Isle of Ely (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1918–1983

Isle of Ely

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County| Cambridgeshire
1918–1983
Seats| One
Created from| Wisbech
Newmarket (part)
Chesterton (part)
Replaced by| NE Cambridgeshire
SE Cambridgeshire

Isle of Ely was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, centred on the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire. Until its abolition in 1983, it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

## History

[edit]

The isle had previously been represented by two members of the First and Second Protectorate Parliaments, between 1654 and 1658.

The twentieth century constituency was created in 1918 and remained virtually unchanged until its abolition in 1983. The territory included in the new seat was similar to that previously constituting the Wisbech constituency (the Northern division of Cambridgeshire). That constituency was dominated by the Fens, a district of Liberal inclined smallholders. The towns in the Wisbech division, predominantly Conservative Wisbech and the more Liberal inclined March, tended to be outvoted by the rural areas.

The small city of Ely had formerly been part of the Newmarket constituency (the east division of Cambridgeshire). Pelling suggests Ely was Conservative "because of the cathedral and its fairly substantial middle-class population".

In 1918, the former Liberal MP for Wisbech, Colin Coote, was returned unopposed as a Coalition Liberal. In 1922 Coote contested the seat again, this time as a National Liberal candidate. A Labour candidate appeared for the first time. The anti-Conservative vote was badly split (National Liberal 27.7% and Labour 21.4%), so the Conservative soldier Lieutenant Colonel Norman Coates was easily elected. Coates retired and did not seek re-election in 1923.

In 1923, the reunited Liberal Party nominated a member of the family of one of their richest members. Henry Mond was the son of the industrialist Alfred Mond (later the 1st Lord Melchett). He was able to squeeze the Labour vote down to 12.4%, which was sufficient for a narrow Liberal victory as part of the party's best election result after the First World War.

In the 1924 general election, both the Conservative and Labour candidates increased their vote. Mond was defeated. The new MP was the Conservative, Sir Hugh Lucas-Tooth, Bt. Lucas-Tooth had a long political career, not leaving the House of Commons until 1970, but he only retained this seat for one Parliament until his defeat in 1929.

The Monds had joined the Conservative Party in 1926 after a disagreement with Lloyd George's land policy. However another rich Liberal stood in this constituency in 1929, the flamboyant James de Rothschild. He retained the seat for three Parliaments, serving from 1929 to 1945. In the 1945 general election de Rothschild came third, the first time this had happened to any Liberal candidate in the constituency.

It must have appeared that the days when the Isle seat was a Conservative/Liberal marginal had ended in 1945. The new Conservative MP, Harry Legge-Bourke, had a majority of 6.1% over Labour, with the Liberal almost 10% further behind. He retained the seat until his death in 1973, with Labour in second place. The Liberal Party did not contest general elections in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1964 and 1970. The Liberal vote in 1966 was only 11.4%.

Clement Freud gained the seat for the Liberals from the Conservatives in a 1973 by-election during the height of the 1970s Liberal revival. He retained the seat until it was abolished in 1983 and won the successor seat of North East Cambridgeshire that year, but was defeated in 1987.

The constituency was renamed in 1983, with most of the territory incorporated into the constituency of North East Cambridgeshire.

## Boundaries

[edit]

### 1918-1974

[edit]

In the Representation of the People Act 1918, the constituency was defined as having the same boundaries as the administrative county of the Isle of Ely, which had been formed in 1889 from a traditional sub-division of the historic county of Cambridgeshire in East Anglia. The bulk of the constituency was formed from the abolished Wisbech Division of Cambridgeshire, with the northernmost parts of the abolished Chesterton and Newmarket Divisions, including the city of Ely.

### 1974-1983

[edit]

In 1965, the Isle of Ely county was merged into the new administrative county of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely and in the next redistribution of parliamentary seats, which took effect for the February 1974 general election, the constituency was defined as comprising:

* The Municipal Borough of Wisbech;
* The urban districts of Chatteris, Ely, March, and Whittlesey; and
* The rural districts of Ely, North Witchford, and Wisbech.[1]

The only change was the loss of the small rural district of Thorney, which had been included in the new administrative county of Huntingdon and Peterborough and was now transferred to the borough constituency of Peterborough.

Meanwhile, as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, the two counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, and Huntingdon and Peterborough were merged to form the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, with effect from 1 April 1974. However, the next redistribution did not come into effect until the 1983 general election, when the constituency was largely replaced by North East Cambridgeshire. The city of Ely was included in the new constituency of South East Cambridgeshire, and the villages of Thorney and Eye were returned from Peterborough.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### 1654-1658

[edit]

Year | Member(s)

|

1654–55 | John Thurloe
George Glapthorn
1656–58 | John Thurloe

### 1918-1983

[edit]

Year | Member[2] | Party

|
|

| 1918 | Colin Coote | Coalition Liberal
| 1922 | Norman Coates | Unionist
| 1923 | Henry Mond | Liberal
| 1924 | Hugh Lucas-Tooth | Unionist
| 1929 | James de Rothschild | Liberal
| 1945 | Harry Legge-Bourke | Conservative
| 1973 | Clement Freud | Liberal

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

Colin Coote General election 1918: Isle of Ely[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Liberal | Colin Coote | Unopposed
| Liberal win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: Isle of Ely[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Norman Coates | 13,552  | 50.9  | N/A
| National Liberal | Colin Coote | 7,359  | 27.7  | N/A
| Labour | William George Hall  | 5,688  | 21.4  | New
Majority | 6,193  | 23.2  | N/A
Turnout | 26,599  | 72.0  | N/A
| Unionist gain from National Liberal | Swing | N/A |
General election 1923: Isle of Ely[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Henry Mond | 11,476  | 44.7  | +17.0
| Unionist | Max Townley | 11,009  | 42.9  | −8.0
| Labour | Richard Henry Kennard Hope  | 3,172  | 12.4  | −9.0
Majority | 467  | 1.8  | N/A
Turnout | 25,657  | 68.1  | −3.9
Registered electors | 37,656  |  |
| Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +12.5  |
General election 1924: Isle of Ely[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Hugh Lucas-Tooth | 13,344  | 46.1  | +3.2
| Liberal | Henry Mond | 11,381  | 39.3  | −5.4
| Labour | Dermot Freyer | 4,235  | 14.6  | +2.2
Majority | 1,963  | 6.8  | N/A
Turnout | 28,960  | 75.7  | +7.6
Registered electors | 38,281  |  |
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.3  |
General election 1929: Isle of Ely[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | James de Rothschild | 16,111  | 43.9  | +4.6
| Unionist | Hugh Lucas-Tooth | 13,628  | 37.1  | −9.0
| Labour | Dermot Freyer | 6,967  | 19.0  | +4.4
Majority | 2,483  | 6.8  | N/A
Turnout | 36,706  | 75.0  | −0.7
| Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +6.8  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | James de Rothschild | 20,842  | 64.8  | +20.9
| Agricultural Party | John Alexander Whitehead  | 6,993  | 21.8  | New
| Labour | Francis Joseph Knowles  | 4,302  | 13.4  | −5.6
Majority | 13,849  | 43.0  | +36.2
Turnout | 32,137  | 63.2  | −11.8
Registered electors | 50,849  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −0.45  |
General election 1935: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | James de Rothschild | 17,671  | 51.0  | −13.8
| Conservative | William Garthwaite | 16,972  | 49.0  | New
Majority | 699  | 2.0  | −41.0
Turnout | 34,643  | 66.0  | +2.8
Registered electors | 52,515  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −31.4  |

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

General election 1945: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 15,592  | 40.6  | −8.4
| Labour | Alfred Francis Colenso Gray  | 13,271  | 34.5  | New
| Liberal | James de Rothschild | 9,564  | 24.9  | −26.1
Majority | 2,321  | 6.1  | N/A
Turnout | 38,427  | 67.8  | +1.8
Registered electors | 56,661  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.85  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1950: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 21,528  | 45.0  | +4.4
| Labour | Alfred Francis Colenso Gray  | 16,565  | 34.6  | +0.1
| Liberal | Grenville Jones | 9,733  | 20.4  | −4.5
Majority | 4,963  | 10.4  | +4.3
Turnout | 47,826  | 79.6  | +11.8
Registered electors | 60,070  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.15  |
General election 1951: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 26,319  | 56.9  | +11.9
| Labour | Alfred Francis Colenso Gray  | 19,915  | 43.1  | +8.5
Majority | 6,404  | 13.8  | +3.4
Turnout | 46,234  | 75.9  | −3.7
Registered electors | 60,918  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.7  |
General election 1955: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 24,862  | 57.4  | +0.5
| Labour | Alfred Francis Colenso Gray  | 18,416  | 42.6  | −0.5
Majority | 6,446  | 14.8  | +1.0
Turnout | 43,278  | 70.7  | −5.2
Registered electors | 61,188  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5  |
General election 1959: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 26,173  | 57.0  | −0.4
| Labour | Derek Page | 19,705  | 43.0  | +0.4
Majority | 6,468  | 14.0  | −0.8
Turnout | 45,878  | 74.7  | +4.0
Registered electors | 61,387  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −0.4  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1964: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 25,317  | 56.2  | −0.8
| Labour | Cyril Shaw  | 19,692  | 43.8  | +0.8
Majority | 5,625  | 12.4  | −1.6
Turnout | 45,009  | 73.8  | −0.9
Registered electors | 61,004  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −0.8  |
General election 1966: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 21,320  | 46.2  | −10.0
| Labour | Graham Nurse  | 19,566  | 43.8  | 0.0
| Liberal | Derek Malcolm Rigby  | 5,250  | 11.4  | New
Majority | 1,754  | 2.4  | −10.0
Turnout | 46,136  | 75.9  | +2.1
Registered electors | 60,758  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −4.3  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1970: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Legge-Bourke | 28,972  | 59.9  | +13.7
| Labour | Rex Edgar O'Hare  | 19,366  | 40.1  | −3.7
Majority | 9,606  | 19.8  | +17.4
Turnout | 48,338  | 71.9  | −4.0
Registered electors | 67,226  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +8.7  |
1973 Isle of Ely by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Clement Freud | 17,390  | 38.3  | New
| Conservative | John Burdett Stevens  | 15,920  | 35.0  | −24.9
| Labour | Barry A Young  | 12,153  | 26.7  | −13.4
Majority | 1,470  | 3.3  | N/A
Turnout | 45,463  | 65.8  | −6.1
Registered electors | 69,069  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +31.6  |
General election February 1974: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Clement Freud | 27,647  | 49.0  | N/A
| Conservative | John Burdett Stevens  | 19,300  | 34.2  | −25.7
| Labour | Michael Brandon Harris  | 9,478  | 16.8  | −23.3
Majority | 8,347  | 14.8  | N/A
Turnout | 56,425  | 83.1  | +11.2
Registered electors | 67,913  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +37.35  |
General election October 1974: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Clement Freud | 22,040  | 41.7  | −7.3
| Conservative | Thomas Stuttaford | 19,355  | 36.7  | +2.5
| Labour | Michael Brandon Harris  | 11,420  | 21.6  | +4.8
Majority | 2,685  | 5.0  | −9.8
Turnout | 52,815  | 77.1  | −6.0
Registered electors | 68,473  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −4.9  |
General election 1979: Isle of Ely  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Clement Freud | 26,397  | 46.7  | +5.0
| Conservative | Thomas Stuttaford | 23,067  | 40.8  | +4.1
| Labour | Colin Harry Saunders  | 7,067  | 12.5  | −9.1
Majority | 3,330  | 5.9  | +0.9
Turnout | 56,531  | 80.8  | +3.7
Registered electors | 69,954  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.45  |

## See also

[edit]

* Parliamentary representation from Cambridgeshire
* 1973 Isle of Ely by-election
* List of former United Kingdom Parliament constituencies

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "I"
3. ^ a b c d e British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig

## Sources

[edit]

* Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1972)
* British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
* British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
* British Parliamentary Election Results 1974–1983, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1984)
* Social Geography of British Elections 1885–1910, by Henry Pelling (Macmillan 1967)
* Who's Who of British members of parliament, Volume III 1919–1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
* Who's Who of British members of parliament, Volume IV 1945–1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)

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