Chertsey (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1974

Chertsey

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County| Surrey
1885–1974 (1974)
Seats| One
Created from| West Surrey (part)
Mid Surrey (small parts)
Replaced by| Farnham (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

[edit]

### Context and contents

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.[citation needed]

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

[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1885 | Frederick Hankey | Conservative
| 1892 by-election | Charles Harvey Combe | Conservative
| 1897 by-election | Henry Leigh-Bennett | Conservative
| 1903 by-election | John Arthur Fyler | Conservative
| 1904 by-election | Hon. George Bingham | Conservative
| 1906 | Francis Marnham | Liberal
| Jan 1910 | Donald Macmaster | Conservative
| 1922 by-election | Sir Philip Richardson | Conservative
| 1931 | Sir Archibald Boyd-Carpenter | Conservative
| 1937 by-election | Arthur Marsden | Conservative
| 1950 | Sir Lionel Heald | Conservative
| 1970 | Michael Grylls | Conservative
Feb 1974 | constituency abolished: see Chertsey and Walton and North West Surrey

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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;

* Unionist: Donald Macmaster
* Liberal:

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

[edit]

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  | −50.6
Turnout | 21,301  | 55.4  | +7.4
| Unionist hold | Swing |  |
General election 1922: Chertsey[6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Philip Richardson | 14,081  | 60.4  | +5.0
| Liberal | Henry Samson Clark  | 9,228  | 39.6  | −6.0
Majority  | 4,853  | 20.8  | +10.0
Turnout | 23,309  | 58.2  | +2.8
| 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

[edit]

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 |

* Ernest Haylor

| 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;

* Conservative: Arthur Marsden
* Liberal:

### Election in the 1940s

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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.

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

*[Hon.]: The Honorable