Cardiff
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1542–1918
Seatsone
Replaced byCardiff Central, Cardiff East and Cardiff South

Cardiff was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Cardiff in South Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election.

Boundaries

Under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542, most Welsh shire towns returned one MP, including Cardiff as the shire town of Glamorgan; however, other ancient boroughs in the shire contributed to the expense of the borough MP and in return gained a share in the vote.[1] In the case of Cardiff, the relevant "contributory boroughs" were Llantrisant and Cowbridge, and until 1832 also Swansea, Loughor, Neath, Aberavon, and Kenfig.[2] Elections were often held at Bridgend, which was not a contributory borough but was conveniently central in Glamorgan.[3] The Reform Act 1832 separated the contributory boroughs other than Llantrisant and Cowbridge into the new Swansea District of Boroughs. As proposed in 1830, the reform bill would have added Llandaff, Aberdare, and Merthyr Tydfil as Cardiff contributory boroughs, but in the event Merthyr and Aberdare became a separate borough while Llandaff remained part of Glamorgan county constituency, which gained a second seat.[4] The Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832 extended the boundary of the Cardiff District of Boroughs constituency to include those parts of the Cardiff parishes of St Mary's and St. John outside the old borough boundary.[5] The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 extended the parliamentary boundary to Cardiff's enlarged municipal borough boundary.[6]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1542–1645

Parliament Member
1542 John Bassett
1545 Unknown
1547 John Cock, sat for Calne,
repl. by Sir Philip Hoby
1553 (Mar) ?David Evans
1553 (Oct) David Evans
1554 (Apr) David Evans
1554 (Nov) William Colchester
1555 William Herbert
1558 Lleisan Pryce
1559 David Evans
1562–3 Henry Lewes
1571 Henry Morgan
1572 David Roberts
1584 Nicholas Herbert
1586 George Lewis
1588 Gabriel Lewys
1593 David Roberts
1597 Nicholas Hawkins
1601 William Lewis
1604 Matthew Davies
1614 Matthew Davies
1621 William Herbert
1624 William Price
1625 William Price
1626 William Price
1628 Lewis Morgan
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
1640 William Herbert
killed at Battle of Edgehill 1642
1642–1645 Not represented

MPs 1645–1832

Year Member Party
1645 Algernon Sidney
1653 Not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 John Price
1656
1659
1660 Bussy Mansell
Double return, Herbert Evans disallowed
1661 Sir Richard Lloyd

Elected to sit for Radnorshire

1661 William Bassett

Election voided by Parliament on petition

1661 Robert Thomas
1679 Feb Robert Thomas
1679 Sep Robert Thomas
1681 Bussy Mansell
1685 Francis Gwyn
1689 Thomas Mansel Tory
1698 Sir Edward Stradling, Bt
1701 Thomas Mansel
1706 Sir John Aubrey, Bt
1710 Sir Edward Stradling, Bt
1722 Edward Stradling
1727 Bussy Mansel Tory
1734 Herbert Windsor
1739 Herbert Mackworth
1741 Herbert Mackworth
1747 Herbert Mackworth
1754 Herbert Mackworth
1761 Herbert Mackworth
1766 Herbert Mackworth
1768 Herbert Mackworth
1774 Herbert Mackworth
1780 Sir Herbert Mackworth
1784 Sir Herbert Mackworth
1790 Lord Mount Stuart Tory
1794 Lord Evelyn Stuart Tory
1802 Lord William Stuart Tory
1814 Lord Evelyn Stuart Tory
1818 Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart
1820 Wyndham Lewis Tory[7]
1826 Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart Whig[7]
1832 Franchise extended under Reform Act 1832

MPs 1832–1918

Election Member Party
1832 John Iltyd Nicholl Conservative
1852 Walter Coffin Radical[8][9][10]
1857 James Crichton-Stuart Whig[11]
1859 Liberal
1880 Sir Edward Reed Liberal
1895 James Mackenzie Maclean Unionist
1900 Sir Edward Reed Liberal
1904 Liberal Unionist
1906 Ivor Guest Liberal
1910 (Jan) D. A. Thomas Liberal
1910 (Dec) Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart Unionist
1915 by-election Sir James Cory, 1st Baronet Conservative
1918 constituency abolished:
see Cardiff Central, Cardiff East and Cardiff South

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Cardiff Boroughs[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Whig hold
General Election 1831: Cardiff Boroughs[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Whig hold
General Election 1832: Cardiff Boroughs[7][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory John Iltyd Nicholl 342 64.2
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart 191 35.8
Majority 151 28.4
Turnout 533 77.6
Registered electors 687
Tory gain from Whig
General Election 1835: Cardiff Boroughs[7][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl Unopposed
Registered electors 672
Conservative hold

Nicholl was appointed as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, causing a by-election.

By-election, 20 March 1835: Cardiff Boroughs[7][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl Unopposed
Conservative hold
General Election 1837: Cardiff Boroughs[7][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl Unopposed
Registered electors 635
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General Election 1841: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl Unopposed
Registered electors 765
Conservative hold

Nicholl was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 17 September 1841: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl Unopposed
Conservative hold
General Election 1847: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl Unopposed
Registered electors 797
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General Election 1852: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Walter Coffin 490 51.4 New
Conservative John Iltyd Nicholl 464 48.6 N/A
Majority 26 2.8 N/A
Turnout 954 98.6 N/A
Registered electors 2,072
Radical gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1857: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig James Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Registered electors 1,640
Whig gain from Radical
General election 1859: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Registered electors 1,793
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Registered electors 2,072
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Crichton-Stuart 2,501 54.9 N/A
Conservative Hardinge Giffard 2,055 45.1 New
Majority 446 9.8 N/A
Turnout 4,556 84.6 N/A
Registered electors 5,388
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Crichton-Stuart 2,780 50.1 −4.8
Conservative Hardinge Giffard 2,771 49.9 +4.8
Majority 9 0.2 −9.6
Turnout 5,551 83.4 −1.2
Registered electors 6,656
Liberal hold Swing −4.8

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Cardiff Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Reed 3,831 53.1 +3.0
Conservative Arthur Guest 3,383 46.9 −3.0
Majority 448 6.2 +6.0
Turnout 7,214 86.4 +3.0
Registered electors 8,350
Liberal hold Swing +3.0
General election 1885: Cardiff Boroughs[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Reed 5,569 50.6 −2.5
Conservative Henry Harben (businessman) 5,429 49.4 +2.5
Majority 140 1.2 −5.0
Turnout 10,998 87.3 +0.9
Registered electors 12,605
Liberal hold Swing −2.5

Reed was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 27 Feb 1886: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Reed 5,708 54.1 +3.5
Conservative John Dillwyn-Llewelyn 4,845 45.9 -3.5
Majority 863 8.2 +7.0
Turnout 10,553 83.7 -3.6
Registered electors 12,605
Liberal hold Swing +3.5
Brand
General election 1886: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Reed 5,307 51.7 +1.1
Liberal Unionist Henry Brand 4,965 48.3 −1.1
Majority 342 3.4 +2.2
Turnout 10,272 81.5 −5.8
Registered electors 12,605
Liberal hold Swing +1.1

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Cardiff Boroughs[14][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Reed 7,226 52.5 +0.8
Liberal Unionist Sir John Gunn 6,540 47.5 -0.8
Majority 686 5.0 +1.6
Turnout 13,766 81.5 0.0
Registered electors 16,886
Liberal hold Swing +0.8
General election 1895: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Mackenzie Maclean 8,386 52.6 +5.1
Liberal Edward Reed 7,562 47.4 -5.1
Majority 824 5.2 N/A
Turnout 15,948 82.4 +0.9
Registered electors 19,358
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +5.1

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Reed 9,342 52.2 +4.8
Conservative Joseph Lawrence 8,541 47.8 −4.8
Majority 801 4.4 N/A
Turnout 17,883 80.0 -2.4
Registered electors 22,361
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +4.8
Guest
General election 1906: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ivor Guest 12,434 56.9 +4.7
Conservative James Fortescue-Flannery 9,429 43.1 −4.7
Majority 3,005 13.8 +9.4
Turnout 21,863 80.8 +0.8
Registered electors 27,057
Liberal hold Swing +4.7

Elections in the 1910s

Thomas
General election January 1910: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal D. A. Thomas 13,207 53.1 -3.8
Conservative Ninian Crichton-Stuart 11,652 46.9 +3.8
Majority 1,555 6.2 -7.6
Turnout 24,859 86.5 +5.7
Liberal hold Swing -3.8
Crichton-Stuart
General election December 1910: Cardiff Boroughs[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ninian Crichton-Stuart 12,181 50.6 +3.7
Liberal Clarendon Hyde 11,882 49.4 -3.7
Majority 299 1.2 N/A
Turnout 24,068 83.8 -2.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +3.7
1915 Cardiff by-election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist James Cory Unopposed
Unionist hold

References

  1. ^ "Constituencies 1509–1558". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  2. ^ Fuidge, N. M. "Cardiff Boroughs 1509–1558". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  3. ^ Bowen, Lloyd; Healy, Simon. "Cardiff Boroughs 1604–1629". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  4. ^ Escott, Margaret (2009). "Cardiff Boroughs". In Fisher, D.R. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 29 July 2019 – via History of Parliament Online.
  5. ^ "2 & 3 Will.4 c.64, §35 and Schedule O. No.48". The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. His Majesty's Statute and Law Printers. 1832. p. 375. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  6. ^ Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Schedule 5
  7. ^ 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. 192–193. Retrieved 4 May 2020 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ "The General Election". Morning Post. 7 July 1852. pp. 2–4. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Cardiff". Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. 10 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Cardiff Boroughs". Monmouthshire Beacon. 10 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Windsor and Eton Express". 28 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Cardiff Boroughs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  15. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  16. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1896

Bibliography

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