Whitehaven
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Whitehaven in Cumberland, 1974-1983
County1832–1974: Cumberland
1974–1983: Cumbria
Major settlementsWhitehaven
1832–1983
SeatsOne
Created fromCumberland
Replaced byCopeland

Whitehaven was a constituency centred on the town of Whitehaven in Cumberland, which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It was created in 1832 and renamed Copeland at the 1983 general election.

Boundaries

The boundaries were unaffected in 1885, under the second Great Reform agreed the previous year, its key limb of The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 not yet absorbing the bulk of the area of Egremont or 'the Western Division of Cumberland'.[1] The latter mainly rural area, much larger than Whitehaven borough which formed the existing seat, was added to the seat under the Representation of the People Act 1918.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1832 Matthias Attwood Tory[2]
1834 Conservative[2]
1847 Robert Hildyard Conservative
1857 by-election George Lyall Conservative
1865 George Cavendish-Bentinck Conservative
1891 Sir James Bain Conservative
1892 Thomas Shepherd Little Liberal
1895 Augustus Helder Conservative
1906 William Burnyeat Liberal
Jan. 1910 John Arthur Jackson Conservative
Dec. 1910 Thomas Richardson Labour
1918 James Augustus Grant Coalition Conservative
1922 Thomas Gavan Duffy Labour
1924 Robert Hudson Conservative
1929 M. Philips Price Labour
1931 William Nunn Conservative
1935 Frank Anderson Labour
1959 by-election Joseph Symonds Labour
1970 Jack Cunningham Labour
1983 constituency renamed (with unchanged boundaries), see Copeland

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Whitehaven[3][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Matthias Attwood 210 54.7
Whig Isaac Littledale 174 45.3
Majority 36 9.4
Turnout 384 83.8
Registered electors 458
Tory win (new seat)
General election 1835: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthias Attwood Unopposed
Registered electors 460
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthias Attwood Unopposed
Registered electors 476
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthias Attwood Unopposed
Registered electors 558
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hildyard Unopposed
Registered electors 543
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hildyard Unopposed
Registered electors 512
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Hildyard Unopposed
Registered electors 555
Conservative hold

Hildyard's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 17 December 1857: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Lyall Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Lyall Unopposed
Registered electors 571
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck Unopposed
Registered electors 648
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 1,125 59.3 N/A
Liberal Anthony Benn Steward[4] 771 40.7 New
Majority 354 18.6 N/A
Turnout 1,896 76.0 N/A
Registered electors 2,495
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck Unopposed
Registered electors 2,431
Conservative hold

Cavendish-Bentinck was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, causing a by-election.

By-election, 18 Dec 1875: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 1,503 82.8 N/A
Liberal Charles Thompson[5] 313 17.2 New
Majority 1,190 65.6 N/A
Turnout 1,816 69.9 N/A
Registered electors 2,599
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Whitehaven[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 1,204 52.9 N/A
Liberal William Gully 1,072 47.1 N/A
Majority 132 5.8 N/A
Turnout 2,276 86.8 N/A
Registered electors 2,622
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Whitehaven[6][7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 1,336 54.3 +1.4
Liberal William Gully 1,125 45.7 −1.4
Majority 211 8.6 +2.8
Turnout 2,461 91.6 +4.8
Registered electors 2,687
Conservative hold Swing +1.4
General election 1886: Whitehaven[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Cavendish-Bentinck 1,216 52.3 -2.0
Liberal Henry Gordon Shee 1,110 47.7 +2.0
Majority 106 4.6 -4.0
Turnout 2,326 86.6 -5.0
Registered electors 2,687
Conservative hold Swing -2.0

Elections in the 1890s

Cavendish-Bentinck's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 24 Apr 1891: Whitehaven[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Bain 1,338 54.8 +2.5
Liberal Henry Gordon Shee 1,105 45.2 −2.5
Majority 233 9.6 +5.0
Turnout 2,443 90.0 +3.4
Registered electors 2,713
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
General election 1892: Whitehaven[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Shepherd Little 1,306 54.6 +6.9
Conservative James Bain 1,088 45.4 −6.9
Majority 218 9.2 N/A
Turnout 2,394 88.7 +2.1
Registered electors 2,700
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.9
General election 1895: Whitehaven[6][7][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Augustus Helder 1,380 55.3 +9.9
Liberal Thomas Shepherd Little 1,114 44.7 -9.9
Majority 266 10.6 N/A
Turnout 2,494 90.8 +2.1
Registered electors 2,746
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.9

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Whitehaven[6][7][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Augustus Helder 1,553 63.9 +8.6
Liberal W McGowan 876 36.1 -8.6
Majority 677 27.8 +17.2
Turnout 2,429 86.0 -4.8
Registered electors 2,824
Conservative hold Swing +8.6
General election 1906: Whitehaven[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Burnyeat 1,507 55.8 +19.7
Conservative J. Robertson-Walker 1,194 44.2 -19.7
Majority 313 11.6 N/A
Turnout 2,701 91.7 +5.7
Registered electors 2,945
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +19.7

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Whitehaven[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Jackson 1,188 41.5 −2.7
Liberal William Hood Wandless 852 29.7 −26.1
Labour Andrew Sharp 825 28.8 New
Majority 336 11.8 N/A
Turnout 2,865 83.9 +2.2
Registered electors 3,050
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.7
General election December 1910: Whitehaven[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Richardson 1,414 53.7 +24.9
Conservative John Jackson 1,220 46.3 +4.8
Majority 194 7.4 N/A
Turnout 2,634 86.4 −7.5
Registered electors 3,050
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +10.1
General election 1918: Whitehaven[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist James Grant 10,736 54.4 +8.1
Labour Thomas Gavan-Duffy 9,016 45.6 −8.1
Majority 1,720 8.8 N/A
Turnout 19,752 72.0 −14.4
Unionist gain from Labour Swing +8.1
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Whitehaven[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Gavan-Duffy 10,935 45.3 -0.3
Unionist James Grant 8,956 37.2 -17.2
Liberal Henry Kenyon Campbell 4,209 17.5 New
Majority 1,979 8.1 N/A
Turnout 24,100 87.0 +15.0
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +8.4
General election 1923: Whitehaven[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Gavan-Duffy 12,419 53.0 +7.7
Unionist Robert Hudson 11,029 47.0 +9.8
Majority 1,390 6.0 -2.1
Turnout 23,448 83.1 -3.9
Labour hold Swing -1.0
General election 1924: Whitehaven[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Hudson 13,149 52.8 +5.8
Labour Thomas Gavan-Duffy 11,741 47.2 -5.8
Majority 1,408 5.6 N/A
Turnout 24,890 88.2 -0.9
Unionist gain from Labour Swing
Naylor
General election 1929: Whitehaven[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Philips Price 14,034 46.8 -0.4
Unionist Robert Hudson 12,382 41.3 -11.5
Liberal Henry Naylor 3,558 11.9 New
Majority 1,652 5.5 N/A
Turnout 29,974 88.1 -0.1
Labour gain from Unionist Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Whitehaven
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Nunn 16,286 53.3 +12.0
Labour M. Philips Price 14,255 46.7 -0.1
Majority 2,031 6.6 N/A
Turnout 30,541 89.6 +1.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1935: Whitehaven
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Anderson 14,794 48.9 +2.2
Conservative William Nunn 14,442 47.8 -5.5
Ind. Labour Party Tom Stephenson 1,004 3.3 New
Majority 352 1.1 N/A
Turnout 30,240 87.3 -2.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Whitehaven
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Anderson 18,568 61.1 +12.2
Conservative W.O. Hill 11,821 38.9 -8.9
Majority 6,747 22.2 +21.1
Turnout 30,389 82.8 -4.5
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Anderson 22,850 60.00
Conservative William Nunn 15,233 40.00
Majority 7,617 20.00
Turnout 38,083 87.04
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Anderson 23,190 59.19
Conservative Godfrey William Iredell 15,990 40.81
Majority 7,200 18.38
Turnout 39,180 85.24
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Anderson 22,348 58.04
Conservative Godfrey William Iredell 16,154 41.96
Majority 6,194 16.08
Turnout 38,502 83.78
Labour hold Swing
1959 Whitehaven by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Symonds 21,457 58.61 +0.57
Conservative Godfrey William Iredell 15,151 41.39 -0.57
Majority 6,306 17.22 +1.14
Turnout 36,608
Labour hold Swing
General election 1959: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Symonds 22,783 57.77
Conservative Howard Jardine Pedraza 16,653 42.23
Majority 6,130 15.54
Turnout 39,436 84.54
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Symonds 23,267 60.11
Conservative Edmund Brudenell 15,440 39.89
Majority 7,827 20.22
Turnout 38,707 82.02
Labour hold Swing
General election 1966: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Symonds 22,726 61.99
Conservative John A Kevill 13,935 38.01
Majority 8,791 23.98
Turnout 36,661 78.79
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Whitehaven[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jack Cunningham 22,974 58.32
Conservative W Graham McKay 16,418 41.68
Majority 6,556 16.64
Turnout 39,392 78.27
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Whitehaven
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jack Cunningham 23,229 59.42
Conservative P.B. Vose 15,867 40.58
Majority 7,362 18.84
Turnout 39,096 77.50
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Whitehaven
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jack Cunningham 21,832 55.56
Conservative P.B. Vose 11,899 30.28
Liberal M. Gilbert 5,563 14.16 New
Majority 9,933 25.28
Turnout 39,294 77.10
Labour hold Swing
General election 1979: Whitehaven
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jack Cunningham 22,626 52.44
Conservative John Somers 17,171 39.80
Liberal E. Akister 2,559 5.93
Independent W. Dixon 790 1.83 New
Majority 5,455 12.64
Turnout 43,146 81.74
Labour hold Swing

Sources

References

  1. ^ Youngs (1991) pp. 805-806
  2. ^ a b c Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 57. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  3. ^ 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. p. 330. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  4. ^ "The Coming Elections in Cumberland". Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser. 3 November 1868. p. 5. Retrieved 23 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Whitehaven". London Evening Standard. 14 December 1875. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 23 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. p. 208. ISBN 9781349022984.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  8. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  9. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  10. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  11. ^ a b Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  12. ^ a b c d e British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  13. ^ a b c d e f g British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973, FWS Craig
  14. ^ a b c d e f g The Times House of Commons, 1950-70
Categories