Jump to content

Breconshire (UK Parliament constituency): Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
added 1840s
→History: uppercase per direct link (Industrial Revolution)
(32 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1918}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox UK constituency
{{Infobox UK constituency
|name = Breconshire
|name = Breconshire
Line 7: Line 9:
|elects_howmany = one
|elects_howmany = one
|previous =
|previous =
|next = [[Brecon and Radnor (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon and Radnor]]
|next = [[Brecon and Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon and Radnor]]
}}
}}
'''Breconshire''' or '''Brecknockshire''' was a constituency in [[Wales]] which returned one [[Member of Parliament]] to the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of England|English Parliament]], and later to the [[Parliament of Great Britain]] and of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]], between 1542 and 1918. (Historically, the "-shire" suffix was often omitted, leading to potential confusion with the [[Brecon (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon borough constituency]], which existed until 1885.)
'''Breconshire''' or '''Brecknockshire''' was a constituency in [[Wales]] which returned one [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of England|English Parliament]], and later to the [[Parliament of Great Britain]] and of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]], between 1542 and 1918. (Historically, the "-shire" suffix was often omitted, leading to potential confusion with the [[Brecon (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon borough constituency]], which existed until 1885.)


== History ==
== History ==
Like the rest of Wales, Breconshire was given the right to representation by the [[Act of Union 1536]], and first returned an MP to the Parliament of 1542. The constituency consisted of the [[historic counties of Wales|historic county]] of [[Brecknockshire]]. (Although the county town, [[Brecon]], was a borough which elected an MP in its own right, it was not excluded from the county constituency, and owning property within the borough could confer a vote at the county election.) The county elected one MP, who was chosen by the [[first past the post]] electoral system — when there was a contest at all, which was rare.
Like the rest of Wales, Breconshire was given the right to representation by the [[Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542]], and first returned an MP to the Parliament of 1542. The constituency consisted of the [[historic counties of Wales|historic county]] of [[Brecknockshire]]. (Although the county town, [[Brecon]], was a borough which elected an MP in its own right, it was not excluded from the county constituency, and owning property within the borough could confer a vote at the county election.) The county elected one MP, who was chosen by the [[first past the post]] electoral system — when there was a contest at all, which was rare.


As in other [[county constituency|county constituencies]], the franchise until 1832 was defined by the [[Forty Shilling Freeholders|Forty Shilling Freeholder Act]], which gave the right to vote to every man who possessed [[Freehold (English law)|freehold]] property within the county valued at £2 or more per year for the purposes of land tax; it was not necessary for the freeholder to occupy his land, nor even in later years to be resident in the county at all. At the time of the [[Great Reform Act]] in 1832, Breconshire had a population of approximately 47,800, but the rarity of contested elections makes it difficult to make a reliable estimate of the number qualified to vote; the greatest number ever recorded as voting before the Reform Act was 1,641 at the [[1818 United Kingdom general election|general election of 1818]].
As in other [[county constituency|county constituencies]], the franchise until 1832 was defined by the [[Forty Shilling Freeholders|Forty Shilling Freeholder Act]], which gave the right to vote to every man who possessed [[Freehold (English law)|freehold]] property within the county valued at £2 or more per year for the purposes of land tax; it was not necessary for the freeholder to occupy his land, nor even in later years to be resident in the county at all. At the time of the [[Great Reform Act]] in 1832, Breconshire had a population of approximately 47,800, but the rarity of contested elections makes it difficult to make a reliable estimate of the number qualified to vote; the greatest number ever recorded as voting before the Reform Act was 1,641 at the [[1818 United Kingdom general election|general election of 1818]].
Line 18: Line 20:
For centuries before 1832, Breconshire politics was dominated by the [[Baron Tredegar|Morgan family]] of [[Tredegar]], who were usually able to nominate the county's MP without opposition (as was also the case in [[Brecon (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon borough]]). The changes introduced by the Reform Act did little to shake this hold, and a Morgan was still sitting unopposed in the 1860s. The Reform Act extended the county franchise slightly, allowing tenants-at-will, copyholders and leaseholders to vote, but Breconshire's electorate was still only 1,668 at the first post-Reform election, though it grew in the subsequent half-century.
For centuries before 1832, Breconshire politics was dominated by the [[Baron Tredegar|Morgan family]] of [[Tredegar]], who were usually able to nominate the county's MP without opposition (as was also the case in [[Brecon (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon borough]]). The changes introduced by the Reform Act did little to shake this hold, and a Morgan was still sitting unopposed in the 1860s. The Reform Act extended the county franchise slightly, allowing tenants-at-will, copyholders and leaseholders to vote, but Breconshire's electorate was still only 1,668 at the first post-Reform election, though it grew in the subsequent half-century.


Breconshire was always an almost entirely rural constituency, mountainous and offering poor resources for its agricultural population. The [[industrial revolution]], however, brought [[coal]]-mining to the south of the county, and by the late 19th century this was much the most important economic activity and was probably the most important factor in its developing a political mind of its own. By the 1890s it had abandoned its loyalty to the ([[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]) Morgans, and like other industrial constituencies in Wales was a safe [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] seat.
Breconshire was always an almost entirely rural constituency, mountainous and offering poor resources for its agricultural population. The [[Industrial Revolution]], however, brought [[coal]]-mining to the south of the county, and by the late 19th century this was much the most important economic activity and was probably the most important factor in its developing a political mind of its own. By the 1890s it had abandoned its loyalty to the ([[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]) Morgans, and like other industrial constituencies in Wales was a safe [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] seat.


By the time of the 1911 census, the population of Breconshire was 63,036, and there were around 13,000 voters on the register around the outbreak of the [[First World War]], a respectable size, but neighbouring [[Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Radnorshire]] with barely 6,000 voters was too small to survive. With effect from the [[1918 United Kingdom general election|1918 general election]], the two constituencies were merged, to form a new [[Brecon and Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon and Radnor]] constituency.
By the time of the 1911 census, the population of Breconshire was 63,036, and there were around 13,000 voters on the register around the outbreak of the [[First World War]], a respectable size, but neighbouring [[Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Radnorshire]] with barely 6,000 voters was too small to survive. With effect from the [[1918 United Kingdom general election|1918 general election]], the two constituencies were merged, to form a new [[Brecon and Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon and Radnor]] constituency.
Line 38: Line 40:
!Parliament!!Member
!Parliament!!Member
|-
|-
| 1545|| [[John Games]] (or ap Morgan) <ref name = HoP1>{{cite web | url = http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/constituencies/breconshire| title= History of Parliament| accessdate= 2011-08-30}}</ref>
| 1545|| [[John Games]] (or ap Morgan) <ref name = HoP1>{{cite web | url = http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/constituencies/breconshire| title= History of Parliament| access-date= 2011-08-30}}</ref>
|-
|-
| 1547||[[John Prise|Sir John Price]] <ref name = HoP1/>
| 1547||[[John Prise|Sir John Price]]<ref name = HoP1/>
|-
|-
| 1553 (Mar)|| [[Roger Vaughan of Port Hamal|Sir Roger Vaughan]]<ref name = HoP1/>
| 1553 (Mar)|| [[Roger Vaughan of Port Hamal|Sir Roger Vaughan]]<ref name = HoP1/>
Line 52: Line 54:
| 1558|| [[Watkin Herbert|Watkin (or Walter) Herbert]]<ref name = HoP1/>
| 1558|| [[Watkin Herbert|Watkin (or Walter) Herbert]]<ref name = HoP1/>
|-
|-
| 1559 (Jan)|| [[Roger Vaughan of Port Hamal|Sir Roger Vaughan]]<ref name = HoP2>{{cite web | url = http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/constituencies/breconshire| title= History of Parliament| accessdate= 2011-08-30}}</ref>
| 1559 (Jan)|| [[Roger Vaughan of Port Hamal|Sir Roger Vaughan]]<ref name = HoP2>{{cite web | url = http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/constituencies/breconshire| title= History of Parliament| access-date= 2011-08-30}}</ref>
|-
|-
| 1562 (Dec)|| [[Rowland Vaughan (MP)|Rowland Vaughan]], ''died <br> and replaced 1566 by'' [[Matthew Arundell]]<ref name = HoP2/>
| 1562 (Dec)|| [[Rowland Vaughan (MP)|Rowland Vaughan]], ''died <br /> and replaced 1566 by'' [[Matthew Arundell]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1571|| [[Roger Vaughan of Port Hamal|Sir Roger Vaughan]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1571|| [[Roger Vaughan of Port Hamal|Sir Roger Vaughan]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1572|| [[Thomas Games]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1572|| [[Thomas Games]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1584 (Nov)|| [[Thomas Games]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1584 (Nov)|| [[Thomas Games]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1586|| [[Thomas Games]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1586|| [[Thomas Games]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1588–1589|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1588–1589|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1593|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1593|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1597 (Sep)|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1597 (Sep)|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1601 (Oct)|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]] <ref name = HoP2/>
| 1601 (Oct)|| [[Robert Knollys (died 1619)|Sir Robert Knollys]]<ref name = HoP2/>
|-
|-
| 1614|| [[Charles Vaughan (1584-1631)|Sir Charles Vaughan]]
| 1614|| [[Charles Vaughan (1584-1631)|Sir Charles Vaughan]]
Line 93: Line 95:
|-
|-
|[[Long Parliament|April 1640]]
|[[Long Parliament|April 1640]]
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|[[William Morgan (of Dderw)|William Morgan]]||[[Roundheads|Parliamentarian]]
|[[William Morgan (of Dderw)|William Morgan]]||[[Roundheads|Parliamentarian]]
|-
|-
|[[Long Parliament|November 1640]]
|[[Long Parliament|November 1640]]
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|[[William Morgan (of Dderw)|William Morgan]]||[[Roundheads|Parliamentarian]]
|[[William Morgan (of Dderw)|William Morgan]]||[[Roundheads|Parliamentarian]]
|-
|-
|1650
|1650
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Philip Jones of Fonmon|Colonel Philip Jones]] ||
| [[Philip Jones of Fonmon|Colonel Philip Jones]] ||
|-
|-
Line 107: Line 109:
|colspan="3"|''Breconshire was not separately represented in the [[Barebones Parliament]]''
|colspan="3"|''Breconshire was not separately represented in the [[Barebones Parliament]]''
|-
|-
|colspan="4"|<center>''Representation increased to two members, 1654''</center>
|colspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |''Representation increased to two members, 1654''
|-
|-
|[[First Protectorate Parliament|1654]]
|[[First Protectorate Parliament|1654]]
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|[[Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort|Lord Herbert]] and [[Edmund Jones (MP)|Edmund Jones]] ||<!-- party -->
|[[Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort|Lord Herbert]] and [[Edmund Jones (MP)|Edmund Jones]] ||<!-- party -->
|-
|-
|[[Second Protectorate Parliament|1656]]
|[[Second Protectorate Parliament|1656]]
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Philip Jones of Fonmon|Colonel Philip Jones]] and [[Evan Lewis (MP)|Evan Lewis]] ||<!-- party -->
| [[Philip Jones of Fonmon|Colonel Philip Jones]] and [[Evan Lewis (MP)|Evan Lewis]] ||<!-- party -->
|-
|-
|colspan="4"|<center>''Representation reverted to one member, 1659''</center>
|colspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |''Representation reverted to one member, 1659''
|-
|-
|[[Third Protectorate Parliament|January 1659]]
|[[Third Protectorate Parliament|January 1659]]
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
|[[Edmund Jones]] ||<!-- party -->
|[[Edmund Jones]] ||<!-- party -->
|-
|-
|[[Rump Parliament|May 1659]]
|[[Rump Parliament|May 1659]]
|style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
|style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Philip Jones of Fonmon|Colonel Philip Jones]] ||
| [[Philip Jones of Fonmon|Colonel Philip Jones]] ||
|-
|-
|April 1660
|April 1660
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Sir William Lewis, 1st Baronet, of Llangorse|Sir William Lewis]]
| [[Sir William Lewis, 1st Baronet, of Llangorse|Sir William Lewis]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
|April 1661
|April 1661
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Sir Henry Williams, 2nd Baronet|Sir Henry Williams]]
| [[Sir Henry Williams, 2nd Baronet|Sir Henry Williams]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
|November 1661
|November 1661
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[John Jeffreys (died 1689)|John Jeffreys]]
| [[John Jeffreys (died 1689)|John Jeffreys]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1662
| 1662
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Edward Proger]]
| [[Edward Proger]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1679
| 1679
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Richard Williams (died 1692)|Richard Williams]]
| [[Richard Williams (died 1692)|Richard Williams]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1685
| 1685
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Edward Jones (died 1696)|Edward Jones]]
| [[Edward Jones (died 1696)|Edward Jones]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1690
| 1690
| style="background-color: {{Whig/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whig}}" |
| [[Rowland Gwynne]]
| [[Rowland Gwynne]]
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]
|-
|-
| 1695
| 1695
| style="background-color: {{Tories (British political party)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" |
| [[Edward Jones (died 1696)|Edward Jones]]
| [[Edward Jones (died 1696)|Edward Jones]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
|-
| 1697
| 1697
| style="background-color: {{Tories (British political party)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" |
| [[Edward Williams (died 1721)|Sir Edward Williams]]
| [[Edward Williams (died 1721)|Sir Edward Williams]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
|-
| 1698
| 1698
| style="background-color: {{Whig/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Whig}}" |
| [[Rowland Gwynne|Sir Rowland Gwynne]]
| [[Rowland Gwynne|Sir Rowland Gwynne]]
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]
|-
|-
| 1702
| 1702
| style="background-color: {{Tories (British political party)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" |
| [[John Jeffreys (died 1715)|John Jeffreys]]
| [[John Jeffreys (died 1715)|John Jeffreys]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
|-
| 1705
| 1705
| style="background-color: {{Tories (British political party)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" |
| [[Edward Williams (died 1721)|Sir Edward Williams]]
| [[Edward Williams (died 1721)|Sir Edward Williams]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
|-
| 1721
| 1721
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[William Gwyn Vaughan]]
| [[William Gwyn Vaughan]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1734
| 1734
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[John Jeffreys (1706–1766)|John Jeffreys]]
| [[John Jeffreys (1706–1766)|John Jeffreys]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1747
| 1747
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Thomas Morgan (judge advocate)|Thomas Morgan]]
| [[Thomas Morgan (judge advocate)|Thomas Morgan]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1769
| 1769
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Charles Morgan (1736–1787)|Charles Morgan]]
| [[Charles Morgan (1736–1787)|Charles Morgan]]
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1787
| 1787
| style="background-color: {{/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: white" |
| [[Sir Charles Morgan, 1st Baronet|Sir Charles Gould]] (later Sir Charles Gould Morgan) <ref>Adopted the surname Morgan in 1792</ref>
| [[Sir Charles Morgan, 1st Baronet|Sir Charles Gould]] (later Sir Charles Gould Morgan) <ref>Adopted the surname Morgan in 1792</ref>
| <!-- party -->
| <!-- party -->
|-
|-
| 1806
| 1806
| style="background-color: {{Tories (British political party)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" |
|rowspan="2"| [[Thomas Wood (1777-1860)|Thomas Wood]]
|rowspan="2"| [[Thomas Wood (1777-1860)|Thomas Wood]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]<ref name="stookssmith">{{cite book |last1=Stooks Smith |first1=Henry |title=The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive |date=1845 |publisher=Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. |location=London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/parliamentsengl00smitgoog/page/n192 177]–178 |url=https://archive.org/details/parliamentsengl00smitgoog |via=[[Internet Archive]] |access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref>
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
|-
| [[Tamworth Manifesto|1834]]
| 1832
| style="background-color: {{Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]<ref name="stookssmith"/>
|-
|-
| 1847
| 1847
| style="background-color: {{Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Sir Joseph Bailey]]
| [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Sir Joseph Bailey]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
|-
| 1858
| 1858
| style="background-color: {{Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Hon. Godfrey Morgan]]
| [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Hon. Godfrey Morgan]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
|-
| 1875
| 1875
| style="background-color: {{Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
| [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
|-
|-
| 1895
| 1895
| style="background-color: {{Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Charles Morley (Breconshire MP)|Charles Morley]]
| [[Charles Morley (Breconshire MP)|Charles Morley]]
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
|-
|-
| 1906
| 1906
| style="background-color: {{Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color}}" |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Sidney Robinson (politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
| [[Sidney Robinson (British politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
|-
|-
Line 262: Line 264:
|decade8 = 1910s
|decade8 = 1910s
}}
}}

===Elections in the 1830s===
{{Election box begin no change | title=[[1830 United Kingdom general election|General election 1830]]: Breconshire<ref name="stookssmith"/><ref name="hop1820-1832">{{cite web |last1=Escott |first1=Margaret |title=Breconshire |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/breconshire |website=The History of Parliament |access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Tories (British political party)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
}}
{{Election box registered electors no change|
|reg. electors = {{circa|2,000}}
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|
|winner = Tories (British political party)
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=[[1831 United Kingdom general election|General election 1831]]: Breconshire<ref name="stookssmith"/><ref name="hop1820-1832"/>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Tories (British political party)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
|votes = 282
|percentage = 67.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Whigs (British political party)
|candidate = [[John Lloyd Vaughan Watkins]]
|votes = 138
|percentage = 32.9
}}
{{Election box majority no change|
|votes = 144
|percentage = 34.2
}}
{{Election box turnout no change|
|votes = 420
|percentage = {{circa|21.0}}
}}
{{Election box registered electors no change|
|reg. electors = {{circa|2,000}}
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|
|winner = Tories (British political party)
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=[[1832 United Kingdom general election|General election 1832]]: Breconshire<ref name="stookssmith"/><ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Tories (British political party)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
}}
{{Election box registered electors no change|
|reg. electors = 1,668
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|
|winner = Tories (British political party)
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=[[1835 United Kingdom general election|General election 1835]]: Breconshire<ref name="stookssmith"/><ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
}}
{{Election box registered electors no change|
|reg. electors = 1,897
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=[[1837 United Kingdom general election|General election 1837]]: Breconshire<ref name="stookssmith"/><ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
|votes = 1,222
|percentage = 68.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Whigs (British political party)
|candidate = James Price Gwynne-Holford
|votes = 570
|percentage = 31.8
}}
{{Election box majority no change|
|votes = 652
|percentage = 36.4
}}
{{Election box turnout no change|
|votes = 1,792
|percentage = 78.1
}}
{{Election box registered electors no change|
|reg. electors = 2,295
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
}}
{{Election box end}}


===Elections in the 1840s===
===Elections in the 1840s===
{{Election box begin | title=[[1841 United Kingdom general election|General election 1841]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1841 United Kingdom general election|General election 1841]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (1777–1860)|Thomas Wood]]
Line 280: Line 385:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1847 United Kingdom general election|General election 1847]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1847 United Kingdom general election|General election 1847]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Joseph Bailey]]
|candidate = [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Joseph Bailey]]
Line 295: Line 400:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1852 United Kingdom general election|General election 1852]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1852 United Kingdom general election|General election 1852]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Joseph Bailey]]
|candidate = [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Joseph Bailey]]
Line 309: Line 414:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1857 United Kingdom general election|General election 1857]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1857 United Kingdom general election|General election 1857]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Joseph Bailey]]
|candidate = [[Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet|Joseph Bailey]]
Line 325: Line 430:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1858 Breconshire by-election|By-election, 28 December 1858]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1858 Breconshire by-election|By-election, 28 December 1858]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
Line 336: Line 441:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1859 United Kingdom general election|General election 1859]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1859 United Kingdom general election|General election 1859]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
Line 352: Line 457:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1865 United Kingdom general election|General election 1865]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1865 United Kingdom general election|General election 1865]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
Line 366: Line 471:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1868 United Kingdom general election|General election 1868]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1868 United Kingdom general election|General election 1868]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
Line 382: Line 487:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1874 United Kingdom general election|General election 1874]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1874 United Kingdom general election|General election 1874]]: Breconshire<ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
|candidate = [[Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar|Godfrey Morgan]]
Line 394: Line 499:
|votes = 1,036
|votes = 1,036
|percentage = 39.4
|percentage = 39.4
|change = ''N/A''
|change = ''New''
}}
}}
{{Election box majority|
{{Election box majority|
Line 417: Line 522:
Morgan succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Tredegar.
Morgan succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Tredegar.


{{Election box begin | title=[[1875 Breconshire by-election|By-election, 22 May 1875]]: Breconshire<ref>{{cite news |title=Breconshire Election - Liberal Victory|work=Worcestershire Chronicle |date=22 May 1875 |accessdate=5 October 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000350/18750522/065/0008| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="craig1832"/>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1875 Breconshire by-election|By-election, 22 May 1875]]: Breconshire<ref>{{cite news |title=Breconshire Election - Liberal Victory|work=Worcestershire Chronicle |date=22 May 1875 |access-date=5 October 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000350/18750522/065/0008| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="craig1832"/>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
Line 435: Line 540:
{{Election box majority|
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 103
|votes = 103
|percentage = 3.1
|percentage = 3.2
|change = ''N/A''
|change = ''N/A''
}}
}}
Line 457: Line 562:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1880 United Kingdom general election|General election 1880]]: Breconshire <ref name="craig1832">{{cite book|editor1-last=Craig|editor1-first=F. W. S.|editor-link=F. W. S. Craig|title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885|date=1977|publisher=Macmillan Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-349-02349-3|edition=1st|type=e-book}}</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1880 United Kingdom general election|General election 1880]]: Breconshire <ref name="craig1832">{{cite book|editor1-last=Craig|editor1-first=F. W. S.|editor-link=F. W. S. Craig|title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885|date=1977|publisher=Macmillan Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-349-02349-3|edition=1st|type=e-book}}</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
Line 473: Line 578:
{{Election box majority|
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 260
|votes = 260
|percentage = 7.7
|percentage = 7.8
|change = ''N/A''
|change = ''N/A''
}}
}}
Line 492: Line 597:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1885 United Kingdom general election|General election 1885]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1885 United Kingdom general election|General election 1885]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
Line 509: Line 614:
|votes = 1,502
|votes = 1,502
|percentage = 18.6
|percentage = 18.6
|change = +10.9
|change = +10.8
}}
}}
{{Election box turnout|
{{Election box turnout|
Line 526: Line 631:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1886 United Kingdom general election|General election 1886]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1886 United Kingdom general election|General election 1886]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
Line 539: Line 644:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1892 United Kingdom general election|General election 1892]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1892 United Kingdom general election|General election 1892]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
|candidate = [[William Fuller-Maitland]]
Line 548: Line 653:
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (soldier)|Thomas Wood]]
|candidate = Thomas Wood (soldier)|Thomas Wood
|votes =3,418
|votes =3,418
|percentage = 42.2
|percentage = 42.2
|change = ''N/A''
|change = ''New''
}}
}}
{{Election box majority|
{{Election box majority|
Line 573: Line 678:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1895 United Kingdom general election|General election 1895]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1895 United Kingdom general election|General election 1895]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Charles Morley (Breconshire MP)|Charles Morley]]
|candidate = [[Charles Morley (Breconshire MP)|Charles Morley]]
Line 582: Line 687:
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Thomas Wood (soldier)|Thomas Wood]]
|candidate = Thomas Wood (soldier)|Thomas Wood
|votes =3,631
|votes =3,631
|percentage = 44.1
|percentage = 44.1
Line 610: Line 715:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1900 United Kingdom general election|General election 1900]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1900 United Kingdom general election|General election 1900]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Charles Morley (Breconshire MP)|Charles Morley]]
|candidate = [[Charles Morley (Breconshire MP)|Charles Morley]]
Line 621: Line 726:
{{Election box begin | title=[[1906 United Kingdom general election|General election 1906]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=[[1906 United Kingdom general election|General election 1906]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Sidney Robinson (politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
|candidate = [[Sidney Robinson (British politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
|votes = 5,776
|votes = 5,776
|percentage = 62.3
|percentage = 62.3
Line 633: Line 738:
|votes =3,499
|votes =3,499
|percentage = 37.7
|percentage = 37.7
|change = ''N/A''
|change = ''New''
}}
}}
{{Election box majority|
{{Election box majority|
Line 658: Line 763:
|title=[[January 1910 United Kingdom general election|General election January 1910]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
|title=[[January 1910 United Kingdom general election|General election January 1910]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Sidney Robinson (politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
|candidate = [[Sidney Robinson (British politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
|votes = 6,335
|votes = 6,335
|percentage = 62.1
|percentage = 62.1
Line 678: Line 783:
}}
}}
{{Election box turnout|
{{Election box turnout|
|votes =
|votes = 10,200
|percentage = 75.9
|percentage = 75.9
|change = +0.1
|change = +0.1
Line 690: Line 795:
|title=[[December 1910 United Kingdom general election|General election December 1910]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
|title=[[December 1910 United Kingdom general election|General election December 1910]]: Breconshire <ref name="ReferenceA">British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = [[Sidney Robinson (politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
|candidate = [[Sidney Robinson (British politician)|Sidney Robinson]]
|votes = 5,511
|votes = 5,511
|percentage = 60.3
|percentage = 60.3
Line 699: Line 804:
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = [[John Conway Lloyd]]
|candidate = John Conway Lloyd
|votes =3,631
|votes =3,631
|percentage = 39.7
|percentage = 39.7
Line 710: Line 815:
}}
}}
{{Election box turnout|
{{Election box turnout|
|votes =
|votes = 9,142
|percentage = 68.1
|percentage = 68.1
|change =-7.8
|change =-7.8
Line 732: Line 837:
* J Holladay Philbin, ''Parliamentary Representation 1832 - England and Wales'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
* J Holladay Philbin, ''Parliamentary Representation 1832 - England and Wales'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
* {{Rayment-hc|b|5|date=March 2012}}
* {{Rayment-hc|b|5|date=March 2012}}

{{Historic constituencies in Wales|selected = Until 1918}}


[[Category:Brecknockshire]]
[[Category:Brecknockshire]]
[[Category:Historic parliamentary constituencies in Mid Wales]]
[[Category:Historic parliamentary constituencies in Mid Wales]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1542]]
[[Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1542]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies disestablished in 1918]]
[[Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1918]]

Revision as of 15:17, 19 July 2024

Breconshire
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1542–1918
Seatsone
Replaced byBrecon and Radnor

Breconshire or Brecknockshire was a constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the English Parliament, and later to the Parliament of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom, between 1542 and 1918. (Historically, the "-shire" suffix was often omitted, leading to potential confusion with the Brecon borough constituency, which existed until 1885.)

History

Like the rest of Wales, Breconshire was given the right to representation by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542, and first returned an MP to the Parliament of 1542. The constituency consisted of the historic county of Brecknockshire. (Although the county town, Brecon, was a borough which elected an MP in its own right, it was not excluded from the county constituency, and owning property within the borough could confer a vote at the county election.) The county elected one MP, who was chosen by the first past the post electoral system — when there was a contest at all, which was rare.

As in other county constituencies, the franchise until 1832 was defined by the Forty Shilling Freeholder Act, which gave the right to vote to every man who possessed freehold property within the county valued at £2 or more per year for the purposes of land tax; it was not necessary for the freeholder to occupy his land, nor even in later years to be resident in the county at all. At the time of the Great Reform Act in 1832, Breconshire had a population of approximately 47,800, but the rarity of contested elections makes it difficult to make a reliable estimate of the number qualified to vote; the greatest number ever recorded as voting before the Reform Act was 1,641 at the general election of 1818.

For centuries before 1832, Breconshire politics was dominated by the Morgan family of Tredegar, who were usually able to nominate the county's MP without opposition (as was also the case in Brecon borough). The changes introduced by the Reform Act did little to shake this hold, and a Morgan was still sitting unopposed in the 1860s. The Reform Act extended the county franchise slightly, allowing tenants-at-will, copyholders and leaseholders to vote, but Breconshire's electorate was still only 1,668 at the first post-Reform election, though it grew in the subsequent half-century.

Breconshire was always an almost entirely rural constituency, mountainous and offering poor resources for its agricultural population. The Industrial Revolution, however, brought coal-mining to the south of the county, and by the late 19th century this was much the most important economic activity and was probably the most important factor in its developing a political mind of its own. By the 1890s it had abandoned its loyalty to the (Conservative) Morgans, and like other industrial constituencies in Wales was a safe Liberal seat.

By the time of the 1911 census, the population of Breconshire was 63,036, and there were around 13,000 voters on the register around the outbreak of the First World War, a respectable size, but neighbouring Radnorshire with barely 6,000 voters was too small to survive. With effect from the 1918 general election, the two constituencies were merged, to form a new Brecon and Radnor constituency.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1542-1640 — MPs 1640-1918 — Elections — References — Notes

MPs 1542–1640

Parliament Member
1545 John Games (or ap Morgan) [1]
1547 Sir John Price[1]
1553 (Mar) Sir Roger Vaughan[1]
1553 (Oct) Sir Roger Vaughan[1]
1554 (Apr) Sir Roger Vaughan[1]
1554 (Nov) Rhys Vaughan[1]
1558 Watkin (or Walter) Herbert[1]
1559 (Jan) Sir Roger Vaughan[2]
1562 (Dec) Rowland Vaughan, died
and replaced 1566 by Matthew Arundell[2]
1571 Sir Roger Vaughan[2]
1572 Thomas Games[2]
1584 (Nov) Thomas Games[2]
1586 Thomas Games[2]
1588–1589 Sir Robert Knollys[2]
1593 Sir Robert Knollys[2]
1597 (Sep) Sir Robert Knollys[2]
1601 (Oct) Sir Robert Knollys[2]
1614 Sir Charles Vaughan
1621 Sir Henry Williams
1625 Sir Charles Vaughan
1626 John Price
1628 Henry Williams
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned

Back to Members of Parliament

MPs 1640–1918

Year Member Party
April 1640 William Morgan Parliamentarian
November 1640 William Morgan Parliamentarian
1650 Colonel Philip Jones
1653 Breconshire was not separately represented in the Barebones Parliament
Representation increased to two members, 1654
1654 Lord Herbert and Edmund Jones
1656 Colonel Philip Jones and Evan Lewis
Representation reverted to one member, 1659
January 1659 Edmund Jones
May 1659 Colonel Philip Jones
April 1660 Sir William Lewis
April 1661 Sir Henry Williams
November 1661 John Jeffreys
1662 Edward Proger
1679 Richard Williams
1685 Edward Jones
1690 Rowland Gwynne Whig
1695 Edward Jones Tory
1697 Sir Edward Williams Tory
1698 Sir Rowland Gwynne Whig
1702 John Jeffreys Tory
1705 Sir Edward Williams Tory
1721 William Gwyn Vaughan
1734 John Jeffreys
1747 Thomas Morgan
1769 Charles Morgan
1787 Sir Charles Gould (later Sir Charles Gould Morgan) [3]
1806 Thomas Wood Tory[4]
1834 Conservative[4]
1847 Sir Joseph Bailey Conservative
1858 Hon. Godfrey Morgan Conservative
1875 William Fuller-Maitland Liberal
1895 Charles Morley Liberal
1906 Sidney Robinson Liberal
1918 Constituency abolished

Back to Members of Parliament

Elections

Decades:

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Breconshire[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Thomas Wood Unopposed
Registered electors c. 2,000
Tory hold
General election 1831: Breconshire[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Thomas Wood 282 67.1
Whig John Lloyd Vaughan Watkins 138 32.9
Majority 144 34.2
Turnout 420 c. 21.0
Registered electors c. 2,000
Tory hold
General election 1832: Breconshire[4][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Thomas Wood Unopposed
Registered electors 1,668
Tory hold
General election 1835: Breconshire[4][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Thomas Wood Unopposed
Registered electors 1,897
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Breconshire[4][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Thomas Wood 1,222 68.2
Whig James Price Gwynne-Holford 570 31.8
Majority 652 36.4
Turnout 1,792 78.1
Registered electors 2,295
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Wood Unopposed
Registered electors 2,830
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joseph Bailey Unopposed
Registered electors 2,548
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joseph Bailey Unopposed
Registered electors 2,779
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joseph Bailey Unopposed
Registered electors 2,609
Conservative hold

Bailey's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 28 December 1858: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Morgan Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Morgan Unopposed
Registered electors 2,688
Conservative hold

Back to Elections

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Morgan Unopposed
Registered electors 2,409
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Morgan Unopposed
Registered electors 3,644
Conservative hold

Back to Elections

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Breconshire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Morgan 1,594 60.6 N/A
Liberal William Fuller-Maitland 1,036 39.4 New
Majority 558 21.2 N/A
Turnout 2,630 73.6 N/A
Registered electors 3,574
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Morgan succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Tredegar.

By-election, 22 May 1875: Breconshire[7][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Fuller-Maitland 1,710 51.6 +12.2
Conservative Howel Gwyn 1,607 48.4 −12.2
Majority 103 3.2 N/A
Turnout 3,317 77.9 +4.3
Registered electors 4,256
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +12.2

Back to Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Breconshire [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Fuller-Maitland 1,810 53.9 +14.5
Conservative Arthur John Morgan 1,550 46.1 −14.5
Majority 260 7.8 N/A
Turnout 3,360 80.1 +6.5
Registered electors 4,195
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +14.5
General election 1885: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Fuller-Maitland 4,784 59.3 +5.4
Conservative Arthur John Morgan 3,282 40.7 −5.4
Majority 1,502 18.6 +10.8
Turnout 8,066 84.7 +4.6
Registered electors 9,520
Liberal hold Swing +5.4
General election 1886: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Fuller-Maitland Unopposed
Liberal hold

Back to Elections

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Fuller-Maitland 4,676 57.8 N/A
Conservative Thomas Wood (soldier) 3,418 42.2 New
Majority 1,258 15.6 N/A
Turnout 8,094 76.7 N/A
Registered electors 10,551
Liberal hold
Morley
General election 1895: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Morley 4,594 55.9 −1.9
Conservative Thomas Wood (soldier) 3,631 44.1 +1.9
Majority 963 11.8 −3.8
Turnout 8,225 75.8 −0.9
Registered electors 10,849
Liberal hold Swing -1.9

Back to Elections

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Morley Unopposed
Liberal hold
Robinson
General election 1906: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sidney Robinson 5,776 62.3 N/A
Conservative Robert Devereux 3,499 37.7 New
Majority 2,277 24.6 N/A
Turnout 9,275 75.8 N/A
Registered electors 12,235
Liberal hold

Back to Elections

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sidney Robinson 6,335 62.1 −0.2
Conservative Robert Devereux 3,865 37.9 +0.2
Majority 2,470 24.2 −0.4
Turnout 10,200 75.9 +0.1
Liberal hold Swing -0.2
General election December 1910: Breconshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sidney Robinson 5,511 60.3 −1.8
Conservative John Conway Lloyd 3,631 39.7 +1.8
Majority 1,880 20.6 −3.6
Turnout 9,142 68.1 −7.8
Liberal hold Swing -1.8

Back to Elections

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "History of Parliament". Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  3. ^ Adopted the surname Morgan in 1792
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 177–178. Retrieved 5 May 2020 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Breconshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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.
  7. ^ "Breconshire Election - Liberal Victory". Worcestershire Chronicle. 22 May 1875. Retrieved 5 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)

Notes

  • 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) [1]
  • The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)
  • F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
  • Henry Pelling, Social Geography of British Elections 1885-1910 (London: Macmillan, 1967)
  • 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 "B" (part 5)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Breconshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)&oldid=1235495477"