Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bodmin
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1295–1885
Seats1295–1868: two
1868–1885: one
Replaced byBodmin
Bodmin division of Cornwall
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Bodmin in Cornwall 1974-83
18851983
SeatsOne
Created fromBodmin, East Cornwall and Liskeard
Replaced byNorth Cornwall and South East Cornwall

Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member.

The old borough was abolished with effect from the 1885 general election, but the name was transferred to a county constituency, which elected a single member until the constituency was abolished with effect from the 1983 general election, when the area it then covered was divided between the existing North Cornwall and the new Cornwall South East.

Boundaries[edit]

1885–1918: The Boroughs of Bodmin and Liskeard, the Sessional Division of East, South, and West Hundred, part of the Sessional Division of Powder Tywardreath, and the parishes of Bodmin, Helland, and Lanivet.

1918–1950: The Boroughs of Bodmin, Fowey, Liskeard, Lostwithiel, and Saltash, the Urban Districts of Callington, Looe, and Torpoint, the Rural Districts of Liskeard and St Germans, in the Rural District of St Austell the parishes of St Sampson and Tywardreath, and part of the Rural District of Bodmin.

1950–1974: The Boroughs of Bodmin, Fowey, Liskeard, Lostwithiel, and Saltash, the Urban Districts of Looe and Torpoint, the Rural Districts of Liskeard and St Germans, in the Rural District of St Austell the parishes of Lanlivery, Luxulyan, and St Sampson, and in the Rural District of Wadebridge the parishes of Blisland, Cardinham, Helland, Lanhydrock, Lanivet, and Withiel.

1974–1983: The Boroughs of Bodmin, Liskeard, and Saltash, the Urban Districts of Looe and Torpoint, the Rural Districts of Liskeard and St Germans, the Rural Borough of Lostwithiel, in the Rural District of St Austell the parishes of Lanlivery, Luxulyan, and St Sampson, and in the Rural District of Wadebridge and Padstow the parishes of Blisland, Cardinham, Helland, Lanhydrock, Lanivet, and Withiel.

History[edit]

Borough constituency (1295–1885)[edit]

The borough which was represented from the time of the Model Parliament consisted of the town of Bodmin though not the whole of the parish. Unlike many of the boroughs in Cornwall which were represented in the Unreformed House of Commons, Bodmin was a town of reasonable size and retained some importance; for most purposes, indeed, it was considered the county town of Cornwall. In 1831, the population of the borough was 3,375, and contained 596 houses.

The right to vote, however, was held not by the residents at large but by the town's corporation, consisting of a Mayor, 11 aldermen and 24 common councilmen. Contested elections were quite unknown before the Reform Act, the choice of the two MPs being left entirely to the "patron". However, this power did not arise, as in many rotten boroughs, from the patron being able to coerce the voters; in Bodmin, the patron was expected to meet the public and private expenses of the corporation and its members in return for their acquiescence at election time.

Early in the 18th century, the Robartes family (Earls of Radnor) were the accepted patrons. Their interest was inherited by George Hunt, whose mother was the Robartes heiress, but he ran into difficulties and could not afford to retain complete control. By the 1760s another local magnate, Sir William Irby, secured enough of the town's goodwill to have a say in the choice of one member, while Hunt continued to select the other.[1] In 1816, the patron was Lord de Dunstanville, nominating both MPs, but he found himself so overburdened with debts that he was forced to give it up, and The Marquess of Hertford was induced to take over the patronage, and the corporation's debts.

While the MP was not expected to assume the same financial obligations as the patron, nor to attend to the needs of his constituents in the manner of a modern MP, they were expected to attend the election ball, a high point in the social calendar for the wives and daughters of the otherwise undistinguished corporation members. John Wilson Croker, elected in 1820, described the Bodmin ball as "tumultuous and merry " but "at once tiresome and foolish".

Bodmin retained both its MPs under the Reform Act, but its boundaries were extended to bring in more of Bodmin parish and the whole of the neighbouring parishes of Lanivet, Lanhydrock and Helland. This increased the population to 5,258, although only 252 were qualified to vote.

By the time of the second Reform Act in 1867, Bodmin's electorate was still below 400, and consequently its representation was halved with effect from the 1868 general election. The extension of the franchise more than doubled the electorate, but Bodmin was still far too small to survive as a borough, and was abolished in 1885.

County constituency (1885–1983)[edit]

Bodmin in Cornwall & Devon 1918–1945

The Bodmin constituency from 1885 until 1918, strictly called the South-Eastern or Bodmin Division of Cornwall, covered the whole of the south-east corner of the county, including as well as Bodmin itself the towns of Liskeard, Fowey, Lostwithiel and Saltash. Although predominantly rural, the string of small ports along its coast gave it a maritime as well as agricultural character. Through most of this period the constituency was marginal, the Unionists being helped by the popularity of their candidate Leonard Courtney, who had been Liberal MP for Liskeard when it was still a separate borough before joining the Liberal Unionists when the party split in 1886. Looe and the other fishing ports were predominantly Liberal and Fowey a Unionist stronghold, while the areas within the ambit of Plymouth's dockyards tended to vote against whichever was the sitting government. Another factor was the strength of non-conformist religion, as elsewhere in Cornwall, and this was thought to be the explanation for the Liberal gain in 1906, when agricultural seats elsewhere mostly remained with the Tories.

The boundary changes at the 1918 general election, which established what was now called Cornwall, Bodmin Division, and later Bodmin County Constituency, extended the constituency somewhat towards the centre of the county, taking in Callington and the surrounding district. These boundaries remained essentially unchanged for the remainder of the constituency's existence, except that Fowey was moved into the Truro constituency in 1974. As elsewhere in Cornwall, Labour never established a foothold in Bodmin, and the Liberals remained the main challengers to the Conservatives. The Conservatives held it continuously from 1945 to 1964, and at one point might have considered it a safe seat, but by the mid-1960s the Liberal revival had established it as a Liberal-Conservative marginal, which it remained until its abolition.

The Bodmin constituency ceased to exist as a result of the boundary changes implemented in 1983. Although the bulk of the constituency survived, Bodmin itself had been moved, enforcing a change of name: Bodmin joined North Cornwall, while the rest of the constituency was reunited with Fowey to become South East Cornwall. Bodmin's last Member, Robert Hicks, stood and was elected for the latter constituency.

Members of Parliament[edit]

MPs 1295–1640[edit]

Parliament First member Second member
1351–52 Johannes De Tremayn[2][a 1]
Parliament of 1386 John Breton II Henry Baudyn
First Parliament of 1388 (Feb) Stephen Bant John Syreston
Second Parliament of 1388 (Sep) John Breton I Henry Baudyn
First Parliament of 1390 (Jan) John Breton I Henry Baudyn
Second Parliament of 1390 (Nov) ? ?
Parliament of 1391 John Breton I Thomas Bere
Parliament of 1393 John Breton I John Drewe
Parliament of 1394 ? ?
Parliament of 1395 John Tregoose Thomas Bere
First Parliament of 1397 (Jan) Stephen Trenewith Thomas Bere
Second Parliament of 1397 (Sep) John Trelawny I John Breton I
Parliament of 1399 John Burgh I James Halappe
Parliament of 1401 ? ?
Parliament of 1402 John Nicoll William Slingsby
First Parliament of 1404 (Jan)
Second Parliament of 1404 (Oct)
Parliament of 1406 Richard Allet Benedict Burgess
Parliament of 1407 Michael Froden Michael Hoge
Parliament of 1410 Otto Tregonan William Moyle
Parliament of 1411 Otto Tregonan John Wyse
First Parliament of 1413 (Feb)
Second Parliament of 1413 (May) John But Robert Treage
First Parliament of 1414 (Apr) John But Otto Tregonan
Second Parliament of 1414 (Nov) John Clink John But
Parliament of 1415 or 1416 (Mar) Nicholas Jop Otto Tregonan
Parliament of 1416 (Oct)
Parliament of 1417 Otto Tregonan John Trewoofe
Parliament of 1419 Nicholas Bouy John Trewoofe
Parliament of 1420 John Lawhire Robert Treage
First Parliament of 1421 (May) Otto Tregonan David Urban
Second Parliament of 1421 (Dec) William Chentleyn Philip Motty
Parliament of 1437 James Flamank Thomas Lanhergy
Parliament of 1515 John Flamank Thomas Trott
Parliament of 1529 Thomas Treffry I Gilbert Flamank
Parliament of 1545 Thomas Treffry II Henry Chiverton
Parliament of 1547 Henry Chiverton John Caplyn
First Parliament of 1553 (Mar) John Caplyn Ralph Cholmley
Second Parliament of 1553 Henry Chiverton Thomas Mildmay
First Parliament of 1554 (Apr) John Sulyard
Second Parliament of 1554 (Nov) John Courtney Ralph Michell
Parliament of 1555 Thomas Williams Humphrey Cavill
Parliament of 1558 Walter Hungerford John Norreys
Parliament of 1558–9 Nicholas Carminowe Digory Chamond
Parliament of 1562 John Mallett Francis Browne
Parliament of 1563–1567
Parliament of 1571 Humphrey Smith John Kestall
Parliament of 1572–1581 Thomas Cromwell Edmund Pooley
Parliament of 1584–1585 John Audley Gilbert Mitchell
Parliament of 1586–1587 Emmanuel Chamond Brutus Browne
Parliament of 1588–1589 Hugh Beeston
Parliament of 1593 Anthony Bennet Richard Cannock
Parliament of 1597–1598 Sir Bernard Grenville John Herbert
Parliament of 1601 William Lower John Pigot
Parliament of 1604–1611 John Stone Richard Spray
Addled Parliament (1614) Christopher Spray Richard Edgecumbe
Parliament of 1621–1622 Sir John Trevor James Bagge, junior
Happy Parliament (1624–1625) Sir Thomas Stafford Charles Berkeley
Useless Parliament (1625) Henry Jermyn Robert Caesar
Parliament of 1625–1626 Sir Richard Weston
Parliament of 1628–1629 Sir Robert Killigrew Humphrey Nicholls
No Parliament summoned 1629–1640

Back to Members of Parliament

MPs 1640–1868[edit]

Year 1st member 1st party 2nd member 2nd party
April 1640 Richard Prideaux Sir Richard Wynn[3]
November 1640 John Arundell Royalist Anthony Nicholl[4] Parliamentarian
January 1644 Arundel disabled from sitting - seat vacant
1648 Thomas Waller
December 1648 Waller excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant Nichols not known to have sat after Pride's Purge
1653 Bodmin was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
January 1659 John Silly William Turner
May 1659 Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660 Hender Robartes John Silly
1661 Sir John Carew
1679 Nicholas Glynn
1689 Sir John Cutler Bt
1693 Russell Robartes
1695 John Hoblyn Tory
July 1702 John Grobham Howe Tory
December 1702 Francis Robartes
1706 Thomas Herne
1708 John Trevanion[5] Russell Robartes
1710 Francis Robartes
1713 Thomas Sclater
1715 John Legh
1718 Charles Beauclerk
1722 Isaac le Heup Richard West
January 1727 John LaRoche
August 1727 Robert Booth
1733 Sir John Heathcote
1741 Thomas Bludworth
1747 Sir William Irby
1753 George Hunt
1761 John Parker
1762 Sir Christopher Treise
1768 James La Roche
1780 William Masterman
1784 Sir John Morshead Thomas Hunt
1789 George Wilbraham
1790 Roger Wilbraham
1796 John Nesbitt
July 1802 Charles Shaw-Lefevre, sat for Reading Whig
December 1802 Josias du Pre Porcher John Sargent
August 1806 James Topping
November 1806 William Wingfield Tory[6] Davies Giddy, later Gilbert Tory[6]
1807 Sir William Oglander Tory[6]
1812 Charles Bathurst Tory[6]
1818 Thomas Bradyll Tory[6]
1820 John Wilson Croker Tory[6]
1826 Horace Seymour Tory[6]
1832 William Peter Whig[6][7] Samuel Thomas Spry Whig[6]
1835 Charles Vivian Whig[6][8][9]
1837 Conservative[6][10]
1841 John Dunn Gardner Conservative[6]
1843 Sir Samuel Thomas Spry Conservative[6]
1847 James Wyld Radical[11][12][13] Henry Lacy Whig[14][15]
1852 William Michell Conservative[16][17][18][19] Charles Graves-Sawle Whig
1857 Hon. John Vivian Whig[20][21] James Wyld Radical[11][12][22]
April 1859 Hon. Frederick Leveson-Gower Liberal William Michell Conservative
August 1859 James Wyld Liberal
1868 Representation reduced to one member

Back to Members of Parliament

MPs 1868–1983[edit]

Election Member Party
1868 Representation reduced to one member
1868 Hon. Frederick Leveson-Gower Liberal
1885 Leonard Courtney Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1900 Sir Lewis Molesworth Liberal Unionist
1906 Thomas Agar-Robartes Liberal
1906 by-election Freeman Freeman-Thomas Liberal
1910 Cecil Grenfell Liberal
1910 Sir Reginald Pole-Carew Liberal Unionist
1916 by-election Charles Hanson Coalition Conservative
1922 by-election Isaac Foot Liberal
1924 Gerald Harrison Conservative
1929 Isaac Foot Liberal
1935 John Rathbone Conservative
1941 by-election Beatrice Rathbone (later Wright) Conservative
1945 Sir Douglas Marshall Conservative
1964 Peter Bessell Liberal
1970 Robert Hicks Conservative
Feb 1974 Paul Tyler Liberal
Oct 1974 Robert Hicks Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Back to Members of Parliament

Elections[edit]

Bodmin // South East Cornwall election results

Elections in the 1830s[edit]

General election 1830: Bodmin (2 seats)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Davies Gilbert Unopposed
Tory Horace Seymour Unopposed
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Bodmin (2 seats)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Davies Gilbert Unopposed
Tory Horace Seymour Unopposed
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1832: Bodmin (2 seats)[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Peter 171 43.7 New
Whig Samuel Thomas Spry 114 29.2 New
Whig Charles Vivian 106 27.1 New
Majority 8 1.9 N/A
Turnout 222 88.1 N/A
Registered electors 252
Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A
Whig gain from Tory Swing N/A
General election 1835: Bodmin (2 seats)[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles Vivian 170 39.9 +12.8
Whig Samuel Thomas Spry 138 32.4 +3.2
Conservative Edward Eliot 118 27.7 New
Majority 20 4.7 +2.8
Turnout 234 74.8 −13.3
Registered electors 313
Whig hold Swing N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1837: Bodmin (2 seats)[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles Vivian 200 46.7 +6.8
Conservative Samuel Thomas Spry 130 30.4 +2.7
Whig Carteret John William Ellis[23] 98 22.9 −9.5
Turnout 250 75.1 +0.3
Registered electors 333
Majority 70 16.3 +11.6
Whig hold Swing +2.7
Majority 32 7.5 N/A
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +2.7

Elections in the 1840s[edit]

General election 1841: Bodmin (2 seats)[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles Vivian 224 44.7 −24.9
Conservative John Townshend 142 28.3 +13.1
Conservative Samuel Thomas Spry 135 26.9 +11.7
Majority 82 16.4 ±0.0
Turnout 227 61.7 −13.4
Registered electors 368
Whig hold Swing −24.9
Conservative hold Swing +12.8

Vivian succeeded to the peerage, becoming 2nd Baron Vivian and causing a by-election.

By-election, 9 February 1843: Bodmin[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Thomas Spry 165 50.6 −4.6
Whig Charles Graves-Sawle 161 49.4 +4.7
Majority 4 1.2 N/A
Turnout 326 80.5 +18.8
Registered electors 405
Conservative gain from Whig Swing −4.7
General election 1847: Bodmin (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical James Wyld 297 44.1 New
Whig Henry Lacy 259 38.5 −6.2
Conservative Samuel Thomas Spry 117 17.4 −37.8
Turnout 337 (est) 83.9 (est) +22.2
Registered electors 401
Majority 38 5.6 N/A
Radical gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Majority 142 21.1 +4.7
Whig hold Swing +6.4

Back to elections

Elections in the 1850s[edit]

General election 1852: Bodmin (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Michell 273 38.2 +29.5
Whig Charles Graves-Sawle 157 22.0 −16.5
Conservative William Henderson[24] 149 20.8 +12.1
Radical Edward Capel Whitehurst[25] 82 11.5 −32.6
Peelite Henry Carr[26][27][28] 54 7.6 N/A
Turnout 358 (est) 97.4 (est) +13.5
Registered electors 367
Majority 116 16.2 N/A
Conservative gain from Radical Swing +22.9
Majority 8 1.2 −19.9
Whig hold Swing −18.7
General election 1857: Bodmin (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Vivian 244 38.5 '+16.5
Radical James Wyld 190 30.0 +18.5
Conservative William Michell[29] 169 26.7 −11.5
Whig Harvey Lewis[30][31] 31 4.9 N/A
Turnout 317 (est) 81.3 (est) −16.1
Registered electors 390
Majority 54 8.5 +7.3
Whig hold Swing N/A
Majority 21 3.3 N/A
Radical gain from Conservative Swing +15.0
General election 1859: Bodmin (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Leveson-Gower 215 37.1 N/A
Conservative William Michell 198 34.1 +7.4
Liberal James Wyld 167 28.8 −1.2
Turnout 290 (est) 74.4 (est) −6.9
Registered electors 390
Majority 17 3.0 −0.3
Liberal hold Swing N/A
Majority 31 5.3 N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.3

Michell resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 August 1859: Bodmin[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Wyld Unopposed
Liberal gain from Conservative

Back to elections

Elections in the 1860s[edit]

General election 1865: Bodmin (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Leveson-Gower 263 42.8 +5.7
Liberal James Wyld 238 38.7 +9.9
Conservative Charles Locock Webb[32] 114 18.5 −15.6
Majority 124 20.2 +17.2
Turnout 365 (est) 91.8 (est) +17.4
Registered electors 397
Liberal hold Swing +6.8
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +8.9

The seat was reduced to one member for the 1868 election.

General election 1868: Bodmin[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Leveson-Gower 424 55.9 +13.1
Liberal James Wyld 334 44.1 +5.4
Majority 90 11.8 −8.4
Turnout 758 85.6 −6.2
Registered electors 886
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Back to elections

Elections in the 1870s[edit]

General election 1874: Bodmin[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Leveson-Gower 464 57.5 +1.6
Liberal Charles Eldon Sargeant[33] 230 28.5 -15.6
Conservative Charles Locock Webb[32] 113 14.0 New
Majority 234 29.0 +17.2
Turnout 807 84.2 −1.4
Registered electors 959
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Back to elections

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 1880: Bodmin[10][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Leveson-Gower 418 52.7 −4.8
Liberal James Ross Farquharson[35] 375 47.3 +18.8
Majority 43 5.4 −23.6
Turnout 793 87.8 +3.6
Registered electors 903
Liberal hold Swing −11.8
Courtney
General election 1885: Bodmin[36][37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leonard Courtney 4,254 57.8 +5.1
Conservative Charles Ernest Edgcumbe 3,101 42.2 New
Majority 1,153 15.6 +10.2
Turnout 7,355 80.3 −7.5
Registered electors 9,158
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1886: Bodmin[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Leonard Courtney 3,763 64.2 +22.0
Liberal John Abraham[38] 2,101 35.8 −22.0
Majority 1,662 28.4 N/A
Turnout 5,864 64.0 −16.3
Registered electors 9,158
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +22.0

Back to elections

Elections in the 1890s[edit]

General election 1892: Bodmin[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Leonard Courtney 3,809 51.6 −12.6
Liberal John McDougall 3,578 48.4 +12.6
Majority 231 3.2 −25.2
Turnout 7,387 79.7 +15.7
Registered electors 9,263
Liberal Unionist hold Swing −12.6
General election 1895: Bodmin[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Leonard Courtney 4,035 53.6 +2.0
Liberal John McDougall 3,492 46.4 −2.0
Majority 543 7.2 +4.0
Turnout 7,527 78.3 −1.4
Registered electors 9,607
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +2.0

Back to elections

Elections in the 1900s[edit]

General election 1900: Bodmin[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Lewis Molesworth 4,280 56.9 +3.3
Liberal Thomas Snape 3,248 43.1 −3.3
Majority 1,032 13.8 +6.6
Turnout 7,528 75.1 −3.2
Registered electors 10,026
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +3.3
Agar-Robartes
General election 1906: Bodmin[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Agar-Robartes 5,201 56.3 +13.2
Liberal Unionist H. B. Grylls 4,029 43.7 −13.2
Majority 1,172 12.6 N/A
Turnout 9,230 86.0 +10.9
Registered electors 10,731
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +13.2
1906 Bodmin by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Freeman Freeman-Thomas 4,969 56.2 −0.1
Liberal Unionist George Sandys 3,876 43.8 +0.1
Majority 1,093 12.4 −0.2
Turnout 8,845 82.4 −3.6
Registered electors 10,731
Liberal hold Swing −0.1

Back to elections

Elections in the 1910s[edit]

Cecil Grenfell
General election January 1910: Bodmin[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cecil Grenfell 5,133 50.2 −6.1
Liberal Unionist Reginald Pole-Carew 5,083 49.8 +6.1
Majority 50 0.4 −12.2
Turnout 10,216 88.4 +2.4
Registered electors 11,553
Liberal hold Swing −6.1
Isaac Foot
General election December 1910: Bodmin[39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Reginald Pole-Carew 5,021 50.2 +0.4
Liberal Isaac Foot 4,980 49.8 −0.4
Majority 41 0.4 N/A
Turnout 10,001 86.6 −1.8
Registered electors 11,553
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +0.4

General election 1914–15:

Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

1916 Bodmin by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Hanson Unopposed
Unionist hold
General election 1918: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Charles Hanson 12,228 58.4 +8.2
Liberal Isaac Foot 8,705 41.6 −8.2
Majority 3,523 16.8 +16.4
Turnout 20,933 69.1 −17.5
Unionist hold Swing +8.2
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Back to elections

Elections in the 1920s[edit]

1922 Bodmin by-election: Bodmin[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Isaac Foot 13,751 56.4 +14.8
C Unionist Frederick Poole 10,610 43.6 −14.8
Majority 3.141 12.8 N/A
Turnout 24,361 74.8 +5.7
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +14.8
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1922: Bodmin[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Isaac Foot 14,292 53.4 −3.0
Unionist Frederick Poole 12,467 46.6 +3.0
Majority 1,825 6.8 −6.0
Turnout 26,759 80.4 +5.6
Liberal hold Swing −3.0
General election 1923: Bodmin[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Isaac Foot 14,536 53.6 +0.2
Unionist Frederick Poole 12,574 46.4 −0.2
Majority 1,962 7.2 +0.4
Turnout 27,110 82.0 +1.6
Liberal hold Swing +0.2
General election 1924: Bodmin[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Gerald Harrison 14,163 51.1 +4.7
Liberal Isaac Foot 13,548 48.9 −4.7
Majority 615 2.2 N/A
Turnout 27,711 82.4 +0.4
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +4.7
General election 1929: Bodmin[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Isaac Foot 16,002 46.3 −2.6
Unionist Gerald Harrison 15,088 43.7 −7.4
Labour Paul Reed 3,437 10.0 New
Majority 914 2.6 N/A
Turnout 34,527 84.9 +2.5
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +2.4

Back to elections

Elections in the 1930s[edit]

General election 1931: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Isaac Foot Unopposed N/A N/A
Liberal hold
General election 1935: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Rathbone 17,485 50.4 New
Liberal Isaac Foot 14,732 42.4 N/A
Labour Harold E. J. Falconer 2,496 7.2 New
Majority 2,753 8.0 N/A
Turnout 34,713 82.3 N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Back to elections

Elections in the 1940s[edit]

1941 Bodmin by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Beatrice Rathbone Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold
General election 1945: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Marshall 15,396 43.8 -6.6
Liberal John Foot 13,349 38.0 -4.4
Labour Jack Hubert Pitts 6,401 18.2 +11.0
Majority 2,047 5.8 -2.2
Turnout 35,146 76.1 -6.2
Conservative hold Swing

Back to elections

Elections in the 1950s[edit]

General election 1950: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Marshall 19,441 49.2 +5.4
Liberal John Foot 11,649 29.5 +8.5
Labour William Royle 8,434 21.3 +3.1
Majority 7,792 19.7 +13.9
Turnout 39,524 84.3 +8.2
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Marshall 20,086 50.9 +1.7
Liberal T. Stuart Roseveare 10,088 25.6 -3.9
Labour William Royle 9,244 23.5 +2.2
Majority 9,998 25.3 +5.6
Turnout 39,418 84.6 +0.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Marshall 17,858 49.2 -1.7
Liberal T. Stuart Roseveare 10,199 28.0 +2.4
Labour E. Fraser Wilde 8,304 22.8 -0.7
Majority 7,659 21.2 -4.1
Turnout 36,361 79.5 -5.1
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Marshall 16,853 46.0 -3.2
Liberal Peter Bessell 14,052 38.3 +10.3
Labour Thomas F. Mitchell 5,769 15.7 -7.1
Majority 2,801 7.7 -13.5
Turnout 36,674 81.5 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing

Back to elections

Elections in the 1960s[edit]

General election 1964: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Bessell 18,046 48.6 +10.3
Conservative Douglas Marshall 14,910 40.2 -5.8
Labour Thomas F. Mitchell 4,172 11.2 -4.5
Majority 3,136 8.45 N/A
Turnout 37,128 82.7 +1.2
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1966: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Bessell 18,144 46.6 -2.0
Conservative John Gorst 16,121 41.4 +1.2
Labour Robert Blank 4,674 12.0 +0.8
Majority 2,023 5.2 -3.2
Turnout 38,939 84.4 +1.7
Liberal hold Swing

Back to elections

Elections in the 1970s[edit]

General election 1970: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hicks 20,187 48.3 +6.9
Liberal Paul Tyler 16,267 38.9 -7.7
Labour Alfred F. Long 5,350 12.8 +0.8
Majority 3,920 9.4 N/A
Turnout 41,804 80.6 -3.8
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General election February 1974: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paul Tyler 20,283 44.2 +5.3
Conservative Robert Hicks 20,274 44.2 -4.1
Labour G. Lonsdale 5,328 11.61 -1.2
Majority 9 0.0 N/A
Turnout 45,885 83.3 +2.7
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General election October 1974: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hicks 20,756 45.5 +1.3
Liberal Paul Tyler 20,091 44.0 -0.2
Labour P. C. Knight 4,814 10.5 -1.1
Majority 665 1.5 N/A
Turnout 45,661 82.3 -1.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General election 1979: Bodmin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hicks 27,922 54.9 +9.4
Liberal Paul Tyler 17,893 35.2 -8.8
Labour Nigel Knowles 3,508 6.9 -3.6
Mebyon Kernow Roger Holmes 865 1.7 New
Ecology C. Retallack 465 0.9 New
National Front M. Carter 235 0.5 New
Majority 10,029 19.7 +18.2
Turnout 50,023 82.5 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing

Back to elections

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Also member for Helston.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pages 144 and 147, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition - London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
  2. ^ Tremayne, Joy; Chapple, Mandy. Tremayne Family History. p. 4.
  3. ^ Wynn was also elected for Andover, which he apparently chose to represent.
  4. ^ Nicholl was disabled from sitting by an order in January 1648, but this was revoked in June 1648.
  5. ^ This John Trevanion was NOT John Trevanion, the Civil War hero, who died in 1643.
  6. ^ 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, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 37–39. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  7. ^ Wigley, John (1980). The Rise and Fall of the Victorian Sunday. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 37. ISBN 0-7190-0794-1. Retrieved 8 September 2019 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Mosse, Richard B. (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 234.
  9. ^ Whittingham, C. (1836). The Assembled Commons 1836. London: Edward Churton. p. 177. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  11. ^ a b "The General Election". The Morning Post. 8 July 1852. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 29 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ a b "Our Representation System: Bodmin". London Daily News. 14 October 1850. p. 3. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Bodmin". Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. 31 July 1847. p. 4. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Members Returned". Norfolk News. 14 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ Ollivier, John (2007). "Alphabetical List of the House of Commons". Ollivier's parliamentary and political director. p. 37. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Bodmin". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 12 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 15 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "The New House of Commons". Staffordshire Advertiser. 17 July 1852. p. 8. Retrieved 15 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "The Polls". Westmorland Gazette. 17 July 1852. p. 2. Retrieved 15 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "Cornwall". Western Times. 17 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 15 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "General Election 1841". Morning Post. 29 June 1841. pp. 2–4. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Elections Decided". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 10 July 1841. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ "James Wyld". The Atlas. 21 March 1857. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "Preparations for a General Election". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 17 July 1837. p. 5. Retrieved 8 September 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ "Bodmin". Evening Mail. 2 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ^ "Bodmin Election". Royal Cornwall Gazette. 9 July 1852. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. ^ "Metropolitan and Provincial". Chester Chronicle. 1 May 1852. p. 10. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ^ "Local Intelligence". Royal Cornwall Gazette. 7 May 1852. p. 5. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  28. ^ "Election Intelligence". Western Courier, West of England Conservative, Plymouth and Devonport Advertiser. 30 June 1852. p. 7. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  29. ^ "The General Election". Leeds Mercury. 26 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  30. ^ "Bodmin Election". Western Times. 28 March 1857. p. 8. Retrieved 15 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  31. ^ Guttsman, W. L. "The General Election of 1859 in the Cities of Yorkshire: A Study of Political Behaviour Under the Impact of the Reform Agitation". Cambridge University Press. p. 238. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  32. ^ a b "Bodmin Election". Media in Cornwall#Royal Cornwall Gazette. 15 September 1865.
  33. ^ "The New Parliament". Wrexham and Denbigh Weekly Advertiser. 7 February 1874. p. 8. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  34. ^ "Bodmin Election". The Cornishman. No. 90. 1 April 1880. p. 5.
  35. ^ "The General Election". London Evening Standard. 31 March 1880. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig).
  37. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886.
  38. ^ "Presentation to Mr John Abraham". Royal Cornwall Gazette. 24 December 1886. p. 7. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  39. ^ British parliamentary election results 1885-1918.
  40. ^ a b c d e F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow (1949), p. 310.

Sources[edit]