Carmarthenshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1832–1885

Carmarthenshire

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1542–1885
Seats| one until 1832, then two
Replaced by| East Carmarthenshire and West Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was increased to two members for the 1832 general election.

At the 1885 general election, it was divided into two new single-member seats: East Carmarthenshire and West Carmarthenshire.

## History

[edit]

For most of its history, the Carmarthenshire constituency was dominated by a small number of powerful families. Chief among these were the Rice family of Dynevor, who could claim descent from the medieval Lord Rhys of Deheubarth. They drew upon traditional loyalty and the connotations linked to the Dynevor name to maintain their status as the leading political family of the county and leaders of the Red or Tory faction.[1]

In 1790 the influence of the Dynevor family was re-asserted when George Talbot Rice was elected unopposed. Four years later, he was elevated to the House of Lords and the family would not be in a position to represent the county again until 1820 when his yet unborn son would have came of age.[2]

A celebrated contest took place in 1802 between James Hamlyn Williams and William Paxton. The contest was said to have cost Paxton a total of £15,000. This included 11,070 breakfasts, 36,901 dinners, 25,275 gallons of ale, 11,068 bottles of spirits, 8,879 bottles of porter, 460 of sherry, 509 of cider and gallons of milk punch. The contest became known as ‘Lecsiwn Fawr’ (the Great Election). Paxton was defeated and spent two years settling his debts.[2]

In 1820, George Rice Trevor was elected MP for Carmarthenshire and held the seat until 1831, when he stood down over his opposition to reform.

### Reformed elections

[edit]

Following the Reform Act 1832, the county was awarded a second seat. In 1832, Rice Trevor resumed his parliamentary career and served until 1852 when he was elevated to the House of Lords upon inheriting the title of Lord Dynevor. He was succeeded by David Jones of Pantglas, who served until 1868.

The second seat was held by supporters of the Whig party until John Jones of Ystrad unseated James Hamlyn-Williams in 1837. Jones was succeeded by another Tory, D.A. Saunders Davies who served until his death in 1857. At this point, however, the seat was occupied by David Pugh, who was regarded as a Liberal-Conservative, and who in later life migrated to the Liberal Party.

At the 1868 general election, following a lengthy and lively campaign characterized by accusations of coercion, Edward Sartoris captured a seat for the Liberals.[3] He was defeated in 1874 but in 1880 the Liberals again captured a seat. Following the Third Reform Act the constituency was divided into two single-member seats.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### MPs 1542–1640

[edit]

Parliament | member

|

1542–1545 | Unknown (returns lost)[4]
1545 | Hon. Richard Devereux. Died on day of re-election in October 1547[4]
1548 | Sir John Perrott[4]
1553 | Henry Jones[4]
1555 | Richard Jones[4]
1558 | Sir Thomas Jones (of Haroldston)[4]
1559 | Richard Jones[4]
1563 | Sir Henry Jones[4]
1572 | John Vaughan
died and replaced 1576 by Walter Vaughan[4]
1584 | Walter Rice[4]
1586 | Sir Thomas Jones[4]
1588 | Herbert Croft[4]
1593 | Walter Vaughan[4]
1597 | Sir Thomas Jones[4]
1601 | John Vaughan[4]
1604 | Sir Robert Mansell[4]|- [5]
1620 | Sir John Vaughan[4]
1624 | Richard Vaughan[4]
1629–1640 | No Parliament summoned

### MPs 1640–1832

[edit]

Year | Member | Party

|
|

April 1640 |  | Henry Vaughan | Royalist
February 1644  | Vaughan disabled from sitting – seat vacant
1646  |  | John Lloyd |
December 1648 | Lloyd excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant
1653 | Carmarthenshire was not represented in the Barebones Parliament
Year | First Member | Second Member

|
|

Representation increased to two members in First Protectorate Parliament
1654 | John Claypole | Rowland Dawkins
1656 | John Claypole,sat for Northants.
1656 | Robert Atkyns[6]
Representation reverted to one member from January 1659
Year | Member | Party

|
|

January 1659 |  | Thomas Hughes |
May 1659 | Carmarthenshire was not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660  |  | John Lloyd |
1661  |  | Francis Vaughan (died 1668)  |
1668  |  | Sir Henry Vaughan (died 1676)  |
1677  |  | Altham Vaughan |
1679  |  | John Vaughan |
1685  |  | John Vaughan |
1689  |  | Sir Rice Rudd |
1701  |  | Griffith Rice | Whig
1710  |  | Sir Thomas Powell | Tory
1715  |  | Charles Powlett | Whig
1717  |  | Sir Thomas Stepney |
1722  |  | Edward Rice[7] |
1724  |  | Sir Nicholas Williams |
1745  |  | John Vaughan I |
1754  |  | George Rice |
1779  |  | John Vaughan II |
1784  |  | Sir William Mansel |
1790  |  | Hon. George Rice | Tory
1793  |  | Sir James Hamlyn |
1802  |  | James Hamlyn-Williams |
1806  |  | Sir William Paxton | Whig[8]
1807  |  | Lord Robert Seymour | Tory[8]
1820  |  | Hon. George Rice-Trevor | Tory[8]
1831  |  | Sir James Hamlyn-Williams | Whig[8]
1832 | Representation increased to two members by the Reform Act 1832

### MPs 1832–1885

[edit]

Election | First member | First Party | Second member | Second Party

|
|
|
|

1832 |  | Hon. George Rice-Trevor | Conservative[8] |  | Edward Hamlyn Adams | Whig[8]
1835 |  | Sir James Hamlyn-Williams | Whig[8]
1837 |  | John Jones of Ystrad | Conservative[8]
1842 by-election |  | David Arthur Saunders Davies | Conservative[8]
1852 by-election |  | David Jones | Conservative
1857 by-election |  | David Pugh | Peelite[9][10]
1859 |  | Liberal
1868 |  | Edward John Sartoris | Liberal |  | John Jones | Conservative
1874 |  | Viscount Emlyn | Conservative
1880 |  | W. R. H. Powell | Liberal
1885 | Constituency abolished: see East Carmarthenshire, West Carmarthenshire

## Election results

[edit]

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election 1830: Carmarthenshire[8][11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | George Rice-Trevor | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 3,000 |
| Tory hold
General election 1831: Carmarthenshire[8][11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | James Hamlyn-Williams | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 3,000 |
| Whig gain from Tory
General election 1832: Carmarthenshire[8][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | George Rice-Trevor | 1,853  | 37.1
| Whig | Edward Hamlyn Adams | 1,638  | 32.8
| Whig | James Hamlyn-Williams | 1,504  | 30.1
Turnout | 3,502  | 90.1
Registered electors | 3,887  |
Majority  | 215  | 4.3
| Tory win (new seat)
Majority  | 134  | 2.7
| Whig hold
General election 1835: Carmarthenshire[8][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Rice-Trevor | 2,204  | 36.8  | +18.3
| Whig | James Hamlyn-Williams | 1,939  | 32.3  | −30.6
| Conservative | John Jones | 1,851  | 30.9  | +12.4
Turnout | 3,685  | 87.2  | −2.9
Registered electors | 4,227  |  |
Majority | 265  | 4.5  | +0.2
| Conservative hold | Swing | +16.8  |
Majority | 88  | 1.4  | −1.3
| Whig hold | Swing | −30.7  |
General election 1837: Carmarthenshire[8][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Rice-Trevor | 2,486  | 37.0  | +0.2
| Conservative | John Jones | 2,173  | 32.3  | +1.4
| Whig | James Hamlyn-Williams | 2,068  | 30.7  | −1.6
Majority | 105  | 1.6  | −2.9
Turnout | 4,315  | 84.2  | −3.0
Registered electors | 5,125  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5  |
| Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +1.1  |

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

General election 1841: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Jones | Unopposed
| Conservative | George Rice-Trevor | Unopposed
Registered electors | 5,614  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

Jones' death caused a by-election.

By-election, 27 December 1842: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Arthur Saunders Davies | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election 1847: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Rice-Trevor | Unopposed
| Conservative | David Arthur Saunders Davies | Unopposed
Registered electors | 5,261  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

Rice-Trevor succeeded to the peerage, becoming 4th Baron Dynevor and causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 May 1852: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Jones | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election 1852: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Jones | Unopposed
| Conservative | David Arthur Saunders Davies | Unopposed
Registered electors | 4,791  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold
General election 1857: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Jones | Unopposed
| Conservative | David Arthur Saunders Davies | Unopposed
Registered electors | 4,272  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

Davies' death caused a by-election.

By-election, 12 June 1857: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Peelite | David Pugh | Unopposed
| Peelite gain from Conservative
General election 1859: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Jones | Unopposed
| Liberal-Conservative | David Pugh | Unopposed
Registered electors | 4,491  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Liberal-Conservative gain from Conservative

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

General election 1865: Carmarthenshire[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Jones | Unopposed
| Liberal-Conservative | David Pugh | Unopposed
Registered electors | 4,833  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Liberal-Conservative hold
General election 1868: Carmarthenshire[3][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Edward John Sartoris | 3,280  | 31.6  | N/A
| Conservative | John Jones | 2,942  | 28.3  | N/A
| Conservative | Henry Lavallin Puxley  | 2,828  | 27.2  | N/A
| Liberal-Conservative  | David Pugh | 1,340  | 12.9  | N/A
Turnout | 6,165 (est)  | 76.8 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 8,026  |  |
Majority | 1,940  | 18.7  | N/A
| Liberal gain from Liberal-Conservative | Swing | N/A |
Majority | 1,602  | 15.4  | N/A
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

General election 1874: Carmarthenshire[13][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Frederick Campbell | 3,389  | 28.8  | +1.6
| Conservative | John Jones | 3,261  | 27.7  | −0.6
| Liberal | W. R. H. Powell | 2,799  | 23.8  | +10.9
| Liberal | Edward John Sartoris | 2,331  | 19.8  | −11.8
Majority | 462  | 3.9  | −11.5
Turnout | 5,890 (est)  | 72.2 (est)  | −4.6
Registered electors | 8,161  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.7  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −5.8  |

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1880: Carmarthenshire (2 seats)[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | W. R. H. Powell | 4,101  | 41.7  | −1.9
| Conservative | Frederick Campbell | 3,030  | 30.8  | +2.0
| Conservative | John Jones | 2,712  | 27.6  | −0.1
Turnout | 7,131 (est)  | 83.0 (est)  | +10.8
Registered electors | 8,593  |  |
Majority | 1,389  | 14.1  | N/A
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −1.5  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Escott, Margaret. "George Rice Rice". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
2. ^ a b Thorne, R.G. "Carmarthenshire". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
3. ^ a b "Carmarthenshire Election". Welshman. 27 November 1868. p. 5. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Williams, William Retlaw (1895). The parliamentary history of the principality of Wales, from the earliest times to the present day, 1541–1895, comprising lists of the representatives, chronologically arranged under counties, with biographical and genealogical notices of the members, together with particulars of the various contested elections, double returns and petitions. Brecknock: Privately published. pp. 43–44.
5. ^ The Dictionary of National Biography records Mansell as MP for Carmarthen borough in the 1604 Parliament and for the county only in 1614, but Cobbett's Parliamentary History names Mansell as MP for the county in 1604 and Sir Walter Rice as the borough MP
6. ^ Claypole chose for Northampton
7. ^ On petition, Rice was declared not to have been duly elected and his opponent, Sir Nicholas Williams, was seated in his place
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 182–1832. Retrieved 6 May 2020 - via Google Books.
9. ^ "Newry Telegraph". 9 June 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 24 August 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ "Kerry Evening Post". 10 June 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 24 August 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
11. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Carmarthenshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
12. ^ 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. pp. 521–522\. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
13. ^ "The Election (editorial)". Welshman. 13 February 1874.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
* Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) [1]
* D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
* Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) [2]
* F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
* Welsh Biography Online

* v
* t
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Historic UK Parliament constituencies in Wales

Last contested in 1880

* Beaumaris
* Brecon
* Caernarvonshire
* Cardigan
* Carmarthenshire
* Denbighshire
* Glamorganshire
* Haverfordwest
* Monmouthshire
* Pembroke
* Radnor

Last contested in 1910

* Breconshire
* Denbigh Boroughs
* East Carmarthenshire
* East Denbighshire
* East Glamorganshire
* Eifion
* Flint Boroughs
* Mid Glamorganshire
* Monmouth Boroughs
* Montgomery
* North Monmouthshire
* Pembroke and Haverfordwest
* Radnorshire
* Rhondda
* South Glamorganshire
* South Monmouthshire
* Swansea
* West Carmarthenshire
* West Denbighshire
* West Monmouthshire

Last contested in 1915

* Cardiff
* Carmarthen (historic)
* Merthyr Tydfil
* Swansea Boroughs

Last contested in 1945

* Caernarfon
* Caernarvonshire
* Cardiff Central (historic)
* Cardiff East (historic)
* Cardiff South
* Flintshire
* Llandaff and Barry
* Merthyr
* University of Wales

Last contested in 1970

* Rhondda East
* Rhondda West

Last contested in 1979

* Aberdare
* Abertillery
* Barry
* Bedwellty
* Cardiff North West
* Cardiff South East
* Ceredigion
* Denbigh
* East Flintshire
* Ebbw Vale
* Merioneth
* Merthyr Tydfil
* Newport
* Pontypool
* West Flintshire

Last contested in 1992 (review)

* Ceredigion and Pembroke North
* Clwyd North West
* Clwyd South West
* Pembrokeshire

Last contested in 2005 (review)

* Caernarfon
* Conwy
* Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

Last contested in 2019 (review)

* Aberavon
* Aberconwy
* Arfon
* Blaenau Gwent
* Brecon and Radnorshire
* Cardiff Central
* Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
* Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
* Ceredigion
* Clwyd South
* Clwyd West
* Cynon Valley
* Delyn
* Islwyn
* Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
* Monmouth
* Montgomeryshire
* Neath
* Newport West
* Ogmore
* Preseli Pembrokeshire
* Rhondda
* Swansea East
* Vale of Clwyd

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