Reading (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading | |
---|---|
Former Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Berkshire |
1295–1950 | |
Number of members | Two until 1885, then one until 1950 |
Replaced by | Reading North and Reading South |
1955–1974 | |
Number of members | One |
Type of constituency | Borough constituency |
Replaced by | Reading North and Reading South |
Created from | Reading North and Reading South |
Reading was a parliamentary borough, and later a borough constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It comprised the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.
From 1295, as a parliamentary borough, Reading elected two members of parliament (MPs). Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885,this representation was reduced to a single MP. The constituency was abolished in 1950, re-created in 1955, and finally abolished in 1974.
History[]
Reading was one of the boroughs summoned to send members to the Model Parliament. The boundaries (encompassing the whole of one parish and parts of two others) were effectively unchanged from 1295 to 1918. In 1831, the population of the borough was 15,935, and contained 3,307 houses.
The right to vote was exercised by all inhabitants paying scot and lot, a relatively wide franchise for the period, and almost 2,000 votes were cast at the general election of 1826. Despite this high electorate, the corporation of the town was generally considered in practice to control elections to a large extent. In the second half of the 18th century, Reading was notoriously one of the most corrupt constituencies in England, bribery being both routine and expensive: Namier quotes the accounts kept for Prime Minister Newcastle of the 1754 election, which note that John Dodd, the government's candidate there, had already received £1000 and was promised £500 or £600 more to help him win the seat. (Dodd lost by one vote, but had the result overturned on petition by a partisan vote in the House of Commons, and Newcastle's accounts show a continuing trickle of funds to him to nurse the constituency over the next few years.) A few years later, the nomination to one of Reading's seats was advertised for sale in a London newspaper, though Reading was not mentioned by name and no price was specified; the newspaper's printers were charged by the Commons with a breach of privilege, but the sale of seats remained legal if frowned-upon until 1809.
The Great Reform Act left Reading's representation and boundaries unchanged, and the reformed franchise far from increasing its electorate seems to have reduced it: it was estimated that there were 1,250 voters in 1831, but only 1,001 were registered for the first post-Reform election, that of 1832.
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, coming into effect at the 1885 general election, reduced the representation of the parliamentary borough to a single MP. The single-member Reading constituency continued to exist until it was split in 1950 into the separate constituencies of Reading North and Reading South. These two constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency in 1955, but again split apart in 1974; despite its name, the 1955 constituency contained only ten wards of the County Borough of Reading. Today the area formerly covered by the Reading constituency is within the constituencies of Reading East and Reading West.
Boundaries and boundary changes[]
1918–1950: The County Borough of Reading.[1]
Boundaries extended to the south and west (gained from the Newbury and Wokingham Divisions of Berkshire), and to the north of the River Thames with the annexation of the Urban District of Caversham (part of the Henley Division of Oxfordshire) by Reading County Borough.
For the 1950 general election, Reading was abolished as a single-member Parliamentary Borough and split between the two new Borough Constituencies of Reading North and Reading South.
1955–1974: For the 1955 general election, Reading was re-established as Borough Constituency, replacing Reading North and Reading South and comprising the County Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Battle, Castle, Caversham East, Caversham West, Church, Katesgrove, Minster, Redlands, Victoria, West.[1] The East and Tilehurst wards were respectively included in the Wokingham and Newbury constituencies.
From the 1964 general election, following a revision to the County Borough wards, the constituency comprised the wards of Abbey, Battle, Castle, Caversham, Christchurch, Katesgrove, Minster, Redlands, Thames, and Whitley,[1] resulting in minor changes.
The constituency was abolished once again for the 1974 general election. Christchurch, Redlands and Whitley wards were included in the re-established County Constituency of Reading South, with remaining wards being included in the re-established Borough Constituency of Reading North.
Members of Parliament[]
1295–1660[]
- Constituency created 1295
![]() | This list is incomplete; you can help by . (August 2008) |
Parliament | First member | Second member |
---|---|---|
1369 | [2] | |
1371 | [2] | |
1378 | David atte Hacche[3] | |
1385 | [4] | |
1386 | William Stapper | Robert atte Lee[5] |
1388 (Feb) | David atte Hacche | Richard Bedull[5] |
1388 (Sep) | John Balet | [5] |
1390 (Jan) | John Kent | [5] |
1390 (Nov) | ||
1391 | Henry Barbour | [5] |
1393 | David atte Hacche[5] | |
1394 | William Tho...[5] | |
1395 | [5] | |
1397 (Jan) | [5] | |
1397 (Sep) | [5] | |
1399 | John Hunt[5] | |
1401 | ||
1402 | ||
1404 (Jan) | John Kent | William Derby[5] |
1404 (Oct) | ||
1406 | John Hunt | [5] |
1407 | [5] | |
1410 | [5] | |
1411 | ||
1413 (Feb) | ||
1413 (May) | [5] | |
1414 (Apr) | [5] | |
1414 (Nov) | Stephen Stapper | [5] |
1415 | ||
1416 (Mar) | [5] | |
1416 (Oct) | ||
1417 | [5] | |
1419 | [5] | |
1420 | [5] | |
1421 (May) | Simon Porter alias Kent[5] | |
1421 (Dec) | John Hunt | [5] |
1422 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1425 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1432 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1433 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1435 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1437 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1447 | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1449 (Feb) | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1449 (Nov) | Simon Porter alias Kent[6] | |
1510 | Richard Cleche | William Justice[7] |
1512 | William Gifford | Richard Smith[7] |
1515 | [7] | |
1523 | Nicholas Hyde | [7] |
1529 | [7] | |
1536 | [7] | |
1539 | [7] | |
1542 | Richard Justice[7] | |
1545 | [7] | |
1547 | , died May 1551 repl. 1552 by Sir John Mason |
[7] |
1553 (Mar) | John Bourne | John Winchcombe[7] |
1553 (Oct) | [7] | |
1554 (Apr) | [7] | |
1554 (Nov) | John Bourne | Edmund Plowden[7] |
1555 | [7] | |
1558 | Thomas Aldworth | [7] |
1558/9 | Thomas Aldworth | [8] |
1562/3 | Henry Knollys | Robert Rowbotham[8] |
1571 | Henry Knollys | John Hastings[8] |
1572 | Robert Knollys | [8] |
1584 | Robert Knollys | [8] |
1586 | Robert Knollys | [8] |
1588 | Robert Knollys, sat for Breconshire, repl. Feb 1589 by Thomas Egerton |
[8] |
1593 | [8] | |
1597 | Sir Humphrey Forster | Francis Moore[8] |
1601 | Francis Moore | [8] |
1604 | Francis Moore | Jerome Bowes |
1614 | Francis Moore | |
1621–1622 | John Saunders | |
1624 | Francis Knollys III | John Saunders |
1625 | Francis Knollys III | John Saunders |
1626 | Francis Knollys III | John Saunders |
1628 | Francis Knollys III | John Saunders |
1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned |
1640–1885[]
1885–1950[]
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1885 | Charles Townshend Murdoch | Conservative | |
1892 | George William Palmer | Liberal | |
1895 | Charles Townshend Murdoch | Conservative | |
George William Palmer | Liberal | ||
1904 by-election | Rufus Isaacs | Liberal | |
1913 by-election | Leslie Orme Wilson | Conservative | |
1922 | Edward Cadogan | Conservative | |
1923 | Somerville Hastings | Labour | |
1924 | Herbert Williams | Conservative | |
1929 | Somerville Hastings | Labour | |
1931 | Alfred Howitt | Conservative | |
1945 | Ian Mikardo | Labour | |
1950 | Constituency divided into Reading North and Reading South |
1955–1974[]
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1955 | Constituency recreated | ||
1955 | Ian Mikardo | Labour | |
1959 | Peter Emery | Conservative | |
1966 | John Lee | Labour | |
1970 | Gerard Vaughan | Conservative | |
Feb 1974 | Constituency redivided into Reading North and Reading South |
Elections[]
Elections in the 1830s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Fyshe Palmer | 522 | 36.1 | ||
Tory | Charles Russell | 471 | 32.6 | ||
Whig | Stephen Lushington | 452 | 31.3 | ||
Turnout | 907 | c. 72.6 | |||
Registered electors | c. 1,250 | ||||
Majority | 51 | 3.5 | |||
Whig hold | Swing | ||||
Majority | 19 | 1.3 | |||
Tory hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Fyshe Palmer | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Charles Russell | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | c. 1,250 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Fyshe Palmer | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Charles Russell | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 1,001 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Radical | Thomas Talfourd | 643 | 43.8 | ||
Conservative | Charles Russell | 441 | 30.0 | ||
Whig | Benjamin Oliveira | 384 | 26.2 | ||
Turnout | 960 | 95.8 | |||
Registered electors | 1,002 | ||||
Majority | 202 | 13.8 | |||
Radical gain from Whig | |||||
Majority | 57 | 3.8 | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Radical | Thomas Talfourd | 468 | 34.1 | −9.7 | |
Whig | Charles Fyshe Palmer | 457 | 33.3 | +7.1 | |
Conservative | Charles Russell | 448 | 32.6 | +2.6 | |
Turnout | 875 | 84.5 | −11.3 | ||
Registered electors | 1,035 | ||||
Majority | 11 | 0.8 | −13.0 | ||
Radical hold | Swing | −5.5 | |||
Majority | 9 | 0.7 | N/A | ||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.9 |
Elections in the 1840s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Russell | 570 | 29.4 | +13.1 | |
Conservative | Henry Cadogan | 564 | 29.1 | +12.8 | |
Whig | Thomas Mills | 410 | 21.1 | +4.5 | |
Whig | William Tooke | 397 | 20.5 | +3.9 | |
Majority | 154 | 8.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 984 | 82.4 | −2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 1,194 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +4.5 | |||
Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +4.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Francis Pigott | 614 | 29.1 | +8.0 | |
Radical | Thomas Talfourd | 596 | 28.3 | +7.8 | |
Conservative | Charles Russell | 521 | 24.7 | −4.7 | |
Conservative | Henry Cadogan | 376 | 17.8 | −11.3 | |
Turnout | 1,054 (est) | 84.2 (est) | +1.8 | ||
Registered electors | 1,251 | ||||
Majority | 18 | 0.8 | N/A | ||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.0 | |||
Majority | 75 | 3.6 | N/A | ||
Radical gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.9 |
Talfourd resigned after being appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Frederick Stanford | 507 | 51.8 | +9.3 | |
Whig | George Bowyer[19] | 364 | 37.2 | +8.1 | |
Radical | Thomas Norton[20][21] | 107 | 10.9 | −17.4 | |
Majority | 143 | 14.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 978 | 74.7 | −9.5 | ||
Registered electors | 1,309 | ||||
Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +13.4 |
Elections in the 1850s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Francis Pigott | 753 | 39.6 | +10.5 | |
Whig | Henry Singer Keating | 631 | 33.2 | +4.9 | |
Conservative | Samuel Auchmuty Dickson[22] | 518 | 27.2 | −15.3 | |
Majority | 113 | 6.0 | +5.8 | ||
Turnout | 951 (est) | 68.0 (est) | −16.2 | ||
Registered electors | 1,399 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | +9.1 | |||
Whig gain from Radical | Swing | +6.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Francis Pigott | Unopposed | |||
Whig | Henry Singer Keating | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 1431 | ||||
Whig hold | |||||
Whig hold |
Keating was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Henry Singer Keating | Unopposed | |||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Francis Pigott | 761 | 38.6 | |
Liberal | Henry Singer Keating | 666 | 33.8 | |
Conservative | Ralph Augustus Benson | 544 | 27.6 | |
Majority | 122 | 6.2 | ||
Turnout | 986 (est) | 67.9 (est) | ||
Registered electors | 1,451 | |||
Liberal hold | ||||
Liberal hold |
Keating was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Henry Singer Keating | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1860s[]
Keating resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Francis Goldsmid | 661 | 54.5 | −17.9 | |
Conservative | Ralph Augustus Benson[23] | 551 | 45.5 | +17.9 | |
Majority | 110 | 9.0 | +2.8 | ||
Turnout | 1,212 | 80.5 | +12.6 | ||
Registered electors | 1,506 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −17.9 |
Pigott resigned after being appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Gillery Pigott | 586 | 57.4 | −15.0 | |
Conservative | Edward Walter[24] | 435 | 42.6 | +15.0 | |
Majority | 151 | 14.8 | +8.6 | ||
Turnout | 1,021 | 67.8 | −0.1 | ||
Registered electors | 1,506 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −15.0 |
Pigott resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of the Exchequer, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Francis Goldsmid | 727 | 38.6 | 0.0 | |
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | 714 | 37.9 | +4.1 | |
Conservative | Stephen Tucker[25] | 444 | 23.6 | −4.0 | |
Majority | 270 | 14.3 | +8.1 | ||
Turnout | 1,165 (est) | 65.8 (est) | −2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 1,769 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +2.0 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | +2.1 |
Shaw-Lefevre was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Francis Goldsmid | 1,629 | 38.5 | −0.1 | |
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | 1,618 | 38.3 | +0.4 | |
Conservative | Robert Carden | 979 | 23.2 | −0.4 | |
Majority | 639 | 15.1 | +0.8 | ||
Turnout | 2,603 (est) | 80.6 (est) | +14.8 | ||
Registered electors | 3,228 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +0.1 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | +0.3 |
Elections in the 1870s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | 1,794 | 26.1 | −12.2 | |
Liberal | Francis Goldsmid | 1,791 | 26.1 | −12.4 | |
Conservative | Richard Attenborough[26] | 1,652 | 24.1 | +12.5 | |
Conservative | William Dalziel Mackenzie[27] | 1,631 | 23.7 | +12.1 | |
Majority | 139 | 2.0 | −13.1 | ||
Turnout | 3,434 (est) | 83.4 (est) | +2.8 | ||
Registered electors | 4,118 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −12.3 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | −12.4 |
Goldsmid's death caused a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Palmer | 2,223 | 58.7 | +6.5 | |
Conservative | Richard Attenborough | 1,565 | 41.3 | −6.5 | |
Majority | 658 | 17.4 | +15.4 | ||
Turnout | 3,788 | 80.2 | −3.2 | ||
Registered electors | 4,721 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +6.5 |
Elections in the 1880s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Palmer | 2,513 | 36.6 | +10.5 | |
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | 2,286 | 33.3 | +7.2 | |
Conservative | Albert George Sandeman[28] | 2,067 | 30.1 | −17.7 | |
Majority | 219 | 3.2 | +1.2 | ||
Turnout | 4,580 (est) | 89.7 (est) | +6.3 | ||
Registered electors | 5,107 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +9.7 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | +8.1 |
Lefevre was appointed First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Townshend Murdoch | 3,518 | 50.9 | +20.8 | |
Liberal | George Shaw-Lefevre | 3,389 | 49.1 | −20.8 | |
Majority | 129 | 1.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 6,907 | 91.9 | +2.2 (est) | ||
Registered electors | 7,515 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +20.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Townshend Murdoch | 3,378 | 50.9 | 0.0 | |
Liberal | William Berkeley Monck[30] | 3,262 | 49.1 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 116 | 1.8 | 0.0 | ||
Turnout | 6,640 | 88.4 | −3.5 | ||
Registered electors | 7,515 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0 |
Elections in the 1890s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Palmer | 3,990 | 51.9 | +2.8 | |
Conservative | Charles Townshend Murdoch | 3,700 | 48.1 | −2.8 | |
Majority | 290 | 3.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 7,690 | 91.1 | +2.7 | ||
Registered electors | 8,438 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Townshend Murdoch | 4,278 | 52.1 | +4.0 | |
Liberal | George Palmer | 3,927 | 47.9 | −4.0 | |
Majority | 351 | 4.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,205 | 90.1 | −1.0 | ||
Registered electors | 9,104 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.0 |
Murdoch's death caused a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Palmer | 4,600 | 52.4 | +4.5 | |
Conservative | Charles Edward Keyser | 3,906 | 44.5 | −7.6 | |
Social Democratic Federation | Harry Quelch | 270 | 3.1 | New | |
Majority | 694 | 7.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,776 | 91.7 | +1.6 | ||
Registered electors | 9,573 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.1 |
Elections in the 1900s[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Cekeyser2.jpg/120px-Cekeyser2.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Palmer | 4,592 | 51.3 | +3.4 | |
Conservative | Charles Edward Keyser | 4,353 | 48.7 | −3.4 | |
Majority | 239 | 2.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 8,945 | 88.1 | −2.0 | ||
Registered electors | 10,152 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.4 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Rufus_Isaacs_-_portrait.jpg/120px-Rufus_Isaacs_-_portrait.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rufus Isaacs | 4,770 | 51.2 | -0.1 | |
Conservative | Charles Edward Keyser | 4,540 | 48.8 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 230 | 2.4 | -0.2 | ||
Turnout | 9,310 | 83.5 | −4.6 | ||
Registered electors | 11,151 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | -0.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rufus Isaacs | 5,407 | 53.4 | +2.1 | |
Conservative | George Horace Johnstone | 4,710 | 46.6 | -2.1 | |
Majority | 697 | 6.8 | + +4.2 | ||
Turnout | 10,117 | 91.6 | +3.5 | ||
Registered electors | 11,041 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +2.1 |
Elections in the 1910s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rufus Isaacs | 5,264 | 51.0 | −2.4 | |
Liberal Unionist | Leslie Renton | 5,057 | 49.0 | +2.4 | |
Majority | 207 | 2.0 | −4.8 | ||
Turnout | 10,321 | 93.7 | +2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 11,016 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −2.4 |
Isaacs is appointed Solicitor General of England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rufus Isaacs | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rufus Isaacs | 5,094 | 50.5 | −0.5 | |
Conservative | Leslie Orme Wilson | 4,995 | 49.5 | +0.5 | |
Majority | 99 | 1.0 | −1.0 | ||
Turnout | 10,089 | 91.6 | −2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 11,016 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −0.5 |
Issacs is appointed Lord Chief Justice of England and is elevated to the peerage as Lord Reading, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Leslie Orme Wilson | 5,144 | 50.3 | +0.8 | |
Liberal | George Peabody Gooch | 4,013 | 39.3 | −11.2 | |
British Socialist Party | Joseph George Butler | 1,063 | 10.4 | New | |
Majority | 1,131 | 11.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 10,220 | 92.2 | +0.6 | ||
Registered electors | 11,088 | ||||
Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.0 |
A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the summer of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.
- Unionist Party: Leslie Orme Wilson
- Liberal Party: Henry Norman Spalding[31]
- British Socialist Party: Joseph George Butler[32]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Unionist | Leslie Orme Wilson | 15,204 | 53.9 | +4.4 |
Labour | Thomas Charles Morris | 8,410 | 29.8 | New | |
Liberal | Frederick Thoresby | 3,143 | 11.1 | −39.4 | |
National Socialist Party | Lorenzo Quelch | 1,462 | 5.2 | New | |
Majority | 6,794 | 24.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 28,219 | 62.2 | −29.4 | ||
Unionist hold | Swing | +21.9 | |||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
Elections in the 1920s[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0b/Henry_Delacombe_Roome.jpg/120px-Henry_Delacombe_Roome.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Edward Cadogan | 16,082 | 42.7 | -11.2 | |
Labour | Derwent Hall Caine | 14,322 | 38.1 | +8.3 | |
Liberal | Henry Delacombe Roome | 7,212 | 19.2 | +8.1 | |
Majority | 1,760 | 4.6 | -19.5 | ||
Turnout | 37,616 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Somerville Hastings | 16,657 | 44.8 | +6.7 | |
Unionist | Edward Cadogan | 15,115 | 40.7 | -2.0 | |
Liberal | Frederick Maddison | 5,406 | 14.5 | -4.7 | |
Majority | 1,542 | 4.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 37,178 | 82.1 | 37,178 | ||
Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +4.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Herbert Williams | 21,338 | 53.8 | +13.1 | |
Labour | Somerville Hastings | 18,337 | 46.2 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 3,001 | 7.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 39,675 | 85.8 | +3.7 | ||
Unionist gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Somerville Hastings | 23,281 | 43.5 | -2.7 | |
Unionist | Herbert Williams | 22,429 | 42.0 | -11.8 | |
Liberal | Dugald Macfadyen | 7,733 | 14.5 | New | |
Majority | 852 | 1.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 53,443 | 85.0 | -0.8 | ||
Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +4.5 |
Elections in the 1930s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Alfred Howitt | 34,439 | 63.1 | +21.1 | |
Labour | Somerville Hastings | 19,277 | 35.3 | -8.2 | |
New Party | ER Troward | 861 | 1.6 | New | |
Majority | 15,162 | 27.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 54,577 | 83.9 | -1.1 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |
- The Liberal Party candidate, Rosalie Glynn Grylls withdrew at close of nominations
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Alfred Howitt | 27,540 | 51.8 | -9.3 | |
Labour | Somerville Hastings | 22,949 | 43.2 | +7.9 | |
Liberal | John William Todd | 2,685 | 5.0 | New | |
Majority | 4,591 | 8.6 | -19.2 | ||
Turnout | 53,174 | 79.1 | -4.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
General Election 1939/40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
- Conservative: Alfred Howitt
- Labour: Margaret Bondfield[34]
Elections in the 1940s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Ian Mikardo | 30,465 | 48.8 | +5.6 | |
Conservative | William Ewart Clarke McIlroy | 24,075 | 38.6 | -13.2 | |
Liberal | Robert Nevill Tronchin James | 7,834 | 12.6 | +7.6 | |
Majority | 6,390 | 10.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 62,374 | 73.5 | -5.6 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Ian Mikardo | 25,228 | 50.24 | ||
Conservative | Frederic Bennett | 24,990 | 49.76 | ||
Majority | 238 | 0.48 | |||
Turnout | 50,218 | 84.15 | |||
Registered electors | 59,678 | ||||
Labour win (new seat) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Emery | 26,314 | 54.05 | +4.29 | |
Labour | Ian Mikardo | 22,372 | 45.95 | -4.29 | |
Majority | 3,942 | 8.10 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 48,686 | 82.84 | -1.31 | ||
Registered electors | 58,772 | ||||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.29 |
Elections in the 1960s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Emery | 20,815 | 43.93 | -10.12 | |
Labour | John Lee | 20,805 | 43.91 | -2.04 | |
Liberal | Michael F Burns | 5,759 | 12.16 | New | |
Majority | 10 | 0.02 | -8.08 | ||
Turnout | 47,379 | 79.80 | -3.04 | ||
Registered electors | 59,371 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | -4.04 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Lee | 25,338 | 51.01 | +7.10 | |
Conservative | Peter Emery | 21,205 | 42.69 | -1.24 | |
Liberal | Ernest H Palfrey | 3,127 | 6.30 | -5.86 | |
Majority | 4,133 | 8.32 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 49,670 | 84.00 | +4.20 | ||
Registered electors | 59,132 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.17 |
Elections in the 1970s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerard Vaughan | 23,598 | 50.31 | +7.62 | |
Labour | John Lee | 22,444 | 47.85 | -3.16 | |
Democratic Party | Alec Boothroyd | 867 | 1.85 | New | |
Majority | 1,154 | 2.46 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 46,909 | 74.04 | -9.96 | ||
Registered electors | 63,359 | ||||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +5.39 |
References[]
General[]
- Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1961)
- J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
- Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903)
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
Specific[]
- ^ a b c Craig, Frederick Walter Scott (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
- ^ a b "CATOUR, William (d.1395), of Reading, Berks. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org.
- ^ "HACCHE, David atte, of Reading, Berks. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org.
- ^ "DOUBLET, John (d.c.1407), of Reading, Berks. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "PORTER, alias KENT, Simon, of Reading, Berks. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ In place of Edward Herbert and Sir John Berkeley, elected for Old Sarum and Heytesbury
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, Frederick Walter Scott (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 8–9. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
- ^ a b c Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 174.
- ^ a b c Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 201.
- ^ a b Hall, Edith (2015). "Making it Really New: Dickens versus the Classics". In Stead, Henry; Hall, Edith (eds.). Greek and Roman Classics in the British Struggle for Social Reform. Bloomsbury. p. 148. ISBN 9781472584274. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ a b Richards, Jeffrey (2009). The Ancient World on the Victorian and Edwardian Stage (eBook). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 36. doi:10.1057/9780230250895. ISBN 978-0-230-25089-5. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ a b Gregory, James (2012). Victorians Against the Gallows: Capital Punishment and the Abolitionist Movement in Nineteenth Century Britain. London: I.B. Tauris. p. 200. ISBN 978-18488-56943. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ a b "The Berkshire Chronicle". 10 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 30 June 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b Fisher, David R. "Reading". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Craig, Frederick Walter Scott, ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
- ^ "The Nomination". Windsor and Eton Express. 11 August 1849. p. 3. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "John Bull". 13 August 1849. p. 4. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Country News, Reading Election". Illustrated London News. 11 August 1849. p. 30. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Hull Election". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 12 August 1854. p. 6. Retrieved 30 June 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Reading Election". Berkshire Chronicle. 14 January 1860. p. 4. Retrieved 16 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "To the Conservative Electors of the Borough of Reading". Berkshire Chronicle. 17 November 1860. p. 1. Retrieved 16 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Reading Borough Election". Berkshire Chronicle. 15 July 1865. p. 6. Retrieved 16 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The General Election". London Evening Standard. 31 January 1874. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 18 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "To the Electors of the Borough of Reading". Berkshire Chronicle. 31 January 1874. p. 4. Retrieved 18 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The Representation of Reading". Reading Mercury. 1 March 1884. p. 5. Retrieved 10 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Craig, Frederick Walter Scott, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
- ^ "Election Notices". Reading Mercury. 26 June 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 10 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Who's Who
- ^ "British Socialist Party". Manchester Guardian. 13 April 1914.
- ^ a b c d e f g Craig, Frederick Walter Scott (editor), British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949
- ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results May 1955". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1959". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1964". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1966". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1970". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
See also[]
- Parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire (historic)
- Politics of Reading, Berkshire
- Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1295
- Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1950
- Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1955
- Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1974