Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)

Chelmsford
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Chelmsford in Essex.

Outline map

Location of Essex within England.
County Essex
Population 105,424 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate 77,835 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlements Chelmsford, Great Baddow
Current constituency
Created 2010
Member of parliament Simon Burns (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from West Chelmsford, Maldon & East Chelmsford
18851997
Replaced by West Chelmsford, Maldon and Chelmsford East, Rayleigh
Created from West Essex
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency East of England

Chelmsford is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 2010 recreation by Simon Burns of the Conservative Party.[n 2]

Boundaries

1885-1918: The Sessional Divisions of Brentwood (except the civil parishes of Rainham and Wennington) and Chelmsford.

1918-1950: The Municipal Borough of Chelmsford, the Urban District of Brentwood, the Rural Districts of Chelmsford and Ongar, and in the Rural District of Billericay the civil parishes of Hutton, Ingrave, Mountnessing, Shenfield, and South Weald.

1950-1955: The Municipal Borough of Chelmsford, and the Rural Districts of Chelmsford and Ongar.

1955-1974: The Municipal Borough of Chelmsford, and the Rural District of Chelmsford.

1974-1983: The Municipal Borough of Chelmsford, and in the Rural District of Chelmsford the civil parishes of Danbury, East Hanningfield, Great Baddow, Highwood, Ingatestone and Fryerning, Little Baddow, Margaretting, Mountnessing, Rettendon, Runwell, Sandon, South Hanningfield, Stock, West Hanningfield, and Woodham Ferrers.

1983-1997: The Borough of Chelmsford wards of All Saints, Baddow Road, Boreham and Springfield, Cathedral, Danbury and Sandon, East and West Hanningfield, Galleywood, Goat Hall, Great Baddow Village, Highwood and Margaretting, Little Baddow, Mildmays, Moulsham Lodge, Oaklands, Patching Hall, Rothmans, St Andrew's, Stock, The Lawns, and Waterhouse Farm.

2010-present: The Borough of Chelmsford wards of Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park, Galleywood, Goat Hall, Great Baddow East, Great Baddow West, Marconi, Moulsham and Central, Moulsham Lodge, Patching Hall, St Andrew's, Springfield North, The Lawns, Trinity, and Waterhouse Farm.

Following the Boundary Commission review of parliamentary representation in 2008 Parliament created a new Chelmsford constituency which had for the previous three elections been split in two halves and included more surrounding rural settlements. A majority of the electorate for this new constituency comes from the previous West Chelmsford constituency. A smaller element (Great Baddow and outskirts) comes from the Maldon & East Chelmsford constituency.

The constituency is contained entirely within the Borough of Chelmsford which is larger and also contributes to the Maldon and Saffron Walden constituencies.

At its first contest in 2010, the seat was closely fought by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, who finished less than 10% apart, with Conservative candidate Simon Burns (the former MP for West Chelmsford) being elected. Labour polled 11%, despite having been only around 100 votes behind the Liberal Democrats in West Chelmsford in 2005, and even taking second place in 2001.

History

Chelmsford in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1918 to 1945.
Chelmsford in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1945 to 1950.

Chelmsford had its own constituency from 1885 until its abolition in 1997. During its latter years, the old seat was narrowly won by a Conservative over a strong Liberal Democrat performances, including their predecessor party the Liberal Party. The constituency was recreated in time for the 2010 general election.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1997

ElectionMember[3][4] Party
1885 William James Beadel Conservative
1892 by-election Thomas Usborne Conservative
1900 Sir Carne Rasch, Bt Conservative
1908 by-election E. G. Pretyman Conservative
1918 Coalition Conservative
1922 Conservative
1923 Sydney Walter Robinson Liberal
1924 Sir Henry Honywood Curtis-Bennett Conservative
1926 by-election Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury Conservative
1931 Sir Vivian Leonard Henderson Conservative
1935 John Macnamara Conservative
1945 by-election Ernest Millington Common Wealth
1946 Labour
1950 Sir Hubert Ashton Conservative
1964 Norman St John-Stevas Conservative
1987 Simon Burns Conservative
1997 constituency abolished - see West Chelmsford,
Maldon and Chelmsford East, Rayleigh

MPs since 2010

ElectionMember[4] Party
2010 Sir Simon Burns Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Chelmsford[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns 27,732 51.5 +5.4
Labour Chris Vince [7] 9,482 17.6 +6.7
UKIP Mark Gough[8] 7,652 14.2 +11.4
Liberal Democrat Stephen Robinson 6,394 11.9 −24.9
Green Angela Thomson 1,892 3.5 +2.6
Liberal Henry Boyle 665 1.2 +1.2
Majority 18,250 35.9
Turnout 53,817 68.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 2010: Chelmsford[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns* 25,207 46.2 +6.7
Liberal Democrat Stephen Robinson 20,097 36.8 +6.6
Labour Peter Dixon 5,980 11.0 −16.0
UKIP Ken Wedon 1,527 2.8 −0.6
BNP Michael Richard Bateman 899 1.6 +1.6
Green Angela Thomson 476 0.9 +0.9
English Democrat Claire Breed 254 0.5 +0.3
Reduce Tax On Beer Ben Sherman 153 0.3 +0.3
Majority 5,110 9.4
Turnout 54,593 70.4 +9.3
Conservative hold Swing
* Served in the 2005–2010 Parliament as MP for West Chelmsford

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1992: Chelmsford[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns 39,043 55.3 +3.4
Liberal Democrat Hugh Palmer Nicholson 20,783 29.4 −11.1
Labour Dr. Roy Kenneth Chad 10,010 14.2 +7.3
Green Ms. Eleanor Jessy Burgess 769 1.1 +0.4
Majority 18,260 25.9 +14.4
Turnout 70,605 84.6 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing +7.2

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Chelmsford[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns 35,231 51.9 +4.3
Liberal Stuart Gordon Mole 27,470 40.5 −6.5
Labour Clive Ernest Playford 4,642 6.8 +1.7
Green Anthony Charles Slade 486 0.7 N/A
Majority 7,761 11.4 +10.8
Turnout 67,829 82.2 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing +5.4
General Election 1983: Chelmsford[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Rt Hon. Norman St John-Stevas 29,824 47.6 −2.0
Liberal Stuart Gordon Mole 29,446 47.0 +5.5
Labour Clive Ernest Playford 3,208 5.1 −3.8
Independent Philip David Peile Waite 127 0.2 N/A
Majority 378 0.6 −9.3
Turnout 62,605 79.4 −4.5
Conservative hold Swing −4.7

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Rt Hon. Norman St John-Stevas 33,808 49.6 +8.0
Liberal Stuart Gordon Mole 28,337 41.5 +6.3
Labour Mrs. Susan Ann Reeves 6,041 8.9 −14.3
Majority 5,471 8.1 +2.5
Turnout 68,186 81.0 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General Election October 1974: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 26,334 41.6 −1.3
Liberal Stuart Gordon Mole 22,332 35.2 +2.2
Labour John Thomas Acklaw 14,711 23.2 −0.9
Majority 4,002 6.4 −3.5
Turnout 66,377 79.2 −4.7
Conservative hold Swing −1.8
General Election February 1974: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 28,560 42.9 −11.1
Liberal Stuart Gordon Mole 21,929 33.0 +24.3
Labour Frances Morrell 16,063 24.1 −12.7
Majority 6,631 9.9
Turnout 66,552 83.9
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 36,821 55.15
Labour Gavin Kennedy 23,780 35.62
Liberal Miss Jessie Hunt 5,811 8.70
Independent Joseph D Steel 350 0.52
Majority 13,041 19.53
Turnout 66,762 75.60
Conservative hold Swing +5.3

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 28,600 47.16
Labour Colin George 23,625 38.96
Liberal W Peter Longhurst 8,419 13.88
Majority 4,975 8.20
Turnout 60,644 82.47
Conservative hold Swing -2.00
General Election 1964: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 27,849 47.95
Labour E Gordon Lawrence 20,816 35.84
Liberal W Peter Longhurst 9,414 16.21
Majority 7,033 12.11
Turnout 58,105 82.78
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Hubert Ashton 29,992 59.85
Labour Brian Ralph Clapham 20,124 40.15
Majority 9,868 19.69
Turnout 50,116 81.32
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 25,450 55.63
Labour Bernard Francis Castle Floud 20,301 44.37
Majority 5,149 11.25
Turnout 45,751 81.82
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 29,069 55.01
Labour James Haworth 23,775 44.99
Majority 5,294 10.02
Turnout 83.31
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 28,541 54.65
Labour Ernest Rogers Millington 23,682 45.35
Majority 4,859 9.30
Turnout 84.33
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Common Wealth Ernest Rogers Millington 27,309 46.7
Conservative Hubert Ashton 25,229 43.2
Liberal Hilda Mary Adela Buckmaster 5,909 10.1
Majority 2,080 3.6
Turnout 73.4
Common Wealth hold Swing
Chelmsford by-election, 1945
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Common Wealth Ernest Rogers Millington 24,548 57.5
Conservative Brian Caldwell Cook 18,117 42.5
Majority 6,431 15.0
Turnout 54.1
Common Wealth gain from Conservative 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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Robert Jermain Macnamara 28,314 70.8
Labour Fred Hughes 11,690 29.2
Majority 16,624 41.6
Turnout 40,004 65.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Vivian Leonard Henderson 31,961 80.5
Labour Joseph Alfred Sparks 7,755 19.5
Majority 24,206 60.9
Turnout 39,716 70.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury 17,094 43.8 -4.0
Liberal Sydney Walter Robinson 13,034 33.4 +3.2
Labour Nils Henry Moller 8,910 22.8 +0.8
Majority 4,060 10.4 -7.2
Turnout 39,038 75.1 +4.6
Unionist hold Swing -3.6
Chelmsford by-election, 1926
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury 13,395 47.8 -6.9
Liberal Sydney Walter Robinson 8,435 30.2 -5.1
Labour Nils Henry Moller 6,140 22.0 +12.0
Majority 4,960 17.6 -1.8
Turnout 70.5 -6.6
Unionist hold Swing -0.9
General Election 1924: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Sir Henry Honywood Curtis-Bennett 15,875 54.7 +10.5
Liberal Sydney Walter Robinson 10,244 35.3 -20.5
Labour Nils Henry Moller 2,904 10.0 n/a
Majority 5,631 19.4 31.0
Turnout 77.1 +13.6
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.5
General Election 1923: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Sydney Walter Robinson 12,877 55.8 +26.0
Unionist Rt Hon. Ernest George Pretyman 10,185 44.2 -8.4
Majority 2,692 11.6 34.4
Turnout 63.5 +2.5
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +17.2
General Election 1922: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Rt Hon. Ernest George Pretyman 11,267 52.6 -14.3
Liberal Sydney Walter Robinson 6,380 29.8 n/a
Labour Clara Dorothea Rackham 3,767 17.6 -15.5
Majority 4,887 22.8 -11.0
Turnout 61.0 +10.8
Unionist hold Swing n/a

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist 11,217 66.9
Labour William Frederick Toynbee 5,551 33.1
Majority 5,666 33.8
Turnout 50.2
Unionist hold Swing
General Election December 1910: Chelmsford [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ernest George Pretyman unopposed n/a n/a
Conservative hold Swing n/a
General Election January 1910: Chelmsford [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ernest George Pretyman 6,816 61.5 -1.7
Liberal T.Cuthbertson 4,271 38.5 +1.7
Majority 2,545 23.0 -3.4
Turnout 83.3 +5.6
Conservative hold Swing -1.7

Elections in the 1900s

Chelmsford by-election, 1908[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ernest George Pretyman 6,152 63.2
Liberal Alexander Henry Dence 3,587 36.8
Majority 2,565 26.4
Turnout 77.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election January 1906[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir Frederic Carne Rasch 4,915 52.4 -20.5
Liberal Alexander Henry Dence 4,461 47.6 +20.5
Majority 454 4.8
Turnout 79.7
Conservative hold Swing +20.5

Boundary changes

Preceded by
Constituency created
UK Parliament constituency
Chelmsford (West), Writtle

1885 1997
Succeeded by
Chelmsford West
UK Parliament constituency
Chelmsford (East), Great Baddow, Danbury

1885 1997
Succeeded by
Maldon and Chelmsford East
UK Parliament constituency
Ingatestone

1885 1974
Succeeded by
Brentwood and Ongar
UK Parliament constituency
Ongar

1885 1955
Succeeded by
Chigwell
UK Parliament constituency
Brentwood

1885 1950
Succeeded by
Romford

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
References

Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

  1. "Chelmsford: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. "Chelmsford 1885-1997". Hansard 1803-2005. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
  5. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  6. Chelmsford parliamentary constituency, BBC
  7. http://electionresults.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/chelmsford-2015.html
  8. "Mark Gough PPC page". UK Independence Party. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  9. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  12. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 4 British parliamentary election results 1885-1918
Sources

External links

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