -4.1
National Front A. Reeve 342 1.0 New
Independent B. Fellowes 146 0.4 New
Independent A.M.C.M. Feilding 49 0.2 New
Majority 15,690 47.6 +6.8
Turnout 57,515 57.3 +7.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
General election October 1974: Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Scott 19,674 61.0 +0.6
Labour G.A. Colerick 6,507 20.2 +2.5
Liberal N.L. Clarke 5,758 17.9 -2.9
Independent R.E. Byron 321 1.0 New
Majority 13,167 40.8 +1.1
Turnout 64,548 50.0 -10.0
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election February 1974: Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marcus Worsley 23,320 60.4 -5.0
Liberal N.L. Clarke 8,012 20.8 +12.0
Labour S.K. Ward 6,839 17.7 -6.0
Ind. Conservative A.J.E. Barclay 416 1.1 New
Majority 15,308 39.7 -2.0
Turnout 64,338 60.0 +5.0
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1970: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marcus Worsley 15,852 65.4 +5.5
Labour Richard John Madeley 5,737 23.7 -4.4
Liberal Anthony Hugh Shirley Beavan 2,136 8.8 -3.2
Independent Nicholas Luard 514 2.1 New
Majority 10,115 41.7 +9.9
Turnout 44,038 55.0 -8.0
Conservative hold Swing +5.0
  • Boundary change

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marcus Worsley 16,337 59.9 -1.6
Labour Roderick N. Tyler 7,674 28.1 +2.9
Liberal Paul Smith 3,285 12.0 -1.3
Majority 8,663 31.8 -4.6
Turnout 43,336 63.0 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing -2.3
General election 1964: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Litchfield 16,802 61.5 -6.3
Labour James Dickens 6,868 25.2 +4.8
Liberal Anthony Clive S. Thomas 3,635 13.3 +1.5
Majority 9,934 36.4 -11.0
Turnout 43,515 62.8 -3.0
Conservative hold Swing -5.5

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Chelsea [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Litchfield 20,985 67.8 -5.6
Labour Leo Goldstone 6,308 20.4 -6.2
Liberal Kenneth Grenville Wellings 3,662 11.8 New
Majority 14,677 47.4 +0.6
Turnout 47,077 65.8 +0.3
Conservative hold Swing +5.9
General election 1955: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Allan Noble 23,598 73.4 +3.5
Labour Stewart Fordyce 8,546 26.6 -3.5
Majority 15,052 46.8 +7.0
Turnout 49,049 65.5 -4.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
General election 1951: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Allan Noble 25,034 69.9 +5.7
Labour Frederick Lionel Tonge 10,784 30.1 +2.8
Majority 14,250 39.8 +2.9
Turnout 51,433 69.6 -1.0
Conservative hold Swing +4.23
General election 1950: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Allan Noble 23,471 64.2 +0.5
Labour Frederick Lionel Tonge 9,987 27.3 -3.8
Liberal Leo Cayley Robertson 3,116 8.5 New
Majority 13,484 36.9 +4.3
Turnout 51,789 70.6 +7.8
Conservative hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Allan Noble 12,043 63.7 -11.3
Labour Margaret Douglas Shufeldt 5,874 31.1 +6.0
Common Wealth Dorothy Anderton Sharpe 984 5.2 New
Majority 6,169 32.6 -17.3
Turnout 30,095 62.8 +1.1
Conservative hold Swing -8.6
  • Note 1 (1945): Changes and swing calculated from 1935 to 1945.
  • Note 2 (1945): Counting of votes took place on 26 July 1945
  • Boundary change
  • Creation of Hoare as 1st Viscount Templewood
By-Election 11 October 1944: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Sidney Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1930s
General election 14 November 1935: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Hoare 18,992 75.0 -8.0
Labour George Somerville Sandilands 6,348 25.1 +8.1
Majority 12,644 49.9 -16.0
Turnout 41,061 61.7 -3.5
Conservative hold Swing -8.0
General election 27 October 1931: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Hoare 23,015 83.0 +24.6
Labour Gilbert Foan 4,726 17.0 -8.1
Majority 18,289 65.9 +32.5
Turnout 42,531 65.2 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing +16.3

Elections in the 1920s
General election 30 May 1929: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Hoare 15,480 58.4 -7.3
Labour Alfred George Prichard 6,645 25.1 -0.9
Liberal Iolo Aneurin Williams 4,360 16.5 +9.1
Majority 8,835 33.4 -5.4
Turnout 41,945 63.1 -8.0
Unionist hold Swing -4.1
General election 1924: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Hoare 13,816 65.7 +8.7
Labour Dora Russell 5,661 26.0 -1.5
Liberal Iolo Aneurin Williams 1,557 7.4 -8.1
Majority 8,155 38.8 +9.3
Turnout 29,582 71.1 +7.3
Unionist hold Swing +5.1
General election 6 December 1923: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Hoare 10,461 57.0 -17.9
Labour Bertrand Russell 5,047 27.5 +2.4
Liberal Harry Westbury Preston 2,846 15.5 New
Majority 5,414 29.5 -20.2
Turnout 28,755 63.8 +0.7
Unionist hold Swing -10.1
General election 15 November 1922: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Hoare 13,437 74.9 -4.2
Labour Bertrand Russell 4,513 25.1 New
Majority 8,924 49.8 +8.6
Turnout 28,453 63.1 +16.5
Unionist hold Swing -14.7

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Samuel Hoare 9,159 79.1 +18.7
Independent Progressive Emily Phipps 2,419 20.9 New
Majority 6,740 58.2 +37.3
Turnout 24,822 46.6 -26.4
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
Hoare
General election December 1910: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Hoare 4,968 60.5 +2.4
Liberal Hugh Hoare 3,249 39.5 -2.4
Majority 1,719 20.9 +4.7
Turnout 11,257 73.0 -12.8
Conservative hold Swing +2.4
General election January 1910: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Hoare 5,610 58.1 +11.7
Liberal Emslie Horniman 4,048 41.9 -11.7
Majority 1,562 16.2 N/A
Turnout 11,257 85.8 +10.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.7

Elections in the 1900s
Horniman
General election 16 January 1906: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Emslie Horniman 4,660 53.6 +12.0
Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,031 46.4 -12.0
Majority 629 7.2 N/A
Turnout 8,691 75.3 +13.1
Registered electors 11,536
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing -12.0
Jeffery
General election 1900: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,637 58.4 -2.1
Liberal James Jeffery 3,306 41.6 +2.1
Majority 1,331 16.8 -4.2
Turnout 7,943 62.4 -5.7
Registered electors 12,736
Conservative hold Swing -2.1

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 5,524 60.5 +7.5
Liberal Octavius Holmes Beatty 3,604 39.5 -7.5
Majority 1,920 21.0 +15.0
Turnout 9,128 68.1 -6.8
Registered electors 13,408
Conservative hold Swing +7.5
General election 1892: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,993 53.0 +2.0
Liberal Benjamin Francis Conn Costelloe 4,427 47.0 -2.0
Majority 566 6.0 +4.0
Turnout 9,420 74.9 -1.0
Registered electors 12,585
Conservative hold Swing +2.0

Elections in the 1880s
General election 5 July 1886: Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,304 51.0 +2.0
Liberal Charles Dilke 4,128 49.0 -2.0
Majority 176 2.0 N/A
Turnout 8,432 75.9 +0.2
Registered electors 11,104
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +2.0
General election 25 November 1885: Chelsea[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Dilke 4,291 51.0 −5.1
Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,116 49.0 +5.0
Majority 175 2.0 N/A
Turnout 8,407 75.7 +5.3
Registered electors 11,104
Liberal hold Swing N/A
  • Constituency reduced to one seat.
  • Swing: For 1885-1910 the swing figure given is the Butler Swing, defined as the average of the Conservative % gain and Liberal % loss between two elections, with the percentages being calculated on the basis of the total number of votes (including those cast for candidates other than Conservative or Liberal). A positive figure is a swing to Conservative and a negative one to Liberal.
By-Election 11 January 1883: Chelsea[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Dilke Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 12 February 1880: Chelsea (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Dilke 12,406 28.5 −2.8
Liberal Joseph Bottomley Firth 12,046 27.6 −1.5
Conservative Algernon Keith-Falconer 9,666 22.2 −8.9
Conservative William Browne 9,488 21.8 N/A
Majority 2,380 5.4 +5.2
Turnout 21,803 (est) 70.4 (est) +2.1
Registered electors 30,951
Liberal hold Swing +0.8
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +1.5

Elections in the 1870s
General election 10 February 1874: Chelsea (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Dilke 7,217 31.3 −1.2
Conservative William Gordon 7,172 31.1 −4.7
Liberal Henry Hoare 6,701 29.1 −2.6
Liberal George Middleton Keill[11] 1,967 8.5 N/A
Turnout 16,098 (est) 68.3 (est) -16.2
Registered electors 23,560
Majority 45 0.2 −13.1
Liberal hold Swing +0.6
Majority 471 2.0 N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +0.2

Elections in the 1860s
General election 17 November 1868: Chelsea (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Dilke 7,374 32.5
Liberal Henry Hoare 7,183 31.7
Conservative William Howard Russell[12] 4,177 18.4
Conservative Charles James Freake 3,929 17.3
Majority 3,006 13.3
Turnout 11,332 (est) 65.1 (est)
Registered electors 17,408
Liberal win (new seat)
Liberal win (new seat)

See also

References
  1. "Representation of the People Act 1867" (PDF). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  2. "Chap. 23. Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885". The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1885. pp. 111–198.
  3. Youngs, Frederic A (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. London: Royal Historical Society. p. 749. ISBN 0901050679.
  4. F. H. W. Sheppard, ed. (1973). "Kensal Green". Survey of London. Volume 37: Northern Kensington. pp. 333–339. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  5. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  6. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  7. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  10. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  11. "Chelsea". Leeds Mercury. 13 November 1873. p. 5. Retrieved 28 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Election Intelligence". London Evening Standard. 28 October 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 4 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1974)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1974-1983, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1984)
  • Britain Votes 4: British Parliamentary Election Results 1983-1987, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1988)
  • Britain Votes 5: British Parliamentary Election Results 1988-1992, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher (Parliamentary Research Services/Dartmouth Publishing 1993)
  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
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