East Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)

East Norfolk was a constituency in the county of Norfolk that returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868. A namesake was created in 1885 with representation of one member. That seat was abolished in 1950.

East Norfolk
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Context of 1832-1868. Extract from 1837 result: the north-eastern 'doubly' blue land.
CountyNorfolk
1885–1950
Number of membersOne
Replaced byNorth Norfolk, South Norfolk, Central Norfolk and Great Yarmouth
Created fromNorth Norfolk and South Norfolk
1832–1868
Number of membersTwo
Replaced byNorth Norfolk and South Norfolk
Created fromNorfolk

History

The constituency was first created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, and abolished for the 1868 general election. In that period the Parliamentary County of Norfolk was split into two divisions – Eastern Norfolk and Western Norfolk, each returning two members.

Further to the Reform Act of 1867, Norfolk was reorganised into the North, South and West divisions, with each of the three divisions again returning two members. The Eastern division was replaced by the bulk of the North and South Divisions.

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the three two-member county divisions were replaced with six single-member divisions. The second version of this constituency was one of the single-member seats. It was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which came into effect for the 1950 general election.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1832–1868: The Hundreds of Blofield, Clavering, Depwade, Diss, Earsham, North Erpingham, South Erpingham, Eynesford, East Flegg, West Flegg, Forehoe, Happing, Henstead, Humbleyard, Loddon, Taversham, Tunstead and Walsham.[1]

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Blofield and Walsham, East and West Flegg, Taversham and Tunstead, and Happing, the part of the Borough of Great Yarmouth in the county of Norfolk, and part of the Sessional Division of South Erpingham.[2]

As Great Yarmouth formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency.

1918–1950: The Urban District of North Walsham, and the Rural Districts of Blofield, East and West Flegg, Loddon and Clavering, St Faith's, and Smallburgh.[3]

The division was expanded to the south, with the addition of eastern parts of the Southern Division of Norfolk (Loddon and Clavering Rural District). Also gained small area to the west from the Northern Division.

On its abolition, the contents of the seat were distributed as follows: North Walsham and the Rural District of Smallburgh to North Norfolk; area to the north and east of Norwich, mostly comprising the (former) Rural District of St Faiths, to the new County Constituency of Central Norfolk; most of the (combined) Rural District of Blofield and Flegg to the new County Constituency of Yarmouth; and the Rural District of Loddon and Clavering (renamed Loddon) back to South Norfolk.

Members of Parliament

1832–1868
Election1st Member1st Party2nd Member2nd Party
1832 William Windham Whig[4][5] Hon. George Keppel Whig[6][7][8][4]
1835 Edmond Wodehouse Conservative[4] Horatio Walpole Conservative[4]
1837 Henry Negus Burroughes Conservative[4]
1855 Sir Henry Stracey, Bt Conservative
1857 Charles Ash Windham Whig[9] Sir Edward Buxton, Bt Whig[10][11][12]
1858 Hon. Wenman Coke Whig[13][14][15]
1859 Edward Howes Conservative Liberal
1865 Clare Sewell Read Conservative
1868 abolished

1885–1950
YearMemberParty
1885 re-created but reduced to one member
1885 Sir Edward Birkbeck Conservative
1892 Sir Robert Price Liberal
1918 Michael Falcon Unionist
1923 Hugh Seely Liberal
1924 Reginald Neville Unionist
1929 William Lygon Liberal
1931 Liberal National
1939 Frank Medlicott Liberal National
1950 constituency abolished

Elections
Decades:

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1832: East Norfolk[16][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig William Windham 3,304 26.7
Whig George Keppel 3,261 26.3
Tory Nathaniel William Peach 2,960 23.9
Tory William Cholmondeley 2,852 23.0
Majority 301 2.4
Turnout 6,229 88.5
Registered electors 7,041
Whig win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: East Norfolk[16][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmond Wodehouse 3,482 27.6 +3.7
Conservative Horatio Walpole 3,196 25.3 +2.3
Whig William Windham 3,076 24.4 −2.3
Whig Richard Hanbury Gurney 2,866 22.7 −3.6
Majority 120 0.9 N/A
Turnout 6,385 87.7 −0.8
Registered electors 7,281
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +3.3
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +2.6
General election 1837: East Norfolk[16][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmond Wodehouse 3,654 27.3 −0.3
Conservative Henry Negus Burroughes 3,523 26.3 +1.0
Whig William Windham 3,237 24.2 −0.2
Whig Richard Hanbury Gurney 2,978 22.2 −0.5
Majority 286 2.1 +1.2
Turnout 6,759 81.0 −6.7
Registered electors 8,343
Conservative hold Swing ±0.0
Conservative hold Swing +0.7

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: East Norfolk[16][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmond Wodehouse 3,495 42.1 +14.8
Conservative Henry Negus Burroughes 3,434 41.3 +15.0
Whig William ffolkes 1,378 16.6 −29.8
Majority 2,056 24.8 +22.7
Turnout c. 4,843 c. 56.6 c. −24.4
Registered electors 8,556
Conservative hold Swing +14.9
Conservative hold Swing +15.0
General election 1847: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmond Wodehouse Unopposed
Conservative Henry Negus Burroughes Unopposed
Registered electors 8,638
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmond Wodehouse Unopposed
Conservative Henry Negus Burroughes Unopposed
Registered electors 8,216
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Wodehouse resigned via accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme, causing a by-election.

By-election, 17 July 1855: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Stracey Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1857: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles Ash Windham Unopposed
Whig Edward Buxton Unopposed
Registered electors 7,755
Whig gain from Conservative
Whig gain from Conservative

Buxton's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 1 July 1858: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Wenman Coke 2,933 51.9 N/A
Conservative Henry Stracey 2,720 48.1 New
Majority 213 3.8 N/A
Turnout 5,653 72.9 N/A
Registered electors 7,755
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1859: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wenman Coke Unopposed
Conservative Edward Howes Unopposed
Registered electors 7,776
Liberal hold
Conservative gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: East Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Howes 3,100 30.3 N/A
Conservative Clare Sewell Read 2,985 29.2 N/A
Liberal Sir Thomas Proctor-Beauchamp, 4th Baronet 2,150 21.0 N/A
Liberal Wenman Coke 1,994 19.5 N/A
Majority 835 8.2 N/A
Turnout 5,115 (est) 64.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 7,939
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: East Norfolk[17][18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Birkbeck 4,682 51.3
Liberal Philip Falk 4,440 48.7
Majority 242 2.6
Turnout 9,122 81.7
Registered electors 11,161
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: East Norfolk[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Birkbeck 4,578 53.4 +2.1
Liberal Henry Lee-Warner 4,000 46.6 -2.1
Majority 578 6.8 +4.2
Turnout 8,578 76.9 -4.8
Registered electors 11,161
Conservative hold Swing -2.1

Elections in the 1890s
Price
General election 1892: East Norfolk[17][18][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Price 4,743 52.4 +5.8
Conservative Edward Birkbeck 4,303 47.6 -5.8
Majority 440 4.8 N/A
Turnout 9,046 92.2 +15.3
Registered electors 9,812
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.8
Haggard
General election 1895: East Norfolk[17][18][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Price 4,606 51.1 -1.3
Conservative H. Rider Haggard 4,408 48.9 +1.3
Majority 198 2.2 -2.6
Turnout 9,014 83.2 -9.0
Registered electors 10,839
Liberal hold Swing -1.3

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: East Norfolk[17][18][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Price 4,563 55.0 +3.9
Conservative William Louis St. John Prioleau 3,733 45.0 -3.9
Majority 830 10.0 +7.8
Turnout 8,296 76.9 -6.3
Registered electors 10,791
Liberal hold Swing +3.9
General election 1906: East Norfolk[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Price 5,631 62.1 +7.1
Conservative Sir Raymond Boileau, 4th Baronet 3,435 37.9 -7.1
Majority 2,196 24.2 +14.2
Turnout 9,066 80.7 +3.8
Registered electors 11,237
Liberal hold Swing +7.1

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: East Norfolk[17][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Price 5,592 56.3 -5.8
Conservative Cecil Fitch 4,348 43.7 +5.8
Majority 1,244 12.6 -11.6
Turnout 9,940 86.0 +5.3
Registered electors 11,560
Liberal hold Swing -5.8
General election December 1910: East Norfolk[17][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Price 5,265 57.7 +1.4
Conservative Frank Meyer 3,865 42.3 -1.4
Majority 1,400 15.4 +2.8
Turnout 9,130 79.0 -7.0
Registered electors 11,560
Liberal hold Swing +1.4

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;

General election 1918: Norfolk East[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Michael Falcon 7,030 44.9 +2.6
Liberal Fred Henderson 6,691 42.8 −14.9
National Farmers Union W. B. Taylor 1,926 12.3 New
Majority 339 2.1 N/A
Turnout 15,647 49.6 −29.4
Registered electors 31,578
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +8.8
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Falcon 9,270 41.0 −3.9
Liberal Hugh Seely 8,962 39.7 −3.1
Labour George Edward Hewitt 4,361 19.3 New
Majority 308 1.3 −0.8
Turnout 22,593 70.2 +20.6
Registered electors 32,204
Unionist hold Swing −0.4
General election 1923: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Seely 11,807 49.6 +9.9
Unionist Michael Falcon 8,472 35.6 −5.4
Labour George Edward Hewitt 3,530 14.8 −4.5
Majority 3,335 14.0 N/A
Turnout 23,809 72.5 +2.3
Registered electors 32,845
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +7.7
General election 1924: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Reginald Neville 11,283 44.6 +9.0
Liberal Hugh Seely 9,114 36.0 −13.6
Labour Reginald Barrington Bates 4,907 19.4 +4.6
Majority 2,169 8.6 N/A
Turnout 25,304 75.6 +3.1
Registered electors 33,470
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +11.3
General election 1929: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Lygon 13,349 39.6 +3.6
Unionist Reginald Neville 12,434 37.0 −7.6
Labour Bill Holmes 7,856 23.4 +4.0
Majority 915 2.6 N/A
Turnout 33,639 77.6 +2.0
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +5.6

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal National William Lygon 25,945 79.8 +42.8
Labour Bill Holmes 6,562 20.2 -3.2
Majority 19,383 59.6 +57.0
Turnout 32,507 71.7 -5.9
Liberal National hold Swing
General election 1935: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal National William Lygon 23,108 68.8 -11.0
Labour Norman Reeve Tillett 10,461 31.2 +11.0
Majority 12,647 37.6 -22.0
Turnout 33,569 66.8 -4.9
Liberal National hold Swing -11.0
1939 East Norfolk by-election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal National Frank Medlicott 18,257 62.9 −5.9
Labour Norman Reeve Tillett 10,785 37.1 +5.9
Majority 7,472 25.8 −11.8
Turnout 29,042 53.1 −13.7
Liberal National hold Swing −5.9

General Election 1939/40

Until the parliament elected in 1935 was extended, another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties made preparations for an election to take place, and by the autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

  • Liberal National: Frank Medlicott
  • Labour: Norman Reeve Tillett[25]
  • Independent Conservative: James F. Wright (Secretary, Norfolk Farmers Union)

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Norfolk East[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal National Frank Medlicott 23,307 55.8 -13.0
Labour Norman Reeve Tillett 18,467 44.2 +13.0
Majority 4,840 11.6 -26.0
Turnout 41,774 68.9 +2.1
Liberal National hold Swing −7.1

References
  1. "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 27 July 2017.
  2. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  3. S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885–1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
  4. Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 221–222. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  5. "Admiral Lukin". National Trust. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  6. Robbins, Alfred Farthing (1894). The Early Public Life of William Ewart Gladstone: Four Times Prime Minister. London: Methuen & Co. p. 179. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  7. Chichester, Henry Manners (1892). "Keppel, George Thomas" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 31. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  8. Gash, Norman (2013). Politics in the Age of Peel: A Study in the Technique of Parliamentary Representation, 1830–1850. Faber & Faber. p. 250. ISBN 9780571302901. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  9. "Meetings of Liberal Electors St. Andrew's Hall". Norfolk News. 28 March 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Essex (South)". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 14 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 3 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Essex Standard". 13 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 3 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. Barrell, Helen (2016). Poison Panic: Arsenic Deaths in 1840s Essex. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-47385-207-5. Retrieved 3 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  13. "Weston-super-Mare Gazette, and General Advertiser". 3 July 1858. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Notes of the Week". Westmorand Gazette. 3 July 1858. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "East Norfolk Election". Dorset County Chronicle. 1 July 1858. p. 11. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  17. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  18. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  19. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  20. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1896
  21. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  22. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  23. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig (1983). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  24. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench
  25. Report of the Annual Conference 1939
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
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