Chertsey
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
CountySurrey
1885–1974 (1974)
SeatsOne
Created fromWest Surrey (part)
Mid Surrey (small parts)
Replaced byFarnham (part in 1918)[1]
Esher (part in 1950)
Chertsey & Walton (part in 1974)
North West Surrey (part in 1974)

Chertsey sometimes seen as Surrey North Western, equally the North Western Division of Surrey was created as one of six county constituencies of Surrey for the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The seat underwent two net reductions and variously included and excluded growing suburban settlements: Egham, Frimley, Weybridge, Walton-on-Thames and Woking.

History

Context and contents

It was formed by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. The 1885 Act in drawing for Surrey six county divisions first cast a much broader metropolitan area of 16 new parliamentary borough status seats (stretching from the old Lambeth and old Southwark seats (subdivided) to newly included Battersea, Clapham, Camberwell, Peckham, Dulwich, Norwood, Norbury, Croydon, Streatham and Wandsworth). This spelt the loss of all three large, overpopulated and dual-member divisions (namely West, Mid and East) but Chertsey was one of the six non-metropolitan seats created in their large rural-suburban fringe (from Richmond and Hindhead to Lingfield and Warlingham); to do so Kingston was created as a seat which took in Richmond to its north and the Guildford seat was radically enlarged into a county division. Creation of the County of London and Croydon County Borough circa 1889 meant that the 16 metropolitan seats (also known as the parliamentary boroughs in north-east Surrey) fell into those units administratively.[2]

The seat at first comprised:

  • the Sessional Division of Chertsey;
  • in that of Guildford so much as lay in the Hundred of Woking but not Stoke-next-Guildford
  • the parish of Frimley [3]

The seat was abolished for the February 1974 general election.

Political history

The seat elected Conservatives for 75 of its 79 years; for the 1906 Parliament and in the standing-record 1906 landslide result of that year it elected Marnham, a Liberal. Tories took most of the votes cast except in the 1960s elections (1964 and 1966) when the candidate, in line with national trends, slid to the narrowest majority seen, 13.6%.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Sessional Division of Chertsey, the Woking Hundred part of the Sessional Division of Guildford save for Stoke-next-Guildford, and the parish of Frimley.[3] The first listed was chiefly Godley Hundred which contained the modern Borough Runnymede. The second mentioned area resembled the modern boroughs Woking combined with Surrey Heath.

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Chertsey, East and West Molesey, Egham, Esher and the Dittons, Walton-upon-Thames, and Weybridge, and the Rural District of Chertsey.

1950–1974: The Urban Districts of Chertsey and Egham, and the Rural District of Bagshot.

The seat lost a broad southern area for an eastern gain in 1918. The seat lost that eastern gain in 1950 but gained Bagshot and surrounding villages.

The first form stretched from Egham in the north via Thorpe, Chertsey, Virginia Water, Longcross, Lyne, Windlesham, Bagshot, Chobham, Addlestone, Weybridge and Byfleet to Woking and Ripley in the south. To the south-west it stretched to Frimley Green and included the inchoate makings of Camberley a town established in the late 20th century. The second form of the seat shed the areas to the south-west, Woking to the south and new urban district containing small former parishes adjoining — instead Hersham and Walton-on-Thames joined the seat from the Epsom division to the east. The final form of the seat became nearly as compact as the early 21st century seat of Runnymede and Weybridge substituting Weybridge with Bagshot, Windlesham, Chobham, West End and Lightwater.[4]

To the north and other directions, forming a large bend, lay the River Thames, at all times in the seat's history.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1885Frederick HankeyConservative
1892 by-electionCharles Harvey CombeConservative
1897 by-electionHenry Leigh-BennettConservative
1903 by-electionJohn Arthur FylerConservative
1904 by-electionHon. George BinghamConservative
1906Francis MarnhamLiberal
Jan 1910Donald MacmasterConservative
1922 by-electionSir Philip RichardsonConservative
1931Sir Archibald Boyd-CarpenterConservative
1937 by-electionArthur MarsdenConservative
1950Sir Lionel HealdConservative
1970Michael GryllsConservative
Feb 1974 constituency abolished: see Chertsey and Walton and North West Surrey

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hankey 4,540 63.9
Liberal Sir Henry Denis Le Marchant, 2nd Baronet 2,560 36.1
Majority 1,980 27.8
Turnout 7,100 77.0
Registered electors 9,220
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hankey Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

Charles Combe
1892 Chertsey by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Combe 4,589 62.5 N/A
Liberal Lawrence Baker 2,751 37.5 New
Majority 1,838 25.0 N/A
Turnout 7,340 71.7 N/A
Registered electors 10,239
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1892: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Combe Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1895: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Combe Unopposed
Conservative hold
1897 Chertsey by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Leigh-Bennett 4,845 54.9 N/A
Liberal Lawrence Baker 3,977 45.1 New
Majority 888 9.8 N/A
Turnout 8,822 75.5 N/A
Registered electors 11,678
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Leigh-Bennett 5,367 63.5 N/A
Liberal Hubert Longman 3,080 36.5 N/A
Majority 2,287 27.0 N/A
Turnout 8,447 68.7 N/A
Registered electors 12,299
Conservative hold Swing N/A
1903 Chertsey by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Arthur Fyler 5,700 55.7 −7.8
Liberal Hubert Longman 4,529 44.3 +7.8
Majority 1,171 11.4 −15.6
Turnout 10,229 78.9 +10.2
Registered electors 12,964
Conservative hold Swing −7.8
1904 Chertsey by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hon. George Bingham 5,425 52.7 −10.8
Liberal I T Sadler 4,876 47.3 +10.8
Majority 549 5.4 -21.6
Turnout 10,301 74.0 +5.3
Registered electors 15,419
Conservative hold Swing −10.8
Francis Marnham
General election 1906: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Marnham 6,365 50.4 +13.9
Conservative Hon. George Bingham 6,266 49.6 −13.9
Majority 99 0.8 N/A
Turnout 12,631 81.9 +13.2
Registered electors 15,419
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +13.9

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Macmaster 9,672 65.7 +16.1
Liberal Francis George Newbolt 5,059 34.3 −16.1
Majority 4,613 31.4 N/A
Turnout 14,731 88.1 +6.2
Registered electors 16,723
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +16.1
General election December 1910: Chertsey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Macmaster Unopposed
Conservative hold

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;

General election 1918: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Donald Macmaster 13,531 80.7 N/A
Labour Thomas T Linsey 3,232 19.3 New
Majority 10,299 61.4 N/A
Turnout 16,763 48.0 N/A
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

1922 Chertsey by-election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Richardson 11,811 55.4 -25.3
Liberal Hubert Gough 9,490 45.6 New
Majority 2,321 10.8 -40.6
Turnout 21,301 55.4 +7.4
Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1922: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Richardson 14,081 60.4 -20.3
Liberal Henry Samson Clark 9,228 39.6 N/A
Majority 4,853 20.8 -40.6
Turnout 23,309 58.2 +10.2
Unionist hold Swing +5.0
General election 1923: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Richardson 13,333 55.5 -4.9
Liberal Reginald John Marnham 10,694 44.5 +4.9
Majority 2,639 11.0 -9.8
Turnout 24,027 60.1 +1.9
Unionist hold Swing -4.9
General election 1924: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Richardson 18,310 71.0 +15.5
Liberal Walter Crawford Smith 7,471 29.0 -15.5
Majority 10,839 42.0 +31.0
Turnout 25,781 62.7 +2.6
Unionist hold Swing +15.5
General election 1929: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Philip Richardson 21,433 55.6 -15.4
Liberal Martin Bernard Browne 17,145 44.4 +15.4
Majority 4,288 11.2 -30.8
Turnout 38,578 63.5 +0.8
Unionist hold Swing -15.4

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Boyd-Carpenter 35,371 79.6 +24.0
Liberal Ifor Bowen Lloyd 9,063 20.4 -24.0
Majority 26,308 59.2 +48.0
Turnout 44,434 68.7 +5.2
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Boyd-Carpenter 31,484 71.4 -8.2
Liberal Martin Bernard Browne 12,607 28.6 +8.2
Majority 18,877 42.8 -16.4
Turnout 44,091 60.2 -8.5
Conservative hold Swing -8.2
1937 Chertsey by-election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Marsden 19,767 64.8 -6.6
Liberal 10,722 35.2 +6.6
Majority 9,045 29.6 -13.2
Turnout 30,489 39.2 -21.0
Conservative hold Swing
  • Also described as a Liberal-Progressive

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Chertsey[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Marsden 37,456 52.32
Labour Brian Barker 25,194 35.19 New
Liberal William Ridgeway 8,940 12.49
Majority 12,262 17.13
Turnout 71,590 69.30
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Chertsey[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Heald 19,326 51.69
Labour Co-op Dennis Gordon 14,090 37.69
Liberal Gerald Edward Owen 3,969 10.62
Majority 5,236 14.00
Turnout 37,385 82.74
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Chertsey[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Heald 20,539 53.56
Labour Co-op Dennis Gordon 14,849 38.72
Liberal Gerald Edward Owen 2,961 7.72
Majority 5,690 14.84
Turnout 38,349 81.06
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Chertsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Heald 23,021 61.10
Labour Richard H Edwards 14,656 38.90
Majority 8,365 22.20
Turnout 37,677 77.19
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Chertsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Heald 24,836 56.28
Labour John Stuart Barr 14,150 32.06
Liberal Arthur Russell Mayne 5,146 11.66
Majority 10,686 24.22
Turnout 44,132 79.36
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Chertsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Heald 22,497 49.06
Labour Anthony J Edwards 14,513 31.65
Liberal Frederick Michael John Lee 8,844 19.29
Majority 7,984 17.41
Turnout 45,854 77.77
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Chertsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Heald 22,584 48.39
Labour Anthony J Edwards 16,231 34.78
Liberal Frederick Michael John Lee 7,852 16.83
Majority 6,353 13.61
Turnout 46,667 77.98
Conservative hold Swing

Election in the 1970s

General election 1970: Chertsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Grylls 27,239 56.59
Labour Christopher P Slater 15,653 32.52
Liberal R Alfred F Cook 5,239 10.88
Majority 11,586 25.07
Turnout 48,131 71.01
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ From the taken parts of which, approximately, the seat of Woking was formed in 1950
  2. ↑ Youngs, Frederic A, Jr. (1979). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.I: Southern England. London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-901050-67-9.(1979) pp. 764-766
  3. 1 2 Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  4. ↑ "Bagshot U.D. - units covering this place" Vision of Britain - University of Portsmouth and others. Accessed 2017-06-04
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  7. ↑ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  8. ↑ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1950.
  9. ↑ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
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