Nottinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Nottinghamshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament (MPs), traditionally known as Knights of the Shire.

Nottinghamshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyNottinghamshire
1290–1832
Number of membersTwo
Replaced byNorth Nottinghamshire and South Nottinghamshire

The constituency was split into two two-member divisions, for Parliamentary purposes, by the Reform Act 1832. The county was then represented by the North Nottinghamshire and South Nottinghamshire constituencies.

Boundaries

The county of Nottinghamshire is located in the East Midlands of England. The county is known to have been represented in Parliament from 1290, although it probably sent knights of the shire to earlier meetings.

From 1295 the county and the town of Nottingham each returned two members to parliament. In 1572 East Retford was represented by two members, and in 1672 Newark-upon-Trent also. Under the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned four members in two divisions. By the act of 1885 it returned four members in four divisions; Newark and East Retford were disfranchised, and Nottingham returned three members in three divisions.

Members of Parliament

1290–1640

1305 Sir Hugh de Hercy and Thomas Malet

1316 Sir Hugh de Hercy and Lawrence Chaworth

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1297Sir John de Vilers
1307Sir Walter Goushill of Hoveringham
1311Sir Walter Goushill of Hoveringham
1312John de Lisours
1313Laurencius de Cadurcis
1318Sir Richard II Willoughby[1]Peter Foun[1]
1320John Darcy
1324Robert de Jorce[1]Sir Richard III Willoughby[1]
1361–1393Robert Morton
1373John Gateford
1376–1390Sir John Burton (5 times)
1377–1388John Annesley
1378Sir John Leake
1378William Neville
1379Sir John Birmingham
1380 (Nov)John Gateford
1381Sir Thomas Rempston
1383Sir Thomas Rempston
1386Sir John AnnesleySir John Leake[2]
1388 (Feb)Sir John AnnesleySir John Leake[2]
1388 (Sep)Sir John AnnesleySir Robert Cockfield[2]
1390 (Jan)John GatefordSir John Leake[2]
1390 (Nov)Sir John BurtonHugh Cressy[2]
1391Sir Thomas HercySir Robert Cockfield[2]
1393Sir Thomas RempstonJohn Gateford[2]
1394Sir William NevilleNicholas Strelley[2]
1395Sir Thomas RempstonNicholas Burdon[2]
1397 (Jan)Sir Thomas RempstonHugh Cressy[2]
1397 (Sep)Sir Thomas RempstonRobert Morton[2]
1399William LeekJohn Gateford[2]
1401Sir John Burton (son of Sir John, 1376)John Kniveton[2]
1402Sir John CliftonSir Richard Stanhope[2]
1404 (Jan)John LeekSir Richard Stanhope[2]
1404 (Oct)Simon LeekSir Richard Stanhope[2]
1406Sir Thomas ChaworthSir Richard Stanhope[2]
1407Sir John ZoucheSir Hugh Hussey[2]
1410
1411William RigmaidenThomas Staunton[2]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)Sir John ZoucheSir Thomas Rempston II[2]
1413 (Apr)Sir Robert PlumptonHenry Sutton[2]
1414 (Nov)Ralph MackerellSir Hugh Hussey[2]
1415
1416 (Mar)William ComptonSir Thomas Rempston II[2]
1416 (Oct)
1417Sir Thomas ChaworthSir Henry Pierrepont[2]
1419Sir John ZoucheRalph Hussey[2]
1420Sir Thomas ChaworthRalph Mackerell[2]
1421 (May)Sir Thomas ChaworthSir William Mering[2]
1421 (Dec)Sir Henry PierrepontSir Richard Stanhope[2]
1422Sir John Zouche
1423Sir Henry PierrepontSir Thomas Chaworth
1425Sir Henry PierrepontSir William Mering
1427Ralph Mackerell [3]
1429John Bowes
1432John Bowes
1435John Bowes
1436William Plumpton
1437Sir Thomas Chaworth
1439John Bowes
1442Sir William MeringSir John Zouche
1445Sir Thomas Chaworth
1510–1523No names known[4]
1529Sir John MarkhamSir John Byron[4]
1536
1539Gervase CliftonJohn Hercy[4]
1542
1545Sir Anthony NevilleMichael Stanhope[4]
1547Sir Michael StanhopeSir John Markham[4]
1553 (Mar)William MeringGeorge Lascelles[4]
1553 (Oct)Sir John HercySir William Holles[4]
1554 (Apr)Sir John ConstableEllis Markham[4]
1554 (Nov)Richard WhalleyEllis Markham[4]
1555Richard WhalleyAnthony Forster[4]
1558Sir John MarkhamHugh Thornhill[4]
1559 (Jan)(writ)Sir John MarkhamJohn Manners[5]
1562–1563John MannersJohn Molyneux[5]
1571Robert MarkhamEdward Stanhope[5]
1572Henry PierrepontEdward Stanhope[5]
1584 (Nov)Sir Thomas MannersSir Robert Constable[5]
1586Sir Thomas MannersSir Thomas Stanhope[5]
1588 (Oct)Robert MarkhamBrian Lascelles[5]
1593 (Jan)Sir Charles CavendishPhilip Strelley[5]
1597 (Oct)John ByronRichard Whalley[5]
1601 (Oct)Sir Charles CavendishRobert Pierrepont[5]
1604–1611 Sir John Holles Percival Willoughby
Addled Parliament (1614) Sir Gervase Clifton
1621–1622 George Chaworth, 1st Viscount Chaworth
Happy Parliament (1624) Robert Sutton
Useless Parliament (1625) Sir Henry Stanhope
1626 Sir Henry Stanhope Sir Thomas Hutchinson
1628 Sir John Byron Sir Gervase Clifton
No Parliament summoned 1629–1640

1640–1832

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
April 1640 Sir Thomas HutchinsonParliamentarian Robert SuttonRoyalist
November 1640 Sir Thomas HutchinsonParliamentarian Robert SuttonRoyalist
August 1643 Hutchinson died – seat vacant
December 1643 Sutton disabled to sit – seat vacant
1645 John Hutchinson Gervase Pigot
1653 John Oddingsels Edward Cludd
1654Representation increased to four members in First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1654 Hon. William Pierrepont, Major-General Edward Whalley, Colonel Edward Neville, Charles White
1656 Edward Cludd, Major-General Edward Whalley, Colonel Edward Neville, Peniston Whalley
1659Representation reverted to two members in Third Parliaments of the Protectorate
January 1659 Colonel Edward Neville Martin Bristow
May 1659 Colonel John Hutchinson One seat vacant
March 1660 Lord Houghton Hon. William Pierrepont
1661 Anthony Eyre Sir Gervase Clifton
1666 Sir Francis Leke
1673 Sir Scrope Howe
1679 John White
1685 Sir William Clifton, 3rd Baronet Reason Mellish
January 1689 Sir Scrope Howe Lord Houghton
May 1689 John White
1690 William Sacheverell
1691 John White
1698 Sir Thomas Willoughby Gervase Eyre
1701 Sir Francis Molyneux
1702 Gervase Eyre
1704 John Thornhagh
1705 Sir Thomas Willoughby
1710 The Viscount Howe William LevinzTory
1713 Hon. Francis WilloughbyTory
1722 The Viscount HoweWhig Sir Robert SuttonWhig
1732 William LevinzTory Thomas BennettNon Partisan
1734 William Levinz (junior)Non Partisan
1739 Hon. John MordauntNon Partisan
1747 Colonel Lord Robert Sutton
(Lord Robert Manners-Sutton)
Non Partisan John Thornhagh
(John Hewett)
[6]
Non Partisan
1762 Hon. Thomas WilloughbyNon Partisan
1774 Earl of LincolnNon Partisan
1775 Lord Edward BentinckNon Partisan
1778 Charles Medows
(Charles Pierrepont)
[7]
Non Partisan
1796 Lord William Bentinck[8]Whig Hon. Evelyn PierrepontNon Partisan
1801 Hon. Charles Pierrepont
(Viscount Newark)
[9]
Non Partisan
1803 Anthony Hardolph EyreNon Partisan
1812 Lord William BentinckWhig
1814 Frank Frank
(Frank Sotheron)
Tory
1816 Lord William BentinckWhig
1826 John Lumley[10]Whig
1831 Evelyn DenisonWhig
1832Constituency abolished: see Northern Nottinghamshire, Southern Nottinghamshire

Notes

The use of the term 'Non Partisan' in the list does not necessarily mean that the MP was not associated with a particular party or faction in Parliament. Stooks Smith only gives Nottinghamshire candidates party labels for the contested 1722 election and not again until well into the 19th century.

  1. Members of Parliament 1213-1702. London: House of Commons. 1878.
  2. "History of Parliament". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  3. "MACKERELL, Ralph (d.1436), of Wilsthorpe, Derbys. and Clifton, Notts". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  4. "History of Parliament". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  5. "History of Parliament". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  6. Adopted the surname Hewett in 1756
  7. Adopted the surname Pierrepont in 1788
  8. Stooks Smith incorrectly lists Lord Edward Bentinck as re-elected in 1796. In fact he was elected MP for Clitheroe.
  9. Styled Viscount Newark from 1806
  10. Styled Viscount Lumley from June 1832.

Election notes

The county franchise, from 1430, was held by the adult male owners of freehold land valued at 40 shillings or more. Each elector had as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, which took place in Nottingham. The expense and difficulty of voting at only one location in the county, together with the lack of a secret ballot contributed to the corruption and intimidation of electors, which was widespread in the unreformed British political system.

The expense, to candidates and their supporters, of contested elections encouraged the leading families of the county to agree on the candidates to be returned unopposed whenever possible. Contested county elections were therefore unusual. Three families; the Duke of Newcastle, the Duke of Portland and the Pierreponts, all Whigs, dominated the county until well into the 19th century, which was why there was no contest after 1722.

The bloc vote electoral system was used in two seat elections and first past the post for single member by-elections. Each voter had up to as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings.

Note on percentage change calculations: Where there was only one candidate of a party in successive elections, for the same number of seats, change is calculated on the party percentage vote. Where there was more than one candidate, in one or both successive elections for the same number of seats, then change is calculated on the individual percentage vote.

Note on sources: The information for the election results given below is taken from Stooks Smith 1715–1754, Namier and Brooke 1754–1790 and Stooks Smith 1790–1832.

Election results 1715–1832

1710s

1720s1730s1740s1750s1760s1770s1780s1790s1790s1800s1810s1820s1830s

Elections in the 1710s

General election 1715: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Francis Willoughby Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan William Levinz Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1720s

General election 1722: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Sutton 1,349 25.89 N/A
Whig Emanuel Howe 1,339 25.70 N/A
Tory William Levinz 1,265 24.28 N/A
Tory Francis Willoughby 1,257 24.13 N/A
  • Howe was a Peer of Ireland
General election 1727: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Robert Sutton Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Emanuel Howe Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1730s

  • Seats vacated on Howe being appointed Governor of Barbados and Sutton being expelled from the House.
By-Election May 1732: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William Levinz Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Thomas Bennet Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
General election 1734: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William Levinz (junior) Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Thomas Bennet Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Death of Bennet
By-Election February 1739: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan John Mordaunt Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1740s

General election 1741: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William Levinz (junior) Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan John Mordaunt Unopposed N/A N/A
General election 1747: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Robert Manners-Sutton Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan John Thornhagh Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Sutton adopted the new surname of Manners-Sutton

Elections in the 1750s

General election 1 May 1754: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Robert Manners-Sutton Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan John Thornhagh Unopposed N/A N/A
  • John Thornhagh adopted the new surname of Hewett

Elections in the 1760s

General election 8 April 1761: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Robert Manners-Sutton Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan John Hewett Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Death of Manners-Sutton
By-Election 13 December 1762: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Thomas Willoughby Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
General election 28 March 1768: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Thomas Willoughby Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan John Hewett Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1770s

General election 19 October 1774: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Henry Pelham-Clifton Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Thomas Willoughby Unopposed N/A N/A
By-Election 11 January 1775: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Edward Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
  • Death of Lincoln
By-Election 9 December 1778: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Charles Medows Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1780s

General election 13 September 1780: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Edward Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Charles Medows Unopposed N/A N/A
General election 21 April 1784: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Edward Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Charles Medows Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Charles Medows adopted the surname of Pierrepont in 1788

Elections in the 1790s

General election 1790: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Edward Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Charles Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
General election 1796: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Evelyn Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Note (1796): Stooks Smith incorrectly has Lord Edward Bentinck returned at this election rather than Lord William Bentinck

Elections in the 1800s

  • Death of Pierrepont
By-Election November 1801: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Charles Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
General election 1802: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Charles Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Resignation of Bentinck
By-Election April 1803: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Anthony Eyre (MP) Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
  • Pierrepont became known by the courtesy title of Viscount Newark, when his father was advanced in the peerage by being created Earl Manvers in 1806.
General election 1806: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Charles Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Anthony Eyre (MP) Unopposed N/A N/A
General election 1807: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Charles Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan Anthony Eyre (MP) Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1810s

General election 1812: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan Charles Pierrepont Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan William Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Resignation of Bentinck
By-Election April 1814: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frank Sotheron Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory gain from Non Partisan Swing N/A
  • Succession of Newark as 2nd Earl Manvers
By-Election June 1816: Nottinghamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Non Partisan William Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan hold Swing N/A
General election 1818: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frank Sotheron Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan William Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Frank adopted the new surname of Sotheron

Elections in the 1820s

General election 1818: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frank Sotheron Unopposed N/A N/A
Non Partisan William Bentinck Unopposed N/A N/A
General election 1826: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frank Sotheron Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig John Saville Lumley Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frank Sotheron Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig John Saville Lumley Unopposed N/A N/A
General election 1831: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Saville Lumley Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig Evelyn Denison Unopposed N/A N/A
  • Constituency divided in (1832)

See also

References

  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
  • The House of Commons 1754–1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
  • 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)) out of copyright
  • Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
  • D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
  • Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808)
  • J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)
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