Eye (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1983

Eye

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County| Suffolk
Major settlements| Eye, Saxmundham
1885–1983
Seats| One
Replaced by| Central Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal[1]
1571–1885
Seats| Two until 1832, then one until 1885
Type of constituency| Borough constituency

Eye was a parliamentary constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, encompassing an area around the market town and civil parish of Eye, Suffolk.

## History

[edit]

Eye was once the smallest borough in the country, its claim based on the 1205 Charter of King John. The Charter was renewed in 1408, then many more times by successive monarchs. However, in 1885, the Town Clerk of Hythe, 125 miles (201 km) south by land, proved that the original Charter belonged only to Hythe in Kent, the error having arisen from the similarity of their original Old English names, both building off a related root phrase (Hythe: landing place, Eye: land by water).[2] The error was confirmed by archivists in the 1950s, but borough status was not discontinued until 1974 after government reorganization when Eye became a parish but retained a Town Council, a Mayor and the insignia.

From 1571 to 1707, the Parliamentary Borough of Eye elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election to the House of Commons of England, then from 1707 to 1800 to the House of Commons of Great Britain, and from 1801 to 1832 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century it tended to be seen a pocket borough of Earl Cornwallis who could nominate the two MPs.[3] The Reform Act 1832 reduced its representation to one MP, elected by the first past the post system. The parliamentary borough was abolished under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was reconstituted as one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk, becoming a county constituency from the 1950 general election.

This in turn was abolished for the 1983 general election when western areas, comprising the majority, became part of the new county constituency of Central Suffolk, with eastern areas forming part of the new county constituency of Suffolk Coastal.

The seat's main claim to fame was that it was the smallest town to have a parliamentary constituency named after it as the town of Eye had only approximately 1500 voters in 1981. It had been mostly a Liberal seat until 1951, after which it became a safe Conservative seat.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

[edit]

### 1885–1918

[edit]

* The Municipal Borough of Eye;
* The Sessional Divisions of Framlingham, Hartismere, and Hoxne; and
* Part of the Sessional Division of Blything.[4]

Formed from parts of the abolished Eastern and Western Divisions of Suffolk and incorporating the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Eye. Apart from Eye, the main town was Saxmundham.

### 1918–1950

[edit]

* The Municipal Borough of Eye;
* The Urban Districts of Halesworth, Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham, and Stowmarket;
* The Rural Districts of East Stow, Hartismere, and Hoxne; and
* Parts of the Rural Districts of Blything and Plomesgate.[5]

Gained southernmost part of the Lowestoft Division, including Halesworth, and a small area to the east of the abolished Stowmarket Division, including the town of Stowmarket itself.

### 1950–1983

[edit]

* The Municipal Boroughs of Aldeburgh and Eye;
* The Urban Districts of Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham, and Stowmarket;
* The Rural Districts of Blyth, Gipping, and Hartismere: and
* The Rural District of Deben parishes of Blaxhall, Boulge, Bredfield, Burgh, Campsey Ash, Charsfield, Chillesford, Clopton, Cretingham, Dallinghoo, Dallinghoo Wield, Debach, Eyke, Gedgrave, Grundisburgh, Hoo, Iken, Letheringham, Monewden, Orford, Otley, Pettistree, Rendlesham, Sudbourne, Swilland, Tunstall, Ufford, Wantisden, Wickham Market, and Witnesham.[6]

Extended southwards to gain Aldeburgh and mainly rural areas from the northern part of the abolished Woodbridge Division of East Suffolk. Area previously transferred from Lowestoft (including Halesworth) now returned.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### Eye borough

[edit]

#### MPs 1571–1660

[edit]

Parliament | First member | Second member

|
|

1571 | Richard Bedell | Charles Cutler[7]
1572 | Charles Calthorpe | Charles Cutler[7]
1584 | Bassingbourne Gawdy | George Brooke[7]
1586 | Bartholomew Kemp | Thomas Bedingfield[7]
1588 | Edward Grimston | Sir Edmund Bacon[7]
1593 | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng | Philip Gawdy[7]
1597 | Anthony Gawdy | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng[7]
1601 | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng | Anthony Gawdy[7]
1604 | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng | Sir Henry Bockenham
1610 | Sir John Kay
1614 | Sir Robert Drury | Huntingdon Colby
1621–1622 | Sir Roger North | Sir John Crompton
1624 | Sir Henry Crofts | Francis Finch
1625 | Francis Finch | Sir Roger North
1626 | Francis Finch | Sir Roger North
1628 | Francis Finch | Sir Roger North
1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr) | Sir Frederick Cornwallis | Sir Roger North
1640 (Nov) | Sir Frederick Cornwallis | Sir Roger North
1645 | Morris Barrow | Sir Roger North
1648 | ?
1653 | Eye not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 | Eye not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament
1655 | Eye not represented in 2nd Protectorate Parliament
1659 | Edward Dendy | Joseph Blisset

#### MPs 1660–1832

[edit]

Election |  | First member [8] | First party |  | Second member [8] | Second party

|
|
|
|
|
|

1660  |  | Charles Cornwallis | Court Party |  | Sir George Reeve | Court Party
1661  |  | Charles Cornwallis, senior |
1675  |  | Sir Robert Reeve |
1678  |  | Sir Charles Gawdy | Tory
1679  |  | Charles Fox | Tory |  | George Walsh |
1681  |  | Sir Charles Gawdy | Tory |  | Sir Robert Reeve |
1685  |  | Sir John Rous | Tory
1689  |  | Thomas Knyvett | Tory |  | Henry Poley | Tory
1690  |  | Thomas Davenant |
1695  |  | Charles Cornwallis | Whig
1697  |  | Sir Joseph Jekyll | Whig
1698  |  | Hon. Spencer Compton | Tory
1701  |  | Whig
1710  |  | Thomas Maynard | Whig[9]
1713  |  | Edward Hopkins | Whig
1715  |  | Thomas Smith | Whig
March 1722  |  | Hon. Spencer Compton | Whig
November 1722  |  | James Cornwallis | Whig
1727  |  | Stephen Cornwallis | Whig |  | John Cornwallis | Whig
1743  |  | Edward Cornwallis | Whig
1747  |  | Roger Townshend | Whig
1748  |  | Nicholas Hardinge |
1749  |  | Courthorpe Clayton |
1758  |  | Henry Townshend |
1760  |  | Viscount Brome | Whig
March 1761  |  | Henry Cornwallis |
December 1761  |  | Henry Townshend |
1762  |  | The Viscount Allen |  |  | Richard Burton[10] |
1768  |  | Hon. William Cornwallis |
1770  |  | Richard Burton Phillipson |
March 1774  |  | Francis Osborne, Marquess of Carmarthen | Tory
October 1774  |  | John St John |
1780  |  | Arnoldus Jones-Skelton |
1782  |  | Hon. William Cornwallis |
1784  |  | Peter Bathurst | Pittite
1790  |  | Hon. William Cornwallis[11] |
1792  |  | Peter Bathurst | Pittite
1795  |  | Viscount Brome | Tory
1796  |  | Mark Singleton |
1799  |  | James Cornwallis | Tory
1806  |  | Marquess of Huntly | Tory
January 1807  |  | James Cornwallis | Tory
April 1807  |  | Hon. Henry Wellesley | Tory
May 1807  |  | Mark Singleton |
1809  |  | Charles Arbuthnot | Tory
1812  |  | Sir William Garrow | Whig
1817  |  | Sir Robert Gifford | Tory[12]
1820  |  | Sir Miles Nightingall | Tory[12]
1824  |  | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Tory[12]
1829  |  | Sir Philip Sidney, Bt | Tory[12]
1831  |  | William Burge | Tory[12]
1832 | Representation reduced to one member

#### MPs 1832–1885

[edit]

| Election | Member [8] | Party

|
|
|

| 1832 | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Tory
| 1834 | Conservative
| 1852 | Edward Kerrison[13] | Conservative
| 1866 by-election | Hon. George Barrington[14] | Conservative
| 1880 | Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett | Conservative
| 1885 | Borough abolished – name transferred to county division

### Eye division of Suffolk

[edit]

#### MPs 1885–1983

[edit]

| Election | Member [8] | Party

|
|
|

| 1885 | Francis Seymour Stevenson | Liberal
| 1906 by-election | Harold Pearson | Liberal
| 1918 | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | Liberal
| 1923 | The Lord Huntingfield | Conservative
| 1929 | Edgar Granville | Liberal
| 1931  | Liberal National
| 1942  | Independent
| 1945  | Liberal
| 1951 | Sir Harwood Harrison | Conservative
| 1979 | John Gummer | Conservative
| 1983 | constituency abolished: see Suffolk Central

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election 1830: Eye[12][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
| Tory | Philip Sidney | Unopposed
| Tory hold
| Tory hold

Sidney resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 14 March 1831: Eye[12][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | William Burge | Unopposed
| Tory hold
General election 1831: Eye[12][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
| Tory | William Burge | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 125 |
| Tory hold
| Tory hold
General election 1832: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 253  |  |
| Tory hold
General election 1835: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 282  |  |
| Conservative hold
General election 1837: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 301  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

General election 1841: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 342  |  |
| Conservative hold
General election 1847: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 322  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

General election 1852: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 356  |  |
| Conservative hold
General election 1857: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 359  |  |
| Conservative hold
General election 1859: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 342  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

General election 1865: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed
Registered electors | 339  |  |
| Conservative hold

Kerrison resigned in order to contest the 1866 by-election in East Suffolk.

By-election, 27 July 1866: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Barrington | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election 1868: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Barrington | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,198  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

General election 1874: Eye[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Barrington | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,163  |  |
| Conservative hold

Barrington was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 19 Mar 1874: Eye[17][16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Barrington | 656  | 63.0  | N/A
| Liberal | Charles Easton[18] | 386  | 37.0  | New
Majority | 270  | 26.0  | N/A
Turnout | 1,042  | 89.6  | N/A
Registered electors | 1,163  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1880: Eye [16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett | 540  | 53.0  | N/A
| Liberal | Charles Easton[18] | 478  | 47.0  | N/A
Majority | 62  | 6.0  | N/A
Turnout | 1,018  | 94.2  | N/A
Registered electors | 1,081  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

Bartlett was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 2 Jul 1885: Eye [16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett | 473  | 58.5  | +5.5
| Liberal | Mervyn Lanark Hawkes[19] | 336  | 41.5  | −5.5
Majority | 137  | 17.0  | +11.0
Turnout | 809  | 82.3  | −11.9
Registered electors | 983  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5  |
Stevenson General election 1885: Eye [20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 5,356  | 61.5  | +14.5
| Conservative | Benjamin Bridges Hunter Rodwell | 3,360  | 38.5  | −14.5
Majority | 1,996  | 23.0  | N/A
Turnout | 8,716  | 79.3  | −13.9
Registered electors | 10,993  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.5  |
General election 1886: Eye [20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,544  | 60.7  | −0.8
| Liberal Unionist | James Colquhoun Revell Reade  | 2,938  | 39.3  | +0.8
Majority | 1,606  | 21.4  | −1.6
Turnout | 7,482  | 68.1  | −11.2
Registered electors | 10,993  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −0.8  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

Holland General election 1892: Eye [20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,701  | 57.8  | −2.9
| Conservative | Lionel Holland | 3,431  | 42.2  | +2.9
Majority | 1,270  | 15.6  | −5.8
Turnout | 8,132  | 78.8  | +10.7
Registered electors | 10,321  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −2.9  |
General election 1895: Eye [22][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,437  | 55.2  | −2.6
| Conservative | Frederick John Francis Wootton Isaacson  | 3,603  | 44.8  | +2.6
Majority | 834  | 10.4  | −5.2
Turnout | 8,040  | 77.8  | −1.0
Registered electors | 10,339  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

Harben General election 1900: Eye [22][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,664  | 61.3  | +6.1
| Conservative | Henry Harben | 2,947  | 38.7  | −6.1
Majority | 1,717  | 22.6  | +12.2
Turnout | 7,611  | 74.9  | −2.9
Registered electors | 10,162  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +6.1  |
General election 1906: Eye [20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | Unopposed
| Liberal hold
Pearson 1906 Eye by-election[20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Harold Pearson | 4,568  | 51.1  | N/A
| Conservative | James Graham | 4,371  | 48.9  | New
Majority | 197  | 2.2  | N/A
Turnout | 8,939  | 87.9  | N/A
Registered electors | 10,166  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: Eye [23] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Harold Pearson | 4,991  | 52.0  | N/A
| Conservative | James Graham | 4,614  | 48.0  | N/A
Majority | 377  | 4.0  | +1.8
Turnout | 9,605  | 90.4  | +2.5
Registered electors | 10,621  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.9  |
General election December 1910: Eye [23] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Harold Pearson | 4,927  | 54.2  | +2.2
| Liberal Unionist | George Borwick, 2nd Baron Borwick  | 4,157  | 45.8  | −2.2
Majority | 770  | 8.4  | +4.4
Turnout | 9,084  | 85.5  | −4.9
Registered electors | 10,621  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +2.2  |

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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

* Liberal: Harold Pearson
* Unionist:

General election 1918: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Liberal | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | 10,072 | 61.3 | +7.1
| Unionist | Frederick William French  | 6,362  | 38.7  | −7.1
Majority | 3,710  | 22.6  | +14.2
Turnout | 16,434  | 49.2  | −36.3
Registered electors | 33,399  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +7.1  |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | 10,556  | 60.0  | −1.3
| National Liberal | Gerald Howard | 7,025  | 40.0  | N/A
Majority | 3,531  | 20.0  | −2.6
Turnout | 17,581  | 54.0  | +4.8
Registered electors | 32,579  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing |  |
General election 1923: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | William Vanneck | 11,172  | 47.7  | New
| Liberal | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | 9,244  | 39.5  | −20.5
| Labour | Charles Wye Kendall  | 2,984  | 12.8  | New
Majority | 1,928  | 8.2  | N/A
Turnout | 23,400  | 70.9  | +16.9
Registered electors | 32,999  |  |
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A |
General election 1924: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | William Vanneck | 13,450  | 53.3  | +5.6
| Liberal | Thomas Bethell | 7,441  | 29.5  | −10.0
| Labour | Charles Wye Kendall  | 4,329  | 17.2  | +4.4
Majority | 6,009  | 23.8  | +15.6
Turnout | 25,220  | 74.5  | +3.6
Registered electors | 33,841  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | +7.8  |
General election 1929: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Edgar Granville | 13,944  | 44.3  | +14.8
| Unionist | Arthur Gilstrap Soames  | 12,880  | 40.8  | −12.5
| Labour | Owen Aves  | 4,709  | 14.9  | −2.3
Majority | 1,064  | 3.5  | N/A
Turnout | 31,533  | 78.2  | +3.7
Registered electors | 40,340  |  |
| Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +13.7  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | Edgar Granville | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| National Liberal hold
General election 1935: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | Edgar Granville | 21,606  | 73.95  | N/A
| Labour | Harry Leonard Self  | 7,613  | 26.05  | New
Majority | 13,993  | 47.90  | N/A
Turnout | 29,219  | 70.69  | N/A
| National Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

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

* Liberal: Edgar Granville
* Labour: Harry Leonard Self
* British Union: Ronald Noah Creasy

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

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Edgar Granville | 11,899  | 38.46  |
| Conservative | Algernon Malcolm Borthwick  | 10,950  | 35.39  |
| Labour | B Collingson  | 8,089  | 26.15  | +0.10
Majority | 949  | 3.07  |
Turnout | 30,938  | 71.74  |
| Liberal hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Edgar Granville | 17,755  | 37.27  | −1.19
| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 17,128  | 36.96  | +0.57
| Labour | Leslie George Emsden  | 12,474  | 26.19  | +0.04
| Communist | Lee Chadwick  | 271  | 0.58  | New
Majority | 627  | 0.31  | −2.76
Turnout | 47,628  | 83.8  | +12.1
| Liberal hold | Swing | −0.88  |
General election 1951: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 19,791  | 40.61  | +4.65
| Liberal | Edgar Granville | 17,602  | 36.12  | −1.15
| Labour | Harold F Falconer  | 11,340  | 23.27  | −2.92
Majority | 2,189  | 4.49  | N/A
Turnout | 48,733  | 83.28  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 21,317  | 45.04  | +4.43
| Labour | Edgar Granville | 20,428  | 43.16  | +19.89
| Liberal | Inga-Stina Robson | 5,582  | 11.79  | −24.33
Majority | 898  | 1.88  |
Turnout | 47,327  | 82.90  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1959: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 22,333  | 47.12  | +2.08
| Labour | Edgar Granville | 19,849  | 41.88  | −1.28
| Liberal | Inga-Stina Robson | 5,215  | 11.00  | −0.79
Majority | 2,484  | 5.24  |
Turnout | 47,397  | 84.04  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 21,555  | 45.74  |
| Labour | John Wilson Fear  | 16,129  | 34.23  |
| Liberal | Donald James Newby  | 9,437  | 20.03  |
Majority | 5,426  | 11.51  |
Turnout | 47,121  | 82.54  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1966: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 21,044  | 44.65  |
| Labour | Richard Wallis Speaight Pryke  | 17,431  | 36.98  |
| Liberal | Donald James Newby  | 8,661  | 18.37  |
Majority | 3,613  | 7.67  |
Turnout | 47,136  | 81.48  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 26,099  | 52.41  |
| Labour | Roy Ellison Manley  | 17,735  | 35.62  |
| Liberal | Ian Stanley Temple Senior  | 5,962  | 11.97  |
Majority | 8,364  | 16.79  |
Turnout | 49,796  | 78.12  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election February 1974: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 23,486  | 43.61  |
| Liberal | Denys Robinson  | 15,811  | 29.36  |
| Labour | Roy Ellison Manley  | 13,937  | 25.88  |
| PEOPLE | Edward Goldsmith | 395  | 0.73  | New
| Independent Democratic Alliance | Albert Kingham  | 220  | 0.41  | New
Majority | 7,675  | 14.25  |
Turnout | 53,849  | 82.64  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election October 1974: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 22,387  | 44.01  |
| Liberal | Denys Robinson  | 14,530  | 28.57  |
| Labour | Ranken Bushby  | 13,948  | 27.42  |
Majority | 7,857  | 15.44  |
Turnout | 50,865  | 77.41  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1979: Eye  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Gummer | 28,707  | 51.96  |
| Labour | Paul Koppel  | 13,686  | 24.77  |
| Liberal | Peter Kemsley  | 12,259  | 22.19  |
| Independent | JJ Flint  | 324  | 0.59  | New
| Anti-Common Market Conservative | Norman Rogers  | 268  | 0.49  | New
Majority | 15,021  | 27.19  |
Turnout | 55,244  | 79.10  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

## See also

[edit]

* List of parliamentary constituencies in Suffolk

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "'Eye', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 22 March 2016.[permanent dead link]
2. ^ Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names (4 ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 171\. ISBN 0-19-869103-3. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
3. ^ Pages 144 and 199, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition - London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
4. ^ Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
5. ^ S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. ^ "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
7. ^ a b c d e f g h "History of Parliament". History of Parliament. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
8. ^ a b c d Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
9. ^ D. W. Hayton (2002). "Eye". In Hayton, David; Cruickshanks, Eveline; Handley, Stuart (eds.). The House of Commons 1690–1715. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
10. ^ Later adopted the surname Phillipson
11. ^ Rear Admiral from 1793, Vice Admiral 1794, Admiral 1799
12. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. 55–58. Retrieved 13 April 2020 - via Google Books.
13. ^ Succeeded as baronet, March 1853
14. ^ Succeeded as The Viscount Barrington (in the Peerage of Ireland), February 1867
15. ^ a b c Escott, Margaret. "Eye". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
16. ^ 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. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
17. ^ "Eye Election". Cardiff Times. 21 March 1874. Retrieved 12 October 2014 - via British Newspaper Archive.
18. ^ a b "The Polling at Eye". Diss Express. 2 April 1880. p. 5. Retrieved 26 November 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
19. ^ "The Candidature of Mr Mervyn Hawkes". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 13 August 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 26 November 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
20. ^ a b c d e The Liberal year book, 1907
21. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
22. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
23. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916

*[c.]: circa