Epping (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1974

Not to be confused with Electoral district of Epping.

Epping

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County| Essex
1885–1974 (1974)
Seats| One
Created from| West Essex
Replaced by| Chingford, Epping Forest and Harlow
During its existence contributed to new seat(s) of| Woodford and Chigwell

Epping was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1885 to 1974. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

## History

[edit]

Epping was one of eight single-member divisions of Essex (later classified as county constituencies) created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, replacing the three two member divisions of East, South and West Essex.

The seat underwent a significant loss of territory at the 1945 boundary review, with the majority of the electorate forming the new constituency of Woodford. It was abolished for the February 1974 general election when it was divided between the new seats of Chingford, Epping Forest and Harlow.

Its most prominent MP was Winston Churchill, who served as Prime Minister twice, the local MP for twenty-one years from 1924 to 1945, spanning the middle part of his long service as an MP. From 1945, he was the MP for Woodford.

In the 1955 and 1959 general elections, the celebrated cricket commentator and journalist John Arlott stood as the Liberal Party candidate.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

[edit]

### 1885–1918

[edit]

* The Sessional Divisions of Epping, Harlow, and Ongar; and
* Part of the Sessional Division of Dunmow.[1]

Formed from part of the abolished West Division. See below for areas covered.

Epping in Essex, boundaries 1918-45

### 1918–1945

[edit]

* The Urban Districts of Buckhurst Hill, Chingford, Epping, Loughton, Waltham Holy Cross, Wanstead, and Woodford; and
* The Rural District of Epping.[2]

Gained Woodford from the abolished Walthamstow Division of Essex and Wanstead from the Romford Division. Lost eastern areas, including Chipping Ongar, to Chelmsford, and northern areas, including Great Dunmow and Hatfield Broad Oak, to Saffron Walden.

Epping in Essex, boundaries 1945-50

### 1945–1974

[edit]

* The Municipal Borough of Chingford;
* The Urban Districts of Epping and Waltham Holy Cross; and
* The Rural District of Epping.[2]

Epping in Essex 1955-74

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election.[3] This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which Epping was divided into two constituencies. As a consequence, the new Parliamentary Borough of Woodford was formed from the Municipal Borough of Wanstead and Woodford (created from amalgamating the two separate Urban Districts) and the Urban District of Chigwell (previously a parish in the Rural District of Epping which had also absorbed the former Urban Districts of Buckhurst Hill and Loughton).

### Abolition

[edit]

The seat was abolished in 1974 following the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies. The Borough of Chingford had been absorbed into the London Borough of Waltham Forest on its creation within Greater London and now formed the basis for the new constituency of Chingford within that Borough; the Urban District of Harlow, which had been created out of the Rural District of Epping, together with neighbouring parishes (now part of the merged Rural District of Epping and Ongar), formed the new constituency of Harlow; and remaining parts were included in the new constituency of Epping Forest.

### Areas covered

[edit]

Area  | 1885  | 1918  | 1945  | 1955  | 1974

|
|
|
|
|

Great Dunmow, Hatfield Broad Oak | Epping | Saffron Walden (part)
Chipping Ongar | Chelmsford (part)  | Chigwell | Brentwood and Ongar (part)
Harlow | Epping | Epping | Epping | Harlow
Chingford | Chingford
Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Epping | Epping Forest
Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell | Woodford | Chigwell
Woodford | Walthamstow (part)  | Woodford1 | Wanstead and Woodford
Wanstead | Romford (part)

1Renamed Wanstead and Woodford, with minor boundary changes, for the 1964 general election (S.I. 1960/454).[2]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Year | Member | Party | Notes

|
|
|

| 1885 | Henry Selwin-Ibbetson | Conservative
| 1892 | Amelius Lockwood | Conservative
| 1917 by-election | Richard Colvin | Unionist
| 1923 | Leonard Lyle | Unionist
| 1924 | Rt Hon Winston Churchill | Constitutionalist
| 1924 | Conservative | Prime Minister 1940–1945
| 1945 | Leah Manning | Labour
| 1950 | Nigel Davies | Conservative
| 1951 | Graeme Finlay | Conservative
| 1964 | Stan Newens | Labour
| 1970 | Norman Tebbit | Conservative
1974 | constituency abolished

## Election results

[edit]

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1885: Epping [4][5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Selwin-Ibbetson | 4,668  | 61.5  |
| Liberal | Edmund Barnard | 2,915  | 38.5  |
Majority  | 1,744  | 23.0  |
Turnout | 7,574  | 82.0  |
Registered electors | 9,239  |  |
| Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Epping [4][5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Henry Selwin-Ibbetson | Unopposed
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

General election 1892: Epping [4][5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Amelius Lockwood | 4,536  | 62.4  | N/A
| Liberal | Spencer Barclay Heward  | 2,738  | 37.6  | New
Majority  | 1,798  | 24.8  | N/A
Turnout | 7,274  | 76.8  | N/A
Registered electors | 9,476  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1895: Epping [4][5][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Amelius Lockwood | Unopposed
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

General election 1900: Epping [4][5][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Amelius Lockwood | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election 1906: Epping [4][5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Amelius Lockwood | 5,204  | 56.4  | N/A
| Liberal | Spencer Barclay Howard  | 4,030  | 43.6  | New
Majority  | 1,174  | 12.8  | N/A
Turnout | 9,234  | 81.2  | N/A
Registered electors | 11,374  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: Epping [4][7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Amelius Lockwood | 6,578  | 63.1  | +6.7
| Liberal | Israel Alexander Symmons  | 3,845  | 36.9  | −6.7
Majority  | 2,733  | 26.2  | +13.4
Turnout | 10,423  | 85.7  | +4.5
Registered electors | 12,164  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +6.7  |
General election December 1910: Epping [4][7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Amelius Lockwood | 5,990  | 64.1  | +1.0
| Liberal | Israel Alexander Symmons  | 3,361  | 35.9  | −1.0
Majority  | 2,629  | 28.2  | +2.0
Turnout | 9,351  | 76.9  | −8.8
Registered electors | 12,164  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0  |

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2023)

|

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: Amelius Lockwood
* Liberal:

This election was suspended by the Parliament and Registration Act 1916 (royal assent 27 January 1916), which was extended five times, due to the First World War. A general election was finally allowed in December 1918 after the war was over; but first, Amelius Lockwood was disqualified as an MP by being raised to the peerage in 1917, necessitating a by-election. The Liberals, in wartime coalition with the Conservatives and Unionists, did not oppose the Unionist candidate.

By-election, 1917: Epping [4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Richard Colvin | Unopposed
| Unionist hold
General election 1918: Epping[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Unionist | Richard Colvin | 14,668 | 72.6 | +8.5
| Liberal | Arthur Leonard Horner  | 4,164  | 20.6  | −15.3
| People's Progressive Coalition  | J. Conoley  | 1,367  | 6.8  | New
Majority  | 10,504  | 52.0  | +23.8
Turnout | 20,199  | 52.4  | −24.5
Registered electors | 38,519  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | +11.9  |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: Epping[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Richard Colvin | 15,300  | 59.9  | −12.7
| Liberal | Gilbert Granville Sharp | 10,228  | 40.1  | +19.5
Majority  | 5,072  | 19.8  | −32.8
Turnout | 25,528  | 63.5  | +11.1
Registered electors | 40,209  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −16.1  |
General election 1923: Epping[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Leonard Lyle | 14,528  | 52.9  | −7.0
| Liberal | Gilbert Granville Sharp | 12,954  | 47.1  | +7.0
Majority  | 1,574  | 5.8  | −14.0
Turnout | 27,482  | 66.4  | +2.9
Registered electors | 41,404  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −7.0  |
General election 1924: Epping[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Constitutionalist | Winston Churchill | 19,843  | 58.9  | N/A
| Liberal | Gilbert Granville Sharp | 10,080  | 29.9  | −17.2
| Labour | J R McPhie  | 3,768  | 11.2  | New
Majority  | 9,763  | 29.0  | N/A
Turnout | 33,691  | 78.3  | +11.9
Registered electors | 43,055  |  |
| Constitutionalist gain from Unionist | Swing |  |
General election 1929: Epping[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Winston Churchill | 23,972  | 48.5  | −10.4
| Liberal | Gilbert Granville Sharp | 19,005  | 38.4  | +8.5
| Labour | Walton Newbold | 6,472  | 13.1  | +1.9
Majority  | 4,967  | 10.1  | −18.9
Turnout | 49,449  | 75.2  | −3.1
Registered electors | 65,758  |  |
| Unionist gain from Constitutionalist | Swing | −9.5  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

Comyns Carr General election 1931: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Winston Churchill | 35,956  | 63.8  | +15.3
| Liberal | Arthur Comyns Carr | 15,670  | 27.8  | −10.6
| Labour | James Ranger | 4,713  | 8.4  | −4.7
Majority  | 20,286  | 36.0  | +25.9
Turnout | 56,339  | 77.3  | +2.1
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1935: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Winston Churchill | 34,849  | 59.0  | −4.8
| Liberal | Gilbert Granville Sharp | 14,430  | 24.4  | −3.4
| Labour | James Ranger | 9,758  | 16.5  | +8.1
Majority  | 20,419  | 34.6  | −1.4
Turnout | 59,037  | 67.7  | −9.6
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

A 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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected:

* Conservative: Winston Churchill
* Labour: Leon MacLaren[9]

The election was suspended by the Prolongation of Parliament Act 1940 (royal assent 6 November 1940), which was extended four times, due to the Second World War.

General election 1945: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Leah Manning | 15,993  | 44.1  | +19.3
| Conservative | Roy Wise | 15,006  | 41.3  | −17.8
| Liberal | Sydney Robinson | 5,134  | 14.6  | −1.9
Majority  | 987  | 2.8  | N/A
Turnout | 36,313  | 71.4  | +3.7
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +18.6  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1950: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Nigel Davies | 24,292  | 49.1  | +7.8
| Labour | Leah Manning | 20,385  | 41.2  | +3.9
| Liberal | Peter Edwin Lewis | 4,755  | 9.6  | −5.0
Majority  | 3,907  | 7.9  | N/A
Turnout | 49,432  | 86.6  | +15.2
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  |
General election 1951: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Graeme Finlay | 27,392  | 54.8  | +5.7
| Labour | Leah Manning | 22,598  | 45.2  | +4.0
Majority  | 4,794  | 9.6  | +1.7
Turnout | 49,990  | 85.1  | −1.5
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9  |
General election 1955: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Graeme Finlay | 26,065  | 46.4  | −8.4
| Labour | Leah Manning | 22,542  | 40.2  | −5.0
| Liberal | John Arlott | 7,528  | 13.4  | New
Majority  | 3,523  | 6.2  | −3.4
Turnout | 56,135  | 82.3  | −2.8
| Conservative hold | Swing | −1.7  |
General election 1959: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Graeme Finlay | 31,507  | 44.7  | −1.7
| Labour Co-op | Donald F W Ford  | 27,114  | 38.4  | −1.8
| Liberal | John Arlott | 11,913  | 16.9  | +3.5
Majority  | 4,393  | 6.2  | 0.0
Turnout | 70,534  | 84.3  | +2.0
| Conservative hold | Swing | −0.1  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1964: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Stan Newens | 34,991  | 44.4  | +6.0
| Conservative | Graeme Finlay | 31,753  | 40.3  | −4.4
| Liberal | Nancy Seear | 12,093  | 15.3  | −1.6
Majority  | 3,238  | 4.1  | N/A
Turnout | 78,837  | 83.3  | −1.0
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.2  |
General election 1966: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Stan Newens | 38,914  | 48.4  | +4.0
| Conservative | E Michael Ogden | 31,406  | 39.0  | −1.3
| Liberal | Derek A McKie  | 10,162  | 12.6  | −2.7
Majority  | 7,508  | 9.4  | +5.3
Turnout | 80,482  | 82.4  | −0.9
| Labour hold | Swing | +2.7  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1970: Epping  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Norman Tebbit | 43,615  | 51.5  | +12.5
| Labour | Stan Newens | 41,040  | 48.5  | +0.1
Majority  | 2,575  | 3.0  | N/A
Turnout | 84,655  | 73.3  | −9.1
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +6.2  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
2. ^ a b c Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
3. ^ Gay, Oonagh (28 July 2010). "The Rules for the Redistribution of Seats- history and reform". `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
5. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
6. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
7. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
8. ^ a b c d e Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
9. ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939

## Sources

[edit]

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)

Parliament of the United Kingdom

Preceded by

Essex South

|  UK Parliament constituency
Representative for Wanstead, Woodford
1885–1945  | Succeeded by

Woodford

UK Parliament constituency
Representative for Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell
1885–1950  | Succeeded by

Woodford

UK Parliament constituency
Representative for Chingford
1885–1974  | Succeeded by

Chingford

UK Parliament constituency
Representative for Harlow
1885–1974  | Succeeded by

Harlow

UK Parliament constituency
Representative for Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Epping
1885–1974  | Succeeded by

Epping Forest

Preceded by

Colne Valley

|  Constituency represented by the chancellor of the Exchequer
1924–1929  | Succeeded by

Colne Valley

Preceded by

Birmingham Edgbaston

|  Constituency represented by the prime minister
1940–1945  | Succeeded by

Limehouse