Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1983

Lowestoft

County constituency
for the House of Commons
County| Suffolk
Major settlements| Lowestoft
Current constituency
Created| 2024
Member of Parliament| None
Seats| One
Created from| Waveney
1885–1983
Created from| East Suffolk
Replaced by| Waveney and Great Yarmouth[1]

Lowestoft was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies proposes to re-establish the seat in its revised proposal.[2]

## History[edit]

The Northern or Lowestoft Division was one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 to replace the existing two 2-member divisions for the 1885 general election. It was formed from parts of the Eastern Division of Suffolk. It became a county constituency from the 1950 general election and was abolished for the 1983 general election, being replaced by the county constituency of Waveney.

It was more often won by the Conservative Party than not, although its representatives include two from the Liberal Party and one from the Labour Party.

## Boundaries and boundary changes[edit]

### 1885–1918[edit]

* The Borough of Southwold;
* The Sessional Divisions of Beccles, Bungay, Lothingland, and Mutford;
* Part of the Sessional Division of Blything; and
* The part of the Borough of Great Yarmouth in the county of Suffolk.[3]

As Great Yarmouth formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency.

Throughout its existence, the Lowestoft constituency covered the North-Eastern corner of Suffolk and, although encompassing some rural areas, drew the majority of its voters from the towns of Lowestoft, a resort and fishing port, and Beccles; it also included the smaller towns of Bungay and Southwold, with its brewing interests. Southwold is now in the Suffolk Coastal constituency.

The constituency established in 1885, which was formally named The Northern or Lowestoft Division of Suffolk (and was sometimes referred to simply as "Suffolk North"), also included the town of Halesworth and the rural areas in between.

### 1918–1950[edit]

* The Boroughs of Beccles, Lowestoft, and Southwold;
* The Urban Districts of Bungay and Oulton Broad;
* The Rural Districts of Mutford and Lothingland, and Wangford; and
* The Rural District of Blything parishes of Benacre, Covehithe, Easton Bavents, Frostenden, Henstead, Reydon, South Cove, and Wrentham.[4]

In the boundary changes of 1918, when the constituency became simply the "Lowestoft Division of East Suffolk" or East Suffolk, Lowestoft, Halesworth was transferred to the neighbouring Eye division.

### 1950–1983[edit]

* The Boroughs of Beccles, Lowestoft, and Southwold;
* The Urban Districts of Bungay and Halesworth; and
* The Rural Districts of Lothingland and Wainford.[5]

At the 1950 general election, Halesworth was once more placed in the revised Lowestoft County Constituency, but it otherwise underwent only minor changes to reflect local government rationalisations. The boundaries were not altered in the boundary review implemented in 1974.

The constituency was revised in 1983 and renamed Waveney, as its new boundaries were now identical with those of the local government district of that name. The new constituency was very similar to the old Lowestoft one except a small area in the north, including Bradwell (comprising about 10,000 voters), which had been transferred from Suffolk to Norfolk as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, and was now transferred to the county constituency of Great Yarmouth.

### 2023 Boundary review[edit]

Map of boundaries from 2024

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the re-established constituency will be composed of the following wards of the District of East Suffolk (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

Beccles & Worlingham; Carlton & Whitton; Carlton Colville; Gunton & St. Margarets; Harbour & Normanston; Kessingland; Kirkley & Pakefield; Lothingland; Oulton Broad.[6]

The proposals will see the bulk of the existing Waveney seat, including Lowestoft, Somerleyton and Beccles in the re-established seat, whereas Bungay and The Saints will be transferred to the newly created constituency of Waveney Valley.

## Members of Parliament[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1885 | Sir Savile Crossley | Liberal
| 1886 | Liberal Unionist
| 1892 | Harry Foster | Conservative
| 1900 | Lt Colonel Francis Lucas | Conservative
| 1906 | Edward Beauchamp | Liberal
| 1910 (January) | Harry Foster | Conservative
| 1910 (December) | Sir Edward Beauchamp | Liberal
| 1918 | Coalition Liberal
| 1922 | Sir Gervais Rentoul | Conservative
| 1934 by-election | Pierse Loftus | Conservative
| 1945 | Edward Evans | Labour
| 1959 | Jim Prior | Conservative
1983 | constituency abolished, became Waveney
2024 | constituency re-established

## Elections[edit]

### Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 1885: Lowestoft[7][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Savile Crossley | 4,324  | 53.6  |
| Conservative | Heneage Charles Bagot-Chester[9] | 3,743  | 46.4  |
Majority  | 581  | 7.2  |
Turnout | 8,067  | 73.6  |
Registered electors | 10,956  |  |
| Liberal win (new seat)
General election 1886: Lowestoft[7][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal Unionist | Savile Crossley | Unopposed
| Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal

### Elections in the 1890s[edit]

General election 1892: Lowestoft[7][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Foster | 5,099  | 56.6  | N/A
| Liberal | James Judd[10] | 3,909  | 43.4  | New
Majority  | 1,190  | 13.2  | N/A
Turnout | 9,008  | 76.2  | N/A
Registered electors | 11,827  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1895: Lowestoft[11][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Foster | 5,199  | 57.6  | +1.0
| Liberal | Alfred Sington  | 3,820  | 42.4  | −1.0
Majority  | 1,379  | 15.2  | +2.0
Turnout | 9,019  | 74.2  | −2.0
Registered electors | 12,153  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0  |

### Elections in the 1900s[edit]

General election 1900: Lowestoft[11][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Francis Lucas | 5,077  | 60.3  | +2.7
| Liberal | Adam Adams  | 3,348  | 39.7  | −2.7
Majority  | 1,729  | 20.6  | +5.4
Turnout | 8,425  | 66.5  | −7.7
Registered electors | 12,678  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.7  |
Edward Beauchamp General election 1906: Lowestoft[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Edward Beauchamp | 6,510  | 57.0  | +17.3
| Conservative | Francis Lucas | 4,905  | 43.0  | −17.3
Majority  | 1,605  | 14.0  | N/A
Turnout | 11,415  | 81.5  | +15.0
Registered electors | 14,002  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.3  |

### Elections in the 1910s[edit]

General election January 1910: Lowestoft[12][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Harry Foster | 6,530  | 50.9  | +7.9
| Liberal | Edward Beauchamp | 6,294  | 49.1  | −7.9
Majority  | 236  | 1.8  | N/A
Turnout | 12,824  | 85.0  | +3.5
Registered electors | 15,084  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.9  |
General election December 1910: Lowestoft[12][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Edward Beauchamp | 6,248  | 51.1  | +2.0
| Conservative | Harry Foster | 5,983  | 48.9  | −2.0
Majority  | 265  | 2.2  | N/A
Turnout | 12,231  | 81.1  | −3.9
Registered electors | 15,084  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.0  |

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;

* Liberal: Edward Beauchamp
* Unionist:

General election 1918: Lowestoft[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

C | Liberal | Edward Beauchamp | Unopposed
| Liberal hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s[edit]

General election 1922: Lowestoft[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Gervais Rentoul | 14,154  | 57.0  | New
| National Liberal | Brograve Beauchamp | 6,205  | 24.9  | N/A
| Labour | Robert Arthur Mellanby  | 4,511  | 18.1  | New
Majority  | 7,949  | 32.1  | N/A
Turnout | 24,870  | 71.0  | N/A
Registered electors | 35,012  |  |
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A |
General election 1923: Lowestoft[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Gervais Rentoul | 11,103  | 45.8  | −11.2
| Liberal | Frederick Paterson | 8,362  | 34.5  | +9.6
| Labour | Robert Arthur Mellanby  | 4,788  | 19.7  | +1.6
Majority  | 2,741  | 11.3  | −19.8
Turnout | 24,253  | 67.6  | −3.4
Registered electors | 35,881  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −10.4  |
General election 1924: Lowestoft[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Gervais Rentoul | 13,422  | 50.6  | +4.8
| Labour | Robert Arthur Mellanby  | 6,570  | 24.8  | +5.1
| Liberal | Frederick Paterson | 6,532  | 24.6  | −9.9
Majority  | 6,852  | 25.8  | +14.5
Turnout | 26,524  | 73.0  | +5.4
Registered electors | 36,321  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −0.2  |
General election 1929: Lowestoft[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Unionist | Gervais Rentoul | 13,624  | 39.8  | −10.8
| Liberal | Albert Edward Owen-Jones  | 10,707  | 31.3  | +6.7
| Labour | Basil Hall | 9,903  | 28.9  | +4.1
Majority  | 2,917  | 8.5  | −17.3
Turnout | 34,234  | 84.8  | +11.8
Registered electors | 46,359  |  |
| Unionist hold | Swing | −8.8  |

### Elections in the 1930s[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Gervais Rentoul | 22,886  | 67.8  | +28.0
| Labour | E. J. C. Neep | 10,894  | 32.2  | +3.3
Majority  | 11,992  | 35.6  | +27.1
Turnout | 33,780  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
1934 Lowestoft by-election[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Pierse Loftus | 15,912  | 47.9  | −19.9
| Labour | Reginald Sorensen | 13,992  | 42.1  | +9.8
| Liberal | William Smith | 3,304  | 10.0  | New
Majority  | 1,920  | 5.8  | −29.8
Turnout | 48,900  | 67.9  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −14.9  |
General election 1935: Lowestoft[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Pierse Loftus | 21,064  | 61.21  |
| Labour | Frederick Wise | 13,348  | 38.79  |
Majority  | 7,716  | 22.42  |
Turnout | 34,412  | 69.00  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

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;

* Conservative: Pierse Loftus
* Labour: A D Belden
* Liberal:

### Elections in the 1940s[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Edward Evans | 12,759  | 42.1  | +3.3
| Conservative | Pierse Loftus | 10,996  | 36.3  | −24.9
| Liberal | Matthew P Crosse  | 6,545  | 21.6  | New
Majority  | 1,763  | 5.8  | N/A
Turnout | 44,679  | 67.8  | −1.2
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Edward Evans | 20,838  | 44.83  |
| Conservative | Philip Geoffrey Whitefoord  | 17,516  | 37.68  |
| Liberal | Ruth Crisp English | 8,132  | 17.49  |
Majority  | 3,322  | 7.15  |
Turnout | 55,456  | 83.83  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1951: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Edward Evans | 23,591  | 50.91  |
| Conservative | Alfred Henry Willetts  | 22,744  | 49.09  |
Majority  | 847  | 1.82  |
Turnout | 56,582  | 81.89  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Edward Evans | 23,587  | 52.12  |
| Conservative | J T Griffiths  | 21,672  | 47.88  |
Majority  | 1,915  | 4.24  |
Turnout | 56,850  | 79.61  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1959: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | James Prior | 24,324  | 51.58  |
| Labour | Edward Evans | 22,835  | 48.42  |
Majority  | 1,489  | 3.16  | N/A
Turnout | 49,653  | 64.4  | -15.2
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | −3.1  |

### Elections in the 1960s[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jim Prior | 23,976  | 47.80  |
| Labour | Ronald Atkins | 21,272  | 42.41  |
| Liberal | Charles Gordon A. Steele  | 4,911  | 9.79  |
Majority  | 2,704  | 5.39  |
Turnout | 60,775  | 82.53  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1966: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jim Prior | 24,063  | 46.03  |
| Labour | Michael D Cornish  | 23,705  | 45.34  |
| Liberal | David R Crome  | 4,513  | 8.63  |
Majority  | 358  | 0.69  |
Turnout | 62,881  | 83.14  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1970s[edit]

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

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jim Prior | 28,842  | 50.69  |
| Labour | Douglas A Baker  | 23,319  | 40.98  |
| Liberal | David R Crome  | 4,737  | 8.33  |
Majority  | 5,523  | 9.71  |
Turnout | 72,320  | 78.68  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election February 1974: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jim Prior | 26,157  | 40.89  |
| Labour | Douglas A Baker  | 22,553  | 35.26  |
| Liberal | P Hancock  | 15,261  | 23.86  |
Majority  | 3,604  | 5.63  |
Turnout | 76,350  | 83.79  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election October 1974: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jim Prior | 25,510  | 42.43  |
| Labour | Douglas A Baker  | 23,448  | 39.00  |
| Liberal | P Hancock  | 11,165  | 18.57  |
Majority  | 2,062  | 3.43  |
Turnout | 76,936  | 78.15  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
General election 1979: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Jim Prior | 33,376  | 50.46  |
| Labour | A Lark  | 25,555  | 38.63  |
| Liberal | Barrie Skelcher  | 6,783  | 10.25  |
| Ecology | T Pye  | 435  | 0.66  | New
Majority  | 7,821  | 11.83  |
Turnout | 82,733  | 79.95  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 2020s[edit]

Next general election: Lowestoft  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Peter Aldous |  |  |
| Labour | Jessica Asato |  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Adam Robertson  |  |  |
Majority  |  |  |
Turnout |  |  |
|  | Swing |  |

## References[edit]

1. ^ "'Lowestoft', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
2. ^ 2023 review Eastern Boundary Commission for England
3. ^ 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. ^ Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.
5. ^ "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
7. ^ a b c The Liberal Year Book, 1907
8. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
9. ^ "The Northern or Lowestoft Division of the County of Suffolk". Lowestoft Journal. 12 December 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 3 December 2017 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ Wodehouse, John (1997). Hawkins, Angus; Powell, John (eds.). The Journal of John Wodehouse, First Earl of Kimberley for 1862-1902. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521623285.
11. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
12. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
13. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

* Robert Waller, The Almanac of British Politics (1st edition, London: Croom Helm, 1983)
* Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979)
* The Constitutional Year Book, 1913
* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 4)

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