Kingston-upon-Thames
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County1885–1965: Surrey
1965–1997: Greater London
Major settlementsKingston upon Thames
1918–1997
SeatsOne
Replaced byKingston & Surbiton
Richmond Park
1885–1918
SeatsOne
Type of constituencyCounty constituency
Created fromMid Surrey
Replaced byseat shown above and
Richmond (Surrey)

Kingston or Kingston-upon-Thames was a parliamentary constituency which covered the emerging southwest, outer London suburb of Kingston upon Thames (until 1965 in Surrey) and which existed between 1885 and 1997 and returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The Conservative candidate won each election during its 112-year existence.

History

The seated was created for the 1885 general election as a county division called Kingston equivalent to the northwest corner of the former two-seat Mid Surrey division. It became a borough constituency for the present purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer at the 1918 general election, when it was formally renamed Kingston-upon-Thames.

It was abolished for the 1997 general election. Its territory was then divided between the new constituencies of Kingston and Surbiton and Richmond Park.

The constituency's most high-profile MP was the Conservative Norman Lamont, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1990 to 1993.

Boundaries

1950–1955: The boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, and Surbiton.[1]

1955–1983: The boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, and Malden and Coombe.[2]

1983–1997: The London Borough of Kingston upon Thames wards of Burlington, Cambridge, Canbury, Coombe, Grove, Hill, Malden, Manor, Norbiton, Norbiton Park, St James, and Tudor.

The seat since 1950 omitted all southern wards of Kingston upon Thames. These fell into the 1950-established seat of Surbiton, which replicated its own borough that merged with Kingston's borough in 1965.

Members of Parliament

Election Member [3] Party [4][5] Senior Frontbench positions
1885 Sir John Ellis Conservative none
1892 Sir Richard Temple Conservative none
1895 Thomas Skewes-Cox Conservative none
1906 George Cave Conservative Home Secretary (1916-1919)
Later Lord (High) Chancellor
1918 John Campbell Unionist none
1922 Sir Frederick Penny Unionist none
1937 b-e Sir Percy Royds Conservative none
1945 John Boyd-Carpenter Conservative Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1962-1964)
1972 b-e Norman Lamont Conservative Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1989-1990)
Chancellor of the Exchequer (1990-1993)
1997 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Kingston-upon-Thames [6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Whittaker Ellis 4,915 60.5
Liberal Charles Duncan Hodgson 3,206 39.5
Majority 1,709 21.0
Turnout 8,121 73.1
Registered electors 11,102
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Kingston-upon-Thames [6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Whittaker Ellis Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Kingston-upon-Thames [6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Temple 5,100 53.9 N/A
Liberal Charles Duncan Hodgson 4,357 46.1 New
Majority 743 7.8 N/A
Turnout 9,457 73.7 N/A
Registered electors 12,825
Conservative hold Swing N/A
T. Skewes-Cox
General election 1895: Kingston-upon-Thames [8][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Skewes-Cox 5,745 61.5 +7.6
Liberal Charles Burt 3,600 38.5 −7.6
Majority 2,145 23.0 +15.2
Turnout 9,345 68.6 −5.1
Registered electors 13,631
Conservative hold Swing +7.6

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Kingston-upon-Thames [8][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Skewes-Cox Unopposed
Conservative hold
George Cave
General election 1906: Kingston-upon-Thames [6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cave 7,656 53.6 N/A
Liberal Robert Whyte 6,637 46.4 New
Majority 1,019 7.2 N/A
Turnout 14,293 82.8 N/A
Registered electors 17,270
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

Holzapfel
General election January 1910: Kingston-upon-Thames [9][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cave 10,918 65.3 +11.7
Liberal Albert George Holzapfel 5,814 34.7 −11.7
Majority 5,104 30.6 +23.4
Turnout 16,732 85.2 +2.4
Registered electors 19,647
Conservative hold Swing +11.7
General election December 1910: Kingston-upon-Thames [9][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cave Unopposed
Conservative hold

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:

By-election, 1915: Kingston-upon-Thames [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Cave Unopposed
Unionist hold
General election 1918: Kingston upon Thames[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist John Campbell 13,596 73.8 N/A
Labour Thomas Henry Dumper 2,502 13.6 New
Liberal Arnold Ellis Ely 2,325 12.6 New
Majority 11,094 60.2 N/A
Turnout 18,423 51.7 N/A
Registered electors 35,656
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Kingston upon Thames[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Penny 15,136 66.7 −7.1
Independent Labour * Harry Day 7,563 33.3 New
Majority 7,573 33.4 −36.8
Turnout 22,699 59.3 +7.6
Registered electors 38,265
Unionist hold Swing −7.1

* Day was supported by the local Labour and Liberal parties.

General election 1923: Kingston upon Thames[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Penny 12,968 61.6 −5.1
Liberal William Freeman 8,095 38.4 New
Majority 4,873 23.2 −10.2
Turnout 21,063 53.9 −5.4
Registered electors 39,044
Unionist hold Swing −5.1
General election 1924: Kingston upon Thames[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Penny 19,933 70.2 +8.6
Labour Arthur Balfour Bishop 5,640 19.8 New
Liberal William Freeman 2,850 10.0 −28.4
Majority 14,293 50.4 +27.2
Turnout 28,423 71.3 +17.4
Registered electors 39,868
Unionist hold Swing +18.5
General election 1929: Kingston upon Thames[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Penny 20,911 54.1 −16.1
Labour John William Fawcett 8,903 23.1 +3.3
Liberal Frank John Powell 8,796 22.8 +12.8
Majority 12,008 31.0 −19.4
Turnout 38,610 68.9 −2.4
Registered electors 56,004
Unionist hold Swing −9.7

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Penny 35,925 82.5 +28.4
Labour John William Fawcett 7,613 17.5 -5.6
Majority 28,312 65.0 +34.0
Turnout 43,538 69.2 +0.3
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Kingston upon Thames[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Penny 32,953 67.5 -15.0
Labour George Henry Loman 10,014 20.5 +3.0
Liberal Frank John Powell 5,832 12.0 New
Majority 22,939 47.0 -18.0
Turnout 48,799 65.5 -3.7
Conservative hold Swing
1937 Kingston-upon-Thames by-election[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Percy Royds 19,887 66.6 -0.9
Labour George Henry Loman 9,972 33.4 +12.9
Majority 9,915 33.2 -13.8
Turnout 29,859 38.1 -27.4
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 and, by the autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected:

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 37,085 56.5 -10.1
Labour George Elvin 28,516 43.5 +10.1
Majority 8,569 13.0 -20.2
Turnout 65,601 74.0 +35.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 36,886 58.98
Labour NM Johns 21,229 33.94
Liberal Donald George Maskrey 4,429 7.08 New
Majority 15,657 25.04
Turnout 62,544 85.24
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 38,516 63.52
Labour Ray Hesketh 22,117 36.48
Majority 16,399 27.04
Turnout 60,633 81.14
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 31,069 65.86
Labour George Henry Loman 16,104 34.14
Majority 14,965 31.72
Turnout 47,173 76.38
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 31,649 67.26
Labour Tom Braddock 15,408 32.74
Majority 16,241 34.52
Turnout 47,057 77.91
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 23,973 52.79
Labour Tom Braddock 13,611 29.97
Liberal Stanley Rundle 7,827 17.24
Majority 10,362 22.82
Turnout 45,411 77.12
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 22,781 51.29
Labour James Stewart Cook 14,915 33.58
Liberal Michael F Burns 6,722 15.13
Majority 7,866 17.71
Turnout 44,418 76.97
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Kingston-Upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Boyd-Carpenter 23,426 56.67
Labour Robin H Crockett 13,090 31.67
Liberal Stephen J. Wells 4,822 11.66
Majority 10,336 25.00
Turnout 41,338 69.13
Conservative hold Swing
1972 Kingston-upon-Thames by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 16,679 52.32 -4.35
Labour Anthony Judge 9,892 31.03 -0.64
Liberal Stephen J. Wells 3,601 11.30 -0.36
Anti-Common Market Conservative Edgar Scruby 1,705 5.35 New
Majority 6,787 21.29
Turnout 31,877
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 23,006 48.57
Liberal Stephen J. Wells 12,699 28.81
Labour Chris Mullin 11,369 24.00
Anti-Common Market Conservative M.J. Christie 288 0.61
Majority 10,307 21.76
Turnout 47,362 80.53
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 20,680 48.63
Labour A. Quick 12,266 28.84
Liberal Stephen J. Wells 9,580 22.53
Majority 8,414 19.79
Turnout 42,526 71.77
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Kingston upon Thames
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 24,944 57.85
Labour John A. Torode 11,400 26.44
Liberal Declan Terry 6,771 15.70
Majority 13,544 31.41
Turnout 43,115 74.89
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Kingston upon Thames[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 22,094 54.1
Liberal Roger Hayes 13,222 32.4
Labour Peter J. Smith 4,977 12.2
Ecology Alexandra Presant-Collins 290 0.7 New
Loony Society Peter Dodd 259 0.6 New
Majority 8,872 21.7
Turnout 40,842 71.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1987: Kingston upon Thames[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 24,198 56.2 +2.1
Liberal Roger Hayes 13,012 30.2 -2.2
Labour Robert Markless 5,676 13.2 +1.0
CPWSML Jack Baker 175 0.4 New
Majority 11,186 26.0 +4.3
Turnout 43,061 78.5 +6.6
Conservative hold Swing +2.2

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Kingston upon Thames[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Lamont 20,675 51.6 −4.6
Liberal Democrats Derek Osbourne 10,522 26.3 −3.9
Labour Robert Markless 7,748 19.3 +6.1
Liberal Adrian Amer 771 1.9 New
Monster Raving Loony David Beaupré 212 0.5 New
Natural Law Graham Woollcoombe 81 0.2 New
Anti-Federalist League Anthony Scholefield 42 0.1 New
Majority 10,153 25.3 −0.7
Turnout 40,051 78.4 −0.1
Conservative hold Swing −0.3

References

  1. ^ "Representation of the People Act 1948: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1948 c. 65 (sch. 1), retrieved 23 July 2023
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton and Wimbledon) Order 1955. SI 1955/175". Statutory Instruments 1955. Part II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1956. pp. 2140–2141.
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "K" (part 2)
  4. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 366. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  5. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 399. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  6. ^ a b c d The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  8. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  9. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  10. ^ a b c d British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  11. ^ a b c British parliamentary election results 1885–1918, Craig, F. W. S.
  12. ^ "Parliamentary candidates' protest", The Times, 6 April 1939
  13. ^ The Liberal Magazine, 1939
  14. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  16. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byHuntingdon Constituency represented by the chancellor of the Exchequer 1990–1993 Succeeded byRushcliffe
Categories