Tunbridge (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in Kent

Not to be confused with Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency).

Tunbridge

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1918
Seats| one
Created from| Mid Kent
Replaced by| Tonbridge

Tunbridge was a parliamentary constituency in Kent, centred on the town of Tonbridge. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It was created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1918 general election, when it was replaced by the new Tonbridge constituency.

## Boundaries

[edit]

The Sessional Divisions of Tunbridge and Tunbridge Wells, and part of the Sessional Division of Malling.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1885 | Robert Norton | Conservative
| 1892 | Arthur Griffith-Boscawen | Conservative
| 1906 | Alfred Paget Hedges | Liberal
| 1910 | Herbert Spender-Clay | Conservative
1918 | constituency abolished: see Tonbridge

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

Verney General election 1885: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robert Norton | 4,533  | 51.8  |
| Liberal | Frederick Verney | 4,210  | 48.2  |
Majority | 323  | 3.6  |
Turnout | 8,743  | 81.7  |
Registered electors | 10,703  |  |
| Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robert Norton | Unopposed
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

Frederick Pavy General election 1892: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Griffith-Boscawen | 4,821  | 55.4  | N/A
| Liberal | Frederick William Pavy | 3,888  | 44.6  | New
Majority | 933  | 10.8  | N/A
Turnout | 8,709  | 69.7  | N/A
Registered electors | 12,494  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1895: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Griffith-Boscawen | Unopposed
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

Griffith-Boscawen General election 1900: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Griffith-Boscawen | 5,576  | 61.5  | N/A
| Liberal | C Cory  | 3,494  | 38.5  | New
Majority | 2,082  | 23.0  | N/A
Turnout | 9,070  | 67.1  | N/A
Registered electors | 13,519  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Alfred Hedges General election 1906: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Alfred Paget Hedges | 7,170  | 54.9  | +16.4
| Conservative | Arthur Griffith-Boscawen | 5,887  | 45.1  | −16.4
Majority | 1,283  | 9.8  | N/A
Turnout | 13,057  | 84.2  | +17.1
Registered electors | 15,500  |  |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.4  |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Herbert Spender-Clay | 9,240  | 60.5  | +15.4
| Liberal | Alfred Paget Hedges | 6,030  | 39.5  | −15.4
Majority | 3,210  | 21.0  | N/A
Turnout | 15,270  | 89.2  | +5.0
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +15.4  |
General election December 1910: Tunbridge[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Herbert Spender-Clay | 8,286  | 57.4  | −3.1
| Liberal | Alfred Paget Hedges | 6,159  | 42.6  | +3.1
Majority | 2,127  | 14.8  | −6.2
Turnout | 14,445  | 84.4  | −4.8
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

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: Herbert Spender-Clay
* Liberal:

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 309\. ISBN 9781349022984.

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)

* v
* t
* e

Tonbridge

Buildings|

* Castle
* Parish Church
* Priory
* Priory Mill
* Railway station
* Somerhill House †
* St. Stephen's Church
* Town Mill

Businesses|

* Imperial Records
* New Enterprise Coaches

Events|

* 1968 floods
* 2006 Securitas depot robbery

People|

* Bishops of Tonbridge
* Old Juddians
* Old Tonbridgians
* People from Tonbridge

Political|

* Lowey of Tonbridge (11th-19th centuries)
* Tunbridge constituency (1885-1918)
* Tonbridge constituency (1918-74)
* Tonbridge and Malling constituency (1974-2024)
* Tonbridge constituency (since 2024)
* Tonbridge and Malling borough (since 1974)
* Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (since 1974)
* Local elections

Schools, colleges and universities|

* Hayesbrook
* Hillview
* Hugh Christie
* Judd
* Ridge View
* Somerhill †
* Thomas Delarue (closed)
* Tonbridge
* Tonbridge Grammar
* University of Kent
* Weald of Kent
* West Kent College
* Woodlands
* Yardley Court †

Sports, arts and leisure|

* Angel Ground
* Cowdrey Cricket Club
* Half Marathon
* Haysden Country Park
* KMFM West Kent
* Longmead Stadium
* Missing (TV series)
* Oast Theatre
* Tonbridge Angels F.C.
* Swimming Pool
* Tunbridge ware

Twin towns|

* Heusenstamm
* Le Puy-en-Velay

† Italics denotes building in Tudeley-cum-Capel civil parish
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template