Southern Monmouthshire was a parliamentary constituency in Monmouthshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

History

The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, which divided into three constituencies, the Monmouthshire constituency that had elected two members until 1885. The constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election, when most of its area became the Monmouth county constituency.

In 1852, the old constituency had elected members of two powerful families - the Morgans of Tredegar and the Somerset dukes of Beaufort. In 1885, the Morgan interest continued with the election of Colonel Hon. Frederick Courtenay Morgan as MP from 1885 until 1906 when he retired. His son, Courtney Morgan, afterwards Baron Tredegar attempted to succeed him, but was defeated by another local landowner Colonel Ivor Herbert of Llanarth, Monmouthshire. Herbert retained the constituency until 1917 when he departed to the House of Lords. The constituency was abolished a year later.

Boundaries

The constituency (shown in pink) within Monmouthshire

The constituency consisted of:

• The petty sessional divisions of:
  • Caerleon (the civil parishes of Caerleon, Kilgwrrwg, Llandegveth, Llangattock, Llanhennock, Llanthewy-vach, Llanvihangel, Llantarnam, Llanfrechfa Lower and Tredunnock)
  • Chepstow (Caerwent, Caldicot, Chapel Hill, Chepstow, Howick, Ifton, Itton, Llanfihnagel juxta Rogiet, Llnavair Discoed, Mathern, Mounton, Newchurch, Penterry, Portskewett, Rogiet, St Arvans, Shirenewton, Tintern Parva)
  • Christchurch (Bishton, Christchurch (part), Goldcliff, Kemeys Inferior, Llangstone, Llanmartin, Llanvaches, Magor, Nash, Penhow, Redwick, St Brides Netherwent, Undy, Whitson and Wilcrick)
  • Monmouth (Dixton (part), Mitchel Troy, Monmouth (part), Rockfield and Wonastow)
  • Newport (Bassaleg, Bettws, Coedkernew, Duffryn, Graig, Henllys, Llandavenny, Machen, Malpas, Marshfield, Michaelstone-y-vedw, Peterstone, Risca, Rogerstone, Rumney, St Bride's Wentloog, St Mellons and St Woollos (part))
  • Raglan (Bryngwyn, Clytha, Dingestow, Llanarth, Llandenny, Parc Grace Dieu, Penrhos, Pen-y-clawdd, Raglan and Tregare)
  • Trellech (Cwmcarvan, Llandogo, Llanishen, Llangoven, Llanfihangel Tor-y-Mynydd, Penallt, Trelleck and Wolvesnewton)
  • and Usk (Bettws Newydd, Gwehellog, Gwernesney, Kemeys Commander, Llanbadoc, Llangeview, Llangibby, Llangwm-Isaf, Llangwm-Ucha, Llanllowell, Llansoy, Llantrissant, Monkswood, Trostrey and Usk)
• The parts of the municipal boroughs of
  • Monmouth
  • and Newport outside the Monmouth Boroughs constituency
• The civil parishes of
  • Bedwas
  • and Mynyddislwyn.^[1]

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: South Monmouthshire ^[2][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Courtenay Morgan	5,421	53.6	−10.4
	Liberal	Joseph Alexander Profumo, 3rd Baron Profumo	4,700	46.4	+10.4
Majority			721	7.2	−20.8
Turnout			10,121	76.6	+2.7
Registered electors			13,211
	Conservative hold		Swing	−10.4

General election 1895: South Monmouthshire ^[2][5][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Courtenay Morgan	5,815	52.8	−0.8
	Liberal	Clifford Cory	5,203	47.2	+0.8
Majority			612	5.6	−1.6
Turnout			11,018	77.9	+1.3
Registered electors			14,137
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.8

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: South Monmouthshire ^[2][5][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Courtenay Morgan	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Herbert

General election 1906: South Monmouthshire ^[2][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ivor Herbert	7,503	54.7	New
	Conservative	Courtenay Morgan	6,216	45.3	N/A
Majority			1,287	9.4	N/A
Turnout			13,719	86.5	N/A
Registered electors			15,858
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: South Monmouthshire ^[6][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ivor Herbert	9,738	58.5	+3.8
	Conservative	Leolin Forestier-Walker	6,910	41.5	−3.8
Majority			2,828	17.0	+7.6
Turnout			16,648	87.0	+0.5
Registered electors			19,134
	Liberal hold		Swing	+3.8

General election December 1910: South Monmouthshire ^[6][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ivor Herbert	8,597	56.4	−2.1
	Conservative	Leolin Forestier-Walker	6,656	43.6	+2.1
Majority			1,941	12.8	−4.2
Turnout			15,253	79.7	−7.3
Registered electors			19,134
	Liberal hold		Swing	−2.1

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;

• Liberal: Ivor Herbert
• Unionist:
• Labour:

A.G. Thomas

1917 South Monmouthshire by-election^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Garrod Thomas	6,769	90.3	+33.9
	Independent	Bertie Pardoe Thomas	727	9.7	New
Majority			6,042	80.6	+67.8
Turnout			7,496	32.6	−47.1
Registered electors			22,991
	Liberal hold		Swing	N/A

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 3)