East Suffolk
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Context of 1832-1868. Extract from 1837 result: the easternmost 'doubly' blue land.
CountySuffolk
1832–1885
SeatsTwo
Created fromAldeburgh, Dunwich, Orford and Suffolk
Replaced byEye, Lowestoft and Woodbridge

East Suffolk was a county constituency in Suffolk, England. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the bloc vote system of election.

History

The seat was created under the Reform Act 1832 as one of two divisions, together with the Western Division, of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk. This resulted in a more representative allocation, with a total of four MPs instead of two for the former entire county at large, which still allowed for double voting (or more) of those Forty Shilling Freeholders who also were householders or landlords of any particular boroughs within the county. This Act retained the four largest boroughs of the seven before 1832, with the three abolished boroughs of Aldeburgh, Dunwich and Orford being absorbed into the Eastern Division.

Further sweeping changes took place as a result of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 which saw the 2 two-member Suffolk divisions being replaced by five single-member constituencies. The Eastern Division was largely replaced by the Northern or Lowestoft Division, the North-Eastern or Eye Division and the South-Eastern or Woodbridge Division.

Boundaries

1832–1885: The part of the county of Suffolk not included in the West Suffolk constituency, i.e. the Hundreds of Blything, Bosmere and Claydon, Carlford, Colneis, Hoxne, Loes, Mutford and Lothingland, Plomesgate, Samford, Thredling, Wangford, and Wilford, and the Liberty of Ipswich.[1]

Members of Parliament

Election 1st Member 1st Party 2nd Member 2nd Party
1832 John Henniker-Major Tory[2] Robert Newton Shawe Whig[2][3]
1834 Conservative[2]
1835 Charles Broke Vere Conservative[2]
1843 by-election The Lord Rendlesham Conservative[2]
1846 by-election Sir Edward Gooch, Bt Conservative
1852 by-election Fitzroy Kelly Conservative
1856 by-election John Henniker-Major Conservative
1866 by-election Hon. John Henniker-Major Conservative Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt Conservative
1867 by-election Frederick Snowdon Corrance Conservative
1870 by-election Arthur Stanhope Conservative
1874 Frederick Thellusson Conservative
1876 by-election Frederick St John Barne Conservative
1885 constituency abolished: see Eye, Lowestoft, Stowmarket, Sudbury and Woodbridge

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: East Suffolk[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory John Henniker-Major, Sr. 2,030 35.0
Whig Robert Newton Shawe 1,990 34.3
Tory Charles Broke Vere 1,784 30.7
Turnout 3,826 89.7
Registered electors 4,265
Majority 40 0.7
Tory win (new seat)
Majority 206 3.6
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: East Suffolk[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major, Sr. 2,452 36.0 +1.0
Conservative Charles Broke Vere 2,321 34.1 +3.4
Whig Robert Newton Shawe 2,029 29.8 −4.5
Majority 292 4.3 N/A
Turnout 4,345 86.3 −3.4
Registered electors 5,034
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +2.8
General election 1837: East Suffolk[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Henniker-Major, Sr. Unopposed
Conservative Charles Broke Vere Unopposed
Registered electors 6,278
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: East Suffolk[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major, Sr. 3,279 39.8 N/A
Conservative Charles Broke Vere 3,178 38.5 N/A
Whig Robert Adair 1,787 21.7 New
Majority 1,391 16.8 N/A
Turnout 4,983 72.1 N/A
Registered electors 6,915
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Vere's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 18 April 1843: East Suffolk[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Thellusson 2,952 61.9 −16.4
Whig Robert Adair 1,818 38.1 +16.4
Majority 1,134 23.8 +7.0
Turnout 4,770 70.3 −1.8
Registered electors 6,786
Conservative hold Swing −16.4

Henniker-Major resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, causing a by-election.

By-election, 19 February 1846: East Suffolk[4][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Gooch Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Gooch Unopposed
Conservative Frederick Thellusson Unopposed
Registered electors 6,673
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

Thellusson's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 1 May 1852: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Fitzroy Kelly Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Gooch Unopposed
Conservative Fitzroy Kelly Unopposed
Registered electors 6,343
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Gooch's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 26 December 1856: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major, Sr. Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1857: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major, Sr. Unopposed
Conservative Fitzroy Kelly Unopposed
Registered electors 5,907
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Kelly was appointed Attorney-General for England and Wales, causing a by-election.

By-election, 6 March 1858: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Fitzroy Kelly Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1859: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major, Sr. 2,677 37.8 N/A
Conservative Fitzroy Kelly 2,517 35.6 N/A
Liberal Robert Adair 1,883 26.6 New
Majority 634 9.0 N/A
Turnout 4,480 (est) 76.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 5,837
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major (senior) Unopposed
Conservative Fitzroy Kelly Unopposed
Registered electors 6,769
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Henniker-Major was elevated to a UK peerage, becoming Lord Hartismere, and Kelly resigned after being appointed Chief Justice of the Court of the Exchequer, causing a by-election for both seats.

By-election, 25 July 1866: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major (junior) Unopposed
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Kerrison resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 20 February 1867: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Snowdon Corrance 2,489 54.0 N/A
Liberal Robert Adair 2,120 46.0 New
Majority 369 8.0 N/A
Turnout 4,609 68.1 N/A
Registered electors 6,769
Conservative hold
General election 1868: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Henniker-Major (junior) 3,650 26.8 N/A
Conservative Frederick Snowdon Corrance 3,620 26.5 N/A
Liberal Robert Adair 3,321 24.4 N/A
Liberal Thomas Western 3,045 22.3 N/A
Majority 299 2.1 N/A
Turnout 6,818 (est) 75.6 (est) N/A
Registered electors 9,024
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

Henniker-Major succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Hartismere.

By-election, 1 Jun 1870: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Stanhope 3,456 51.3 −2.0
Liberal Robert Adair 3,285 48.7 +2.0
Majority 171 2.6 +0.5
Turnout 6,741 74.7 −0.9
Registered electors 9,024
Conservative hold Swing −2.0
General election 1874: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Thellusson 4,136 37.4 +10.6
Conservative Arthur Stanhope 3,896 35.3 +8.8
Liberal George Tomline[5] 3,014 27.3 −19.4
Majority 882 8.0 +5.9
Turnout 7,030 (est) 74.1 (est) −1.5
Registered electors 9,484
Conservative hold Swing +10.2
Conservative hold Swing +9.3

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

By-election, 20 Mar 1874: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Stanhope Unopposed
Conservative hold

Stanhope succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl Stanhope and causing a by-election.

By-election, 24 Feb 1876: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick St John Barne 3,659 57.5 −15.2
Liberal Charles Easton[6] 2,708 42.5 +15.2
Majority 951 15.0 +7.0
Turnout 6,367 66.6 −7.5
Registered electors 9,558
Conservative hold Swing −15.2

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: East Suffolk[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Thellusson 4,239 37.3 −0.1
Conservative Frederick St John Barne 3,618 31.8 −3.5
Liberal Robert Lacey Everett 3,504 30.8 +3.5
Majority 114 1.0 −7.0
Turnout 7,433 (est) 77.1 (est) +3.0
Registered electors 9,635
Conservative hold Swing −0.9
Conservative hold Swing −2.6

References

  1. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. p. 52. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Bury and Norwich Post". 19 December 1832. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 461–462. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  5. ^ "The late East Suffolk Election". Framlingham Weekly News. 22 August 1874. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 21 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Election News". The Scotsman. 3 February 1876. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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