East Grinstead (UK Parliament constituency)

East Grinstead
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyEast Sussex
Major settlementsEast Grinstead
1885–1983
SeatsOne
Created fromEast Sussex
Replaced byMid Sussex and Wealden
1307–1832
SeatsTwo
Type of constituencyBorough constituency

East Grinstead was a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. It first existed as a Parliamentary borough from 1307, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons elected by the bloc vote system. The borough was disfranchised under the Reform Act 1832, but the name was revived at the 1885 election when the Redistribution of Seats Act created a new single-member county division of the same name.

Upon its abolition for the 1983 election, its territory was divided between Mid Sussex and Wealden.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Cuckfield (except the parish of Crawley), East Grinstead, and Uckfield (except the parishes of East Heathley and Waldron).

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Burgess Hill, Cuckfield, East Grinstead, Hayward's Heath, and Uckfield, and the Rural Districts of Cuckfield, East Grinstead, and Uckfield.

1950–1955: The Urban Districts of Cuckfield and East Grinstead, the Rural District of Uckfield, in the Rural District of Cuckfield the parishes of Ardingly, Balcombe, Bolney, Cuckfield Rural, Horsted Keynes, Lindfield Rural, Slaugham, West Hoathly, and Worth, and in the Rural District of Battle the parishes of Burwash, Etchingham, and Ticehurst.

1955–1974: As 1950 less the Battle RD parishes.

1974–1983: The Urban District of East Grinstead, and the Rural District of Uckfield.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1307–1660

Year First member Second member
1388 (Feb) John Dyne John Heldele[1]
1388 (Sep) William Nelond Richard Woghere[1]
1390 (Jan)
1390 (Nov)
1391 John Alfray I John Dyne[1]
1393 Thomas Alleyn Thomas Rasse[1]
1394
1395 Thomas Farlegh William atte Hull[1]
1397 (Jan) John Dyne John Punget[1]
1397 (Sep) John Dyne John Punget[1]
1399 John Dyne Richard Woghere[1]
1401
1402 John Dyne Richard Woghere[1]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406
1407 John Dyne Richard Woghere[1]
1410
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) Thomas Alleyn John Hoke[1]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov) John Dyne John Woghere[1]
1415
1416 (Mar) John Ermyte John Mason[1]
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419 William Fenningham John Hamme[1]
1420
1421 (May) Richard Fowell John Woghere[1]
1421 (Dec) John Alfray II John Woghere[1]
1433 Thomas Russell[2]
1447 John Alfray[3] 1457 Ralph Legh
1459 John Alfray[3] 1510-1523 No names known [4]
1529 William Rutter Edward Goodwin[4]
1536 ?
1539 ?
1542 ? John Sackville[4]
1545 ?
1547 Jasper Culpeper John Sackville II, died
and replaced by Jan 1552 by George Darrell [4]
1553 (Mar) Sir Robert Oxenbridge George Darrell[4]
1553 (Oct) Sir Thomas Stradling John Story[4]
1554 (Apr) Richard Whalley Anthony Stapleton[4]
1554 (Nov) Thomas Duffield
1555 ?William Barnes John Wiseman[4]
1558 Thomas Farnham Thomas Parker[4]
1559 Thomas Sackville Humphrey Llwyd[5]
1562–3 John Sackville Lawrence Banester[5]
1571 John Jeffrey Henry Berkeley[5]
1572 Thomas Cure Michael Heneage[5]
1584 Thomas Cure Francis Alford[5]
1586 John Covert Drew Pickesse[5]
1589 Francis Alford Thomas Frere[5]
1593 Reade Stafford John Shurley[5]
1597 George Rivers Richard Baker[5]
1601 Sir Henry Compton George Rivers[5]
1604 Sir Henry Compton Sir John Swynnerton
1614 Sir Henry Compton George Rivers
1621 Sir Henry Compton Thomas Pelham
1624 Robert Heath Thomas Caldicot
1625 Robert Heath Sir Henry Compton
1626 Robert Goodwin Sir Henry Compton
1628-1629 Robert Goodwin Sir Henry Compton
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr) Sir Henry Compton Robert Goodwin
1640 (Nov) Lord Buckhurst, disabled 1644 Robert Goodwin
1648 Robert Goodwin John Baker
1653 Not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 John Goodwin (one seat only)
1656 John Goodwin (one seat only)
1659 Robert Goodwin George Courthope

MPs 1660–1832

Year First member Second member
1660 Marmaduke Gresham George Courthope
1661 Lord Buckhurst
1675 Edward Sackville
1678 Thomas Pelham
12 February 1679 Edward Sackville
7 April 1679 Henry Powle
19 April 1679 Sir Thomas Littleton, Bt
19 August 1679 Goodwin Wharton William Jephson
1681 Sir Cyril Wyche Henry Powle
1685 Simon Smith Thomas Jones
1689 Sir Thomas Dyke Thomas Sackville
1693 Simon Smith
February 1695 The Earl of Orrery
November 1695 John Conyers
1698 The Earl of Orrery
January 1701 Matthew Prior
November 1701 The Earl of Orrery
1702 John Toke
1708 Viscount Lumley Henry Campion
1710 John Conyers Leonard Gale
1713 Hon. Spencer Compton
1715 The Viscount Shannon
March 1722 Hon. Sir Spencer Compton
November 1722 The Viscount Shannon
1725 Edward Conyers
1727 The Viscount Palmerston
1734 The Earl of Middlesex Edward Conyers
1741 Sir Whistler Webster
1742 John Butler
1747 Sydney Smythe
1751 Hon. Joseph Yorke
March 1761 The Earl of Middlesex Lord George Sackville
December 1761 Sir Thomas Hales, Bt
1762 John Irwin
1765 Sir Charles Farnaby
1767 Lord George Sackville
1782 Henry Arthur Herbert
1783 George Medley
1786 James Cuninghame
1788 Robert Cuninghame
1789 Richard Ford
1790 Nathaniel Dance William Hamilton Nisbet
1796 James Strange
1802 Sir Henry Strachey Daniel Giles
1807 Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Bt. Charles Ellis
January 1812 Richard Wellesley
March 1812 George Gunning
June 1812 Nicholas Vansittart
October 1812 George Gunning James Stephen
1815 Sir George Johnstone Hope
May 1818 Lord Strathavon
June 1818 The Hon. Charles Jenkinson
1829 Viscount Holmesdale
1830 Frederick Richard West
  • Constituency abolished (1832)

MPs 1885–1983

  • Constituency revived (1885)
Election Name Party Notes
1885 George Gregory Conservative MP for East Sussex 1868–1885
1886 Alfred Gathorne-Hardy Conservative MP for Canterbury 1878–1880. Son of 1st Earl of Cranbrook
1895 George Goschen Conservative Governor of Madras 1924–1929; 2nd Viscount Goschen 1907–1952
1906 Charles Corbett Liberal
1910 (Jan) Henry Cautley Conservative ennobled in 1936 as Baron Cautley, triggering a by-election
1936 by-election Ralph Clarke Conservative
1955 Evelyn Emmet Conservative Made a life peer in 1965 as Baroness Emmet of Amberley, triggering a by-election
1965 by-election Geoffrey Johnson-Smith Conservative Former broadcaster. MP for Wealden 1983–2001
1983 Constituency abolished. See Wealden and Mid Sussex

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Gregory 3,530 57.8
Liberal Charles John Heald 2,579 42.2
Majority 951 15.6
Turnout 6,109 79.8
Registered electors 7,660
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Gathorne-Hardy 3,289 63.7 +5.9
Liberal Charles John Heald 1,877 36.3 −5.9
Majority 1,412 27.4 +11.8
Turnout 5,166 67.4 −12.4
Registered electors 7,660
Conservative hold Swing +5.9

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Gathorne-Hardy 3,987 62.9 −0.8
Liberal Edward George Jenkinson 2,349 37.1 +0.8
Majority 1,638 25.8 −1.6
Turnout 6,336 72.4 +5.0
Registered electors 8,754
Conservative hold Swing −0.8
George Goschen
General election 1895: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Goschen 3,731 56.5 −6.4
Liberal Charles Corbett 2,874 43.5 +6.4
Majority 857 13.0 −12.8
Turnout 6,605 71.3 −1.1
Registered electors 9,262
Conservative hold Swing -6.4

Elections in the 1900s

Charles Corbett
General election 1900: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Goschen 3,890 56.4 −0.1
Liberal Charles Corbett 3,003 43.6 +0.1
Majority 887 12.8 −0.2
Turnout 6,893 71.8 +0.5
Registered electors 9,596
Conservative hold Swing −0.1
E.M. Crookshank
General election 1906: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Corbett 4,793 51.4 +7.8
Conservative Edgar Crookshank 4,531 48.6 −7.8
Majority 262 2.8 N/A
Turnout 9,324 86.9 +15.1
Registered electors 10,726
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +7.8

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cautley 6,563 64.2 +15.6
Liberal Charles Corbett 3,660 35.8 −15.6
Majority 2,903 28.4 N/A
Turnout 10,223 88.4 +1.5
Registered electors 11,562
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +15.6
General election December 1910: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cautley 5,926 62.7 −1.5
Liberal Henry Norman Spalding 3,531 37.3 +1.5
Majority 2,395 25.4 −3.0
Turnout 9,457 81.8 −6.6
Registered electors 11,562
Conservative hold Swing -1.5

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;

By-election, 1918: East Grinstead[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Henry Cautley Unopposed
Unionist hold
General election 1918: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Henry Cautley 12,584 67.0 +4.3
Labour David Pole 6,208 33.0 New
Majority 6,376 34.0 +8.6
Turnout 18,792 52.3 −29.5
Registered electors 35,955
Unionist hold Swing +4.3
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Henry Cautley 15,981 71.0 +4.0
Labour Thomas Crawford 6,527 29.0 −4.0
Majority 9,454 42.0 +8.0
Turnout 22,508 58.2 +5.9
Registered electors 38,664
Unionist hold Swing +4.0
General election 1923: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Henry Cautley 14,215 68.8 −2.2
Labour Thomas Crawford 6,451 31.2 +2.2
Majority 7,764 37.6 −4.4
Turnout 20,666 52.4 −5.8
Registered electors 39,405
Unionist hold Swing −2.2
General election 1924: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Henry Cautley 18,365 64.6 −4.2
Liberal Godfrey Frerichs Mowatt 5,604 19.7 New
Labour John Morgan 4,479 15.7 −15.5
Majority 12,761 44.9 +7.3
Turnout 28,448 70.2 +17.8
Registered electors 40,500
Unionist hold Swing +5.7
General election 1929: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Henry Cautley 21,940 57.9 −6.7
Liberal Barbara Bliss 9,718 25.6 +5.9
Labour Thomas Crawford 6,265 16.5 +0.8
Majority 12,222 32.3 −12.6
Turnout 37,923 68.5 −1.7
Registered electors 55,352
Unionist hold Swing −6.3

Elections in the 1930s

Evan Durbin
General election 1931: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cautley 34,826 87.2 +29.3
Labour Evan Durbin 5,121 12.8 −3.7
Majority 29,705 74.4 +42.1
Turnout 39,947 69.2 +0.7
Conservative hold Swing
  • Liberal candidate Lewis R. Jones withdrew at the last minute.
General election 1935: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cautley 29,440 78.4 −8.8
Labour Stanislaus Seuffert 8,097 21.6 +8.8
Majority 21,343 56.8 −17.6
Turnout 37,537 61.2 −8.0
Conservative hold Swing
1936 East Grinstead by-election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Clarke 22,207 79.6 +1.2
Labour Albert Edward Millett 5,708 20.4 −1.2
Majority 16,499 59.2 +2.4
Turnout 27,915 45.5 −15.7
Conservative hold Swing +1.2

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;

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: East Grinstead[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Clarke 28,273 57.1 −21.3
Labour David George Packham 12,519 25.3 +3.7
Liberal John Charles McLaughlin 8,711 17.6 New
Majority 15,754 31.8 −25.0
Turnout 49,503 70.9 +9.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: East Grinstead[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Clarke 29,786 55.1 −2.0
Labour Catherine Williamson 12,983 24.0 −1.3
Liberal John Charles McLaughlin 11,329 20.9 +3.3
Majority 16,803 31.1 −0.7
Turnout 54,098 81.7 +11.8
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: East Grinstead[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Clarke 32,803 60.3 +5.2
Labour Herbert Atkinson 14,271 26.2 +2.2
Liberal John Charles McLaughlin 7,375 13.5 −7.4
Majority 18,532 34.1 +3.0
Turnout 54,449 80.3 −1.4
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: East Grinstead[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn Emmet 28,450 61.5 +1.2
Labour Martin Mason 11,750 25.4 −0.8
Liberal Judith St John Thornton 6,034 13.1 −0.4
Majority 16,700 36.1 +2.0
Turnout 46,234 75.1 −5.2
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: East Grinstead[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn Emmet 31,759 62.3 +0.8
Labour Robert William G Humphreys 10,104 19.8 −5.6
Liberal Patrick Furnell 9,100 17.9 +4.8
Majority 21,655 42.5 +6.4
Turnout 50,963 77.9 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: East Grinstead[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Evelyn Emmet 29,094 53.2 −10.1
Liberal Richard Holme 14,753 26.7 +8.8
Labour William H Hill 10,859 19.8 0.0
Majority 14,341 26.5 −16.0
Turnout 54,706 78.0 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing
1965 East Grinstead by-election[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 24,896 55.0 +1.8
Liberal Richard Holme 14,279 31.5 +4.8
Labour Jon Antony A Evans 6,101 13.5 −6.4
Majority 10,617 23.5 −3.0
Turnout 45,276 64.5 −13.5
Conservative hold Swing -1.4
General election 1966: East Grinstead[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 31,595 53.2 0.0
Liberal James H Downie 13,611 27.0 +0.3
Labour Arthur Harris Roberts 11,938 19.8 0.0
Majority 17,984 26.2 −0.3
Turnout 57,144 76.8 −1.2
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: East Grinstead[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 38,359 61.2 +8.0
Liberal David Carleton Bruce Smithers 12,343 19.7 −7.3
Labour Tony Banks 12,014 19.2 −0.6
Majority 26,016 41.5 +15.3
Turnout 62,716 72.5 −4.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: East Grinstead[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 23,928 53.3 −7.9
Liberal Peter Hasler Billenness 15,351 34.2 +14.5
Labour William J Short 5,629 12.5 −6.7
Majority 8,577 19.1 −22.4
Turnout 44,908 81.5 +9.0
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: East Grinstead[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 22,035 53.2 −0.1
Liberal Paul Hayden 12,755 30.8 −3.4
Labour David William John Blake 6,648 16.0 +3.5
Majority 9,280 22.4 +3.3
Turnout 41,438 74.5 −7.0
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: East Grinstead[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 28,279 62.0 +8.8
Liberal Jeremy Nieboer 11,102 24.4 −6.4
Labour RJ Taylor 6,196 13.6 −2.4
Majority 17,177 37.6 +15.2
Turnout 45,577 77.1 +2.6
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  2. ^ "RUSSELL, Thomas II, of Chichester, Suss. | History of Parliament Online".
  3. ^ a b "ALFRAY, John II, of East Grinstead, Suss. | History of Parliament Online".
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  8. ^ The Liberal Magazine, 1939
  9. ^ a b c d e f British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  10. ^ a b F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973
  11. ^ a b c British parliamentary election results, 1974-1983 by FWS Craig

Further reading