Haverfordwest
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1545–1885
Seatsone
Replaced byPembroke and Haverfordwest

Haverfordwest was a parliamentary constituency. 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 system.

History

The constituency was enfranchised in 1545, as the second borough constituency in the historic county of Pembrokeshire. In the previous election of 1542, the first at which Wales is known to have sent members to the Parliament of England, this borough was one of the ancient boroughs contributing to the wages and being in some sense represented by the member for Pembroke.

During the eighteenth century, Haverfordwest was considered to be little more than a pocket borough for the Philipps family of Picton Castle.[1]

From 1832 to 1885, it was a district of boroughs constituency, consisting of the three boroughs of Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Narberth.[2]

The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, and merged into the newly created constituency of Pembroke and Haverfordwest.

Members of Parliament

1543–1660

Parliament Member
1547 Richard Howell[3]
1553 (Mar) Richard Howell[3]
1553 (Oct) Richard Taylor[3]
1554 (Apr) Richard Howell[3]
1554 (Nov) Richard Howell[3]
1555 John Bolton or Button[3]
1558 Thomas ab Owen[3]
1559 Hugh Harris[4]
1562–3 Rice Morgan[4]
1571 John Garnons
(Alban Stepneth cheated of seat by Sheriff) [4]
1572 Alban Stepneth[4]
1584 Alban Stepneth[4]
1586 Alban Stepneth[4]
1588 Sir John Perrot[4]
1593 Sir Nicholas Clifford[4]
1597 Sir James Perrot[4]
1601 John Canon[4]
1604-1611 Sir James Perrot
1614 Sir James Perrot
1621-22 Sir James Perrot
1624 Lewis Powell
1625 Sir Thomas Canon
1626 Sir James Perrot
1628 Sir James Perrot
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr) Hugh Owen
1640 (Nov) Sir John Stepney, 3rd Baronet, disabled 1643
1645 Sir Robert Needham, secluded 1648
1653 Not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 Not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament
1656 John Upton
1659 John Upton
1660 William Philipps

1660–1885

Election Member Party
1660 (Apr) William Philipps, election declared void, June 1660 [5]
1660 (Aug) William Philipps re-elected[5]
1661 Isaac Lloyd, election declared void, May 1663 [5]
1663 (c.Jun) Sir William Morton, made judge[5]
1666 Sir Frederick Hyde, died[5]
1667 Sir Herbert Perrott[5]
1679 William Wogan [5]
1679 Thomas Owen [5]
1681 Thomas Howard[5]
1685 William Wogan[5][6]
1701 (Jan) William Wheeler[6]
1702 John Laugharne, died[6][7]
1715 John Barlow, died[6][7]
1718 Sir John Philipps, 4th Baronet[7]
1722 Francis Edwardes, died[7]
1726 Sir Erasmus Philipps, died[7]
1743 George Barlow[7]
1747 William Edwardes (Baron Kensington from 1776)[7]
1780 Whig[8]
1784 The Lord Milford
1786 The Lord Kensington Whig[8]
1801 Seat vacant
1802 The Lord Kensington Whig[8]
1818 William Henry Scourfield Tory[8]
1826 Richard Philipps Whig[8][9]
1835 William Henry Scourfield Conservative[8]
1837 Sir Richard Philipps, Bt Whig[8][9]
1847 John Evans Whig[10]
1852 John Scourfield Conservative[11]
1868 Hon. William Edwardes
(Baron Kensington from 1872) 		Liberal[11]
Constituency seat abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Haverfordwest[8][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Richard Philipps Unopposed
Registered electors c. 500
Whig hold
General election 1831: Haverfordwest[8][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Richard Philipps Unopposed
Registered electors c. 500
Whig hold
General election 1832: Haverfordwest[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Richard Philipps Unopposed
Registered electors 723
Whig hold
General election 1835: Haverfordwest[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative William Henry Scourfield 241 65.8
Whig Jonathan Haworth Peel 125 34.2
Majority 116 31.6
Turnout 366 68.0
Registered electors 538
Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1837: Haverfordwest[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Richard Philipps 247 60.0 +25.8
Conservative William Henry Scourfield 165 40.0 −25.8
Majority 82 20.0 N/A
Turnout 412 58.4 −9.6
Registered electors 706
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +25.8

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Richard Philipps Unopposed
Registered electors 667
Whig hold
General election 1847: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Evans Unopposed
Registered electors 667
Whig hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Philipps 297 59.4 New
Whig John Evans 203 40.6 N/A
Majority 94 18.8 N/A
Turnout 500 73.3 N/A
Registered electors 682
Conservative gain from Whig Swing N/A
General election 1857: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Philipps 258 50.2 −9.2
Radical William Rees[13][14] 256 49.8 +9.2
Majority 2 0.4 −18.4
Turnout 514 69.5 −3.8
Registered electors 740
Conservative hold Swing −9.2
General election 1859: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Philipps Unopposed
Registered electors 777
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Scourfield 314 58.6 N/A
Liberal William Edwardes 222 41.4 New
Majority 92 17.2 N/A
Turnout 536 80.1 N/A
Registered electors 669
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1868: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Edwardes 638 56.2 +14.8
Conservative Samuel Pitman[15] 497 43.8 −14.8
Majority 141 12.4 N/A
Turnout 1,135 74.4 −5.7
Registered electors 1,526
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +14.8

Elections in the 1870s

Edwardes was appointed a Groom in Waiting, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 26 Nov 1873: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Edwardes 609 52.2 −4.0
Conservative Xavier de Castanos Royds Peel 558 47.8 +4.0
Majority 51 4.4 −8.0
Turnout 1,167 73.3 −1.1
Registered electors 1,592
Liberal hold Swing −4.0
General election 1874: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Edwardes Unopposed
Registered electors 1,357
Liberal hold

The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election, after a separate potential candidate, Mr Davis, had been refused his nomination by the local sheriff without a deposit for security of costs.[16] However, in the resulting by-election, Davis did not stand and Edwardes was re-elected.

By-election, 12 Jun 1874: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Edwardes Unopposed
Registered electors 1,357
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Edwardes 686 56.8 N/A
Conservative Edward Denman Thornburgh-Cropper 522 43.2 New
Majority 164 13.6 N/A
Turnout 1,208 78.3 N/A
Registered electors 1,543
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Edwardes was appointed Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 12 May 1880: Haverfordwest[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Edwardes Unopposed
Liberal hold

References

  1. ^ Williams 1960, p. 39.
  2. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 506. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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. 198–199. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. p. 182. Retrieved 13 August 2019 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Members Returned". Norfolk News. 7 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. p. 506. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  12. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Haverfordwest". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Election Intelligence". Globe. 7 March 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Glasgow Sentinel". 21 March 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "To the Electors of Haverfordwest". Potter's Electric News. 25 November 1868. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Member of Parliament is unseated". Bolton Evening News. 3 June 1874. p. 2. Retrieved 31 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Sources

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